Since construction prices for traditional site constructed homes remain high, a lot of people have a growing interest in modular home building as a way to keep building costs inexpensive. Modular homes provide an inexpensive option that is converting prospective home shoppers into home owners.

Modular home sales have rose 8% among new home sales nationwide. North Carolina, Michigan and New York have been on the forefront of the growth of new modular home construction. With quick construction time tables and reduced costs, more buyers will see these homes as an affordable way to purchase a new home they might not otherwise be able to afford.

Modular homes have many similarities with manufactured homes, one of which is they are both constructed in a factory. One big difference is in the foundation. Generally, manufactured homes do not have a permanent foundation where modular homes have poured concrete and masonry footers, piers, and foundation walls. Most county courthouses deem manufactured homes as personal property because they are not permanently attached to the down and can be moved. Modular homes are considered and deeded as real property at the courthouse.

Factory settings allow homes to be built without the setbacks that traditional home builders face such as rainy weather and vandalism. Without these setbacks and with modern building techniques allow manufacturers to build the framework of the home at a lower cost that is passed on to the buyer. Buyers can even choose to customize their homes layout.

Almost all new modular homes are bought direct from a dealer. These dealers have show models constructed on sales lots and employ sales people who help you select floor plans and available options. Buyers walk through show homes to select a layout that suits their familys necessities. When the layout and any desired changes are approved, a state certified engineer affirms the changes meet all the appropriate building codes for the area the home is being constructed in. While the builder starts building the partitions and roof trusses, a local building contractor begins installing the foundation.

Once the factory-made sections are constructed, they are transported to the site, and lifted onto the foundation through the use of a crane. This process can take as little as a day to complete depending on the size of the home. Final completion may take another few weeks as electrical, plumbing, sheetrock, and cabinetry are installed on-site. The overall process, from the first order to move in, generally takes about ninety days. A big difference if compared to site-built houses, which could take from twelve to eighteen months to complete.

In Closing

In a tough economy, every home buyer is looking for ways to save money. Modular homes help buyers by providing them with affordable housing alternatives.

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