Modular homes

[dhammann]

Does anyone have any opinions or experiences with modular homes? I toured a local Crestline factory and was very impressed, in fact I bought one!

 

[Formula1974]

Re: Modular homes

cant beat the wait time we where quoted 3 weeks from start to moving in. try that with a regular site built home.

 

[Link]

Re: Modular homes

I'm not exactly what you call a modular home. But if its like the house that one of my sister in laws has its built to code and when assembled on her prebuilt foundation/basement you can not tell that it wasn't built on site. It was brought in on 3-5 flatbeds along with a couple cranes. To save (a lot)of money she only had the kitchen, Down stairs bathroom and living room pre-finished. She spent the next few years hanging drywall and finishing off each room one at a time. Did the main floor with garage first, then the upstairs and just (I think) finished the basement this year. One of the really neat things about buying this way is that it doesn't matter if the whole house is pre finished or like she did it. It only takes them about 3-4 weeks on site to when they hand you the keys. And you save a lot on money. <br />She bought the property (somewhere in the woods of Maine (sp) ) and spent a year to see all seasons while figuring out exactly where to have the house put. <br />You asked for opinions:<br />And here is mine.. even though its a mute point since you bought one. But it should make you feel better <br />Today 2004 you made a good choice<br />30 years ago they were called "pre-fab" and were basically trailers put on foundations.. "Cheap Houses" <br />Now in todays market I can build your same house a lot cheaper! (If I don't include labor) If it were my own.. but to build it for you I would have to add payroll... a lot more.. and could not meet the same price... No WAY! Grrrr but thats just the way it is! <br />Link

 

[muskyone]

Re: Modular homes

i'm finishing one right now i'll let ya know oh no i won't i'm not getting the internet when i move in

 

[one more cast]

Re: Modular homes

I did alot of research on pre built houses and ended up buying a top of the line 1500 sq.ft double wide. It sits on a full basement and you can not tell it is not stick built.It has a 5/12 pitch roof with 30 year shingles, 2x6 construction, oak cabinats, 8 foot sheetrock walls, low e thermo pane windows,stone fireplace, china sinks.... and cost a whole lot less then a stick built. we moved in last sept. and love it so far.

 

[dhammann]

Re: Modular homes

Thanks to all, the opinions are re-assuring. I was a electrical construction contractor many years ago and have also built site built homes. The precision of the modular is far superior over the site built homes that I have been around. But the best way to find out is to ask those that have had experiences. To me it makes sense that a home built in a factory with a stable workforce, quality control inspectors and architectures using CAD and computer controlled machinery is a big advantage. In contrast, visualize a bunch of laborers with skill saws and hammers and maybe a construction foreman, standing on a cleared lot waiting on a load of lumber! The web site for Crest is http://www.crest-quality.com/index.php?lg=en

 

[Fly Rod]

Re: Modular homes

Being in the business for over thirty years, a modular home can not compare to a stick built [custom] home!!!<br /><br />Most roof rafters on single story modular homes are 2x4s On 2nd story Cape style homes rafters are 2x6s to end of living area and then the rest of attic is 2x4s stick built homes usaully are 2x8s from top plate to the ridge!!! <br />There are allot of mistakes that the home owner does not see in a modular home which are covered up!!! The ole saying is "out of sight out of mind"<br /><br />I could remember when the modular home companies wanted the foundation to be about 2" smaller all around then the actuall house!! That was to allow for being out of square!!!<br /><br />My new house is a modular!!! WHY??? My wife didn't want to wait another 33 years for me to finish it!!! It turned out to be a night mare!!! Had to fire the modular contractor and bring my own people in to finish it!!!<br /><br />WOULD I DO IT AGAIN???? NO!!!!<br /><br />Formula1974: If you have a company that will have it completed within 3 weeks put a stipulation clause from the date of completion, "That for every day over the completion date that they are not completed that an x number of dollars will be deducted from the cost of construction!!!<br /><br />We lived in a motel for 30 days!!!<br /><br />GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

[dhammann]

