What is a Modular Home? | Rochester Homes (2024)

FAQs

What is a Modular Home? | Rochester Homes? ›

Modular homes are houses built off-site, usually in an indoor, quality-controlled setting. Modular homes are completed in sections called modules, according to specific plans. These sections are then transported to the site where they are assembled by builders and installed into the foundations.

Modular homes are assembled on a site and anchored to a foundation, whereas a manufactured home is transported in one piece to a site and can be relocated. Because they can be moved, manufactured homes are considered chattel (personal property) — like a recreational vehicle.

A modular home is a home that has been built indoors – basically, inside a home-building factory. Once complete, the modules (or components of these homes) are transported by truck to their new location and assembled by highly qualified tradesmen onto the already poured foundation.

Of course, modular houses have their downsides. These include less customization capabilities than stick-built homes. The cost of the land and construction of the home may be higher than some people can afford, land restrictions, and perceive quality issues. Modular homes may also have more a complicated loan process.

Is it cheaper to buy a modular home or build? In most cases, modular homes are less expensive than building a house, mainly because there's less labor involved.

According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, permanent foundations for manufactured homes must be constructed of durable materials like concrete, mortared masonry or treated wood, and have attachment points that anchor and stabilize the home to the underlying soil or rock.

The terms "manufactured home," "mobile home," and "modular home" are sometimes used interchangeably, but while they have some features in common, these types of home have more differences than similarities. Modular homes are constructed off-site in segments and assembled on-site on permanent foundations.

If it is a metal frame, it is likely that metal is the old chassis of the home and it is a “manufactured home.” If the frame is wood and lines can be seen where the sections of the home join up (doubled up joists bolted together), then it is likely a “modular home.”

Small manufactured homes range in size from tiny homes, less than 500 square feet to single-wide mobile homes that can be up to 900 square feet. These smaller-sized manufactured homes are typically 14 wide and 40' long.

What is the life span of a modular home? ›

The short answer is that modular homes can last just as long as traditional site-built homes, if not longer. In fact, many modular homes come with warranties of up to 50 years. The key to a modular home's longevity lies in its construction process and the materials used.

Modular homes are well-insulated, tightly built, and because they are customizable, can be built using energy-efficient options. Heat efficiency is one of the many benefits of going modular, which is exciting news.

The current state of the market influences the value of your modular home. In a seller's market, your home will often maintain its high value. However, if the market shifts to a buyer's market, your home may lose value as prospective buyers become less willing to pay your asking price.

Modular homes offer the best of both manufactured and stick built worlds! Having a home built almost entirely at the factory level, increases the quality control, reduces weather delays and damages, as well as offering a Greener way to build!

While modular homes are built on a removable chassis, manufactured homes are fixed to permanent chassis, which helps guarantee its mobility if desired by the homeowner later on.

These structures are made inside factories, so the materials that go into your home reside in a controlled environment with little moisture. Modular homes are built to be safe in case of a tornado or storm, and inspectors check surfaces for structural soundness before shipping.

Nail down hardwood installations and stone and ceramic installations are possible if a manufactured home is situated on a fixed foundation and if it isn't likely to settle. The subfloor matters as well: installing a denser subfloor can help keep your hardwood installation flat.