Why Modular Homes? (2024)

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Modular homes offer the best of both manufactured and stickbuilt 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! Asking the factory to build the home as a modular (same code as stick built homes) will provide the benefits the stick built industry offers in lower interest rates as well increased value for appraisal purposes now and in the future by using stick built homes as comparable sales.

• What is a Modular Home?
• Benefits of Modular (IBC) Homes?
• Modular Home Pricing Compared to Stick Built Homes
• Modular Homes Design Options

What is a Modular Home?

Modular Homes are constructed to the same state and local building codes and are subject to the same zoning regulations as site-built homes. In contrast, Manufactured Homes comply with the Federal Construction Safety Standards Act (HUD/CODE), which requires homes to be constructed on a non-removable steel chassis.

Benefits of Modular (International Building Code) Homes

Factory Production

The affordability of factory built housing can be attributed directly to the efficiencies emanating from the factory-building process. The controlled construction environment and assembly-line techniques remove many of the problems encountered during traditional home construction, such as poor weather, theft, vandalism, damage to building products and materials, and unskilled labor. Factory employees are trained and managed more effectively and efficiently than the system of contracted labor employed by the site-built home construction industry.

Building homes in a factory environment also helps reduce the timeframe for completion of a custom project. The normal timeframe for modular home production is 5-7 months allowing for the process of obtaining financing, permit processing, engineering, production and on site completion. There is time savings since construction can begin in the factory at the same time the foundation is being built on your site. Because the plans are California approved the plan check at the building department tends to take less time than a stick built. Also weather has almost no impact on building the home.

Much like other assembly-line operations, modular homes benefit from the economies of scale resulting from purchasing large quantities of materials, products and appliances. Modular home builders are able to negotiate substantial savings on many components used in building a home, with these savings passed on directly to the homebuyer.

There are also Green (earth friendly) Benefits that come from building a home in a factory environment. Prefabrication techniques reduce waste, offer energy-saving designs and improve manufacturing and construction efficiencies.

Financing

Along with offering economies of scale for factory production, weather controlled climate for building, as well as earth friendly benefits, the factory built home built as a modular home tops off the benefits by offering the best financing rates and options available!

It is important to distinguish between a true modular and a “hudular” home. Both homes are built to IBC Code and right now are considered “modular”. A “hudular” home is built with an I Beam (ON FRAME) under the home, same as a manufactured HUD built home. A TRUE MODULAR is built OFF FRAME using a low boy for delivery purposes and then the home will be rolled or craned onto the prebuilt foundation system.

Many lenders and appraisers consider a Hudular Home the same as a Manufactured Home because of the I Beam the home is built on. “Ma” Williams Homes will only build OFF FRAME, true MODULAR homes!! Don’t let another dealer, factory, or lender talk you into an ON-FRAME home! You will regret the decision later if the banker doesn’t fund the loan for your new home, or if in the future you can’t refinance, or sell your modular home just like a stick built home. If appraisers, bank inspectors, or other parties look under your home for inspection and see I-beams, you may have problems!

Building your home as a modular (IBC) opens up the options the appraiser can use for comparable sales, thereby helping to increase the value of your development. These criteria for appraisals will also help not only with your current equity, but will also help with future resell value.

By regulation, institutional lenders do not distinguish between stick built and modular built homes because both types of homes go through the same process at the building department and both are built to the same (IBC) building code. Therefore this allows the modular home buyer the same opportunities as any other home buyer in the market today!

The decision to purchase a manufactured or modular home may not be a choice, but rather dictated by the current real estate market. One thing for sure is that with the benefits of factory built housing, new stick built homes will have a hard time competing with this Green, efficient way of building that will be the future!

Modular Home Pricing Compared to Stick Built Homes

Modular homes are built with the same materials as a stick built home, offer a controlled environment to assure a high quality construction, offer the same or more technological advances to improve the functionality, esthetics, and efficiencies of your home, offer the same financing options and rates as a stick built home, and the best part is that all of these benefits come at PRICES UP TO 25 PERCENT LESS per square foot than conventional site-built homes.

Technological advances, evolutionary designs, and a focus on delivering quality homes that families can afford are the driving forces within the factory housing industry. Factories are offering more designs, floor plans, and options for homes that fit their needs and wants, at prices they can afford! Skyline for instance will build any home they have in a modular for not too much more than a manufactured! Skyline will look at custom modular plans so we can help you build your custom home!

Modular Homes Design Options

Skyline homes offer numerous standard floor plans for your ranging from 1,400 square feet on up. These standard plans are designed for value. However, Skyline, also allow for custom designed floor plans as well in which the options are endless. (View our standard modular homes floor plans)

Both factories when building a modular home have more flexibility in design in some regards because it doesn’t have to be complete when it leaves the factory. For instance, the home can be shipped from the factory without a completed roof. After the home is set on the site the custom rafters and trusses can be completed to achieve a truly custom stickbuilt exterior architectural elevation.

Why Use “Ma” Williams?

If you could buy a home from a company that is competent, has a friendly atmosphere, and prices that won’t be beat, would you?? That company is “Ma” Williams Manufactured Homes, Inc.