Re: Modular homes

Wow Fly Rod !! Hope I have better luck. So far everything is on schedule, they dug the footings Tuesday and are laying brick today and are supposed to set the house on the 24th.<br /> My roof is built as you said however it is 16 O.C. and wind rated at 120mph. standard FHA code is 100mph. FEMA conducted a survey after hurricane Andrew hit in Miami and found that modular homes faired much better than the site built homes! So I Don’t think that the 2x4 rafter extension takes away from the integrity of the house. At the factory I was free to roam wherever and found no one hiding mistakes. The in house QC people and the third party inspectors were looking for them though! Everything was pre-cut and precision fit, the assemblies were laid out on jigs for assembly so I see no possible way it could be out of square. I watched as the roof assembly (joists and drywall and rafters) was placed on the walls…it fit perfectly, no overhang, no finagling to make it fit, it just fit! I also noticed a lot more fasteners and adhesive than a conventional home. Any way thanks for the warning. I used to live in your area 44 years ago, maybe these good ‘ol southern boys down here have a little more pride.

 

[Rick Byers]

Re: Modular homes

Wife and I bought a 2bedroom 2bath,with Family room ,dining room, Kitchen & laundry room 1100 square foot modular in August 2002 and have been enjoying the H--- out it. Cost 1/5 what a site built house cost here in NorCal.

 

[Bob in Calif.]

Re: Modular homes

A good friend of mine bought a mod. home, located in the Tehachapi Mountains, north of Los Angeles. It is slightly over 5000 feet elevation and has fantastac views. <br /><br />The house was built less than 10 years ago and is very roomy, with it's 4 bedroms, 2 batrooms, living room, dining room, etc. <br /><br />The people he bought if from built a large front deck and smaller rear deck. A few months after moving in, my buddy wanted to do some painting touch up along the bottom of the house, where the deck butted up. The deck's were covered with indoor/outdoor carpet, which he had to remove to do a neat job of painting.<br /><br />Under the carpet, he found the decks were made with tounge and grove lumber and covered with plywood!!! Needless to say, there was a lot of wood rot, from the snow and rain that had nowhere to go.<br /><br />We think the previous (original) owner was planning to enclose the the front deck and make another room, but we can't figgure why in He*l they did that to the back deck, as it was to small to enclose.<br /><br />I went down for a week last summer and helped him build a new deck, which came out excellent. A number of his neighbor's came over and and checked out our work during different phases of the job and after completion, 3 of them want us to build decks for them this summer. I don't think so, Bucko. It's over a 300 mile drive for me, each way.<br /><br />Neither of are real carpenters, but are fairly meteculious in our work and built his deck for for about 1/3 of what a comerical company would have charged. <br /><br />We actually over built the deck, but it's in "earthquake country", don't ya' know.<br /><br />I was very impressed with the quality of his modular home.<br /><br />...Bob in Calif...

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Modular homes

I’m tired of home repairs and maintenance. It seriously interferes with my boating agenda. My next house is going to be a single-pour, reinforced concrete box with integrated floor, walls, ceiling, and just one people-size doggie door big enough for me to crawl in and out of. <br /><br />Edit: Oh, the better 9/10th … she has a different agenda. There goes the boating.

 

[dhammann]

Re: Modular homes

Well, they set the house on 5/27/04. It was tricky because the crane was not quite large enough to swing 33000 lbs out 40 feet. The 2nd half of the house weighed 36000lbs but we didn’t have to move it as far as the first half. I was amazed to see a 56 foot long section supported by a cable sling on each end and after it was set I had only 4 minor drywall cracks. There is an 18 foot open span between the kitchen and living room, this span is held up (ceiling) by two 2x10’s. These two 2x10’s are supported on each end by 8 2x4 jack studs on each end. Since this is a marriage wall the other half is constructed the same way….this means that there are 32 jack studs holding up four 2x10’s that span 18 feet!!! So far I am pleased with the project, the only problem encountered was the dormers were in the wrong location (communication with dealer) so the factory is building framing for the new dormer openings. It will be about 3 weeks before all the site work is complete so I will post the outcome then.

