Aren't modular homes the same as mobile homes? Not by a long shot! Modular homes are a revolutionary new product for the new home construction industry. Have you seen videos or television depictions of a state-of-the-art automobile manufacturing plant? If you have, imagine a brand new home being built the same way. But instead of the final home product being of a lesser quality, the home is built better and in less than half the time compared to standard new home construction. If you can envision this, then you are beginning to get the concept of modular homes.

Modular homes are more than 80 percent constructed in a large factory indoors away from the elements of the weather. The completed modular are then loaded onto a truck and lifted onto a foundation where the new homeowner awaits the finishing touches to complete the construction. Because the modules are transported to the site, the durability and strength have to be greater than a home built on-site. Estimates indicate these homes are therefore 20 percent stronger than your typical "site-built" home. Modules are then secured together with water, electricity, and sewage "tied in" after it has arrived. By the end, no one can tell the difference between a modular home and a site-built home.

But I am sure the designs are limited with this type of construction, right? Nope. Any design can be made into a modular home. Whether you bring plans to a modular home manufacturer, or select from the thousands of designs available, your dream home can be constructed by modular technology. Design architects who create wonderful modular homes are abundant, and many have selectively embraced this new method of home building. Having the ability to provide the homeowner with vast choices in design while saving resources in energy, labor, time and materials makes modular homes an easy choice.

Not only are modular home stronger than site-built homes and equal in design choices, but they cut the time of construction by more than half. Having the ability to work in a factory enables construction to be most efficient. No rain delays or freezing temperatures, no scheduling conflicts with subcontractors between different jobs, and no lost tools or having to travel to different job sites. Some large manufacturers produce as many as 6 to 8 homes a week. In the end, the homeowner wins because there is less time for construction loans to accrue interest and less time needed to pay for temporary housing during construction. Time is money.

Not only do modular homes save time and relate costs, but the total costs for a new home identical to a comparable site-built home is 10 to 20 percent less. These savings are immediately appreciated, but they are also a nice surprise when you plan to sell your home later. Modular homes accrue value as well (if not better) than site built homes, so putting in less money on the front end increases your equity on the back end. All in all, modular homes make perfect sense. If you are in the new home market, you should strongly consider modular home construction.


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Michael Zenga founded ZN Custom Building in 2002 which specializes in Modular Home Construction in the Boston, MA area. Known as the Modular Building Specialist, Michael is an unabashed advocate for the industry and contributes related articles to many publications.