 

[Throbbin Rods]

Re: Modular homes

We put up a 28 x 60 modular about 3 years ago. We torued the factory before deciding. These guys seal all the outlets with foam, and all 'rock is glued and screwed, so you don't get any nail pops. We did a lot of the finishing ourselves. I will tell you that it was awesome watching the crane operator. The foreman told him to move it 1 inch and he did!! It was fun to watch. Three New Hamshire winters, no drafts, no cold spots, we put in radiant heat and that is just dandy. We went with a 7/12 pitch for the snow load. My house was built right here in NH so it was chea delivery charge.

 

[dhammann]

Re: Modular homes

Well it is almost completed. Rainy weather has caused some delays but hopefully the front porch will be completed next week. The hassles have been few (a site built home probably would have led to a divorce) and the results are fantastic. The house is a cape with 2300 sq. feet and the foundation is 8 ft high on a hill overlooking the lake. Since this is a gated neighborhood there was a lot of skepticism among neighbors ( this is the first modular to go on the water front) but now they are impressed and very complimentary.<br />Yes, modular is the way to go!

 

[dhammann]

Re: Modular homes

Well it is finally completed and boy!, am I satisfied!! There was a lot of skepticism from neighbors at first who thought this was nothing more than a doublewide (the houses on this street are selling at 600,000). Now everyone has calmed down and they have been very complimentary and awed at the finished house. The blueprints that came with the house also came with a notarized engineering report stating that it was built 13.1% above code, D-2 seismic, 130MPH. The contractor (Crest Quality Homes) done an excellent job of trimming out the house and the factory has sent their people to the site to resolve minor issues. The factory (Crestline) has bent over backwards to make sure that I am satisfied and they are only a phone call away for the next year. I only wish that my primary house was a modular! Thanks to everyone that replied.

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Modular homes

How do these modular homes hold up on the market? Site built homes tend to appreciate with time along with the land. Years ago when the quality of modular homes wasn't what it is today, they depreciated rapidly. Are modern modulars any better, or do they at least hold their value?

 

[dhammann]

Re: Modular homes

Since they are built better than site built I don't see how the could depreciate.....but beware of the mobile home industry who have converted to building modulars, some are just a step above doublewides! Research before you buy.

 

[timfromfc]

Re: Modular homes

Another thing to think about. Ask around and see if others would want to buy a modular home. There seems to be a stigma with them and it will make it harder to sell later.

 

[mikeandronda]

Re: Modular homes

What do you mean they are built better than site built? I cant imagine that a factory builds a better product than a builder. We build custom homes ( some specs as well) and we make sure they are quality homes in every way.Top notch materials( outsides all brick,stone or stucco, insides all floors carpet,tile or real wood) and we try and hire the best subs......even if means we do the work ourselves it gets done right. Im just curious on why you feel this way. Also if you have the time and skill to do the work yourself, you should be able to do it very cheap. Im in the starting phase (hole dug foundation layed)of building a "stick built" home for myself right now. It apraises out at 220,000 and I will build it for 130,000-140,000. I guess what Im saying on a smaller home you could do it quite cheap and yet build a quality home. heres our website(still a bit under construction itself) so you can get a idea on quality of homes www.springfielddreams.com

 

[dhammann]

Re: Modular homes

Mikeandrhonda, as a former contractor I was also skeptical so I done a lot of research into the matter. FEMA conducted a study after hurricane Andrew, a category 4 storm, tore through Homestead, Florida and found that modular homes had faired better than tmost site built homes. There are good site built homes and bad site built homes….and there are lesser and greater modular homes. There really is no such thing as a 100% site built house today; the doors, windows, cabinets and roof systems are all built in a factory. You say that you have good sub-contractors, but are you able to be with them all of the time? Most mistakes in site built homes come after the building process has already started then the contractor has to come up with creative ways to work around these mistakes. True, a custom built house can be top quality (and costly) but I am referring to spec houses.<br />Do the homes you build meet these modular specs?<br />My modular contains 20% more lumber than a site built (73,000 lbs). These homes are very popular on the Carolina coast since they are certified for 130mph winds and their structural integrity makes them ideal for a piling foundation. <br />1. 16” on center construction including roof<br />2. 2x10 floor and ceiling joists<br />3. Center beams are four 2x10s except where it spans the open living room it has EIGHT 2x10s! <br />4. Drywall adhesive and screws<br />5. studs anchored to plate and shoe with steel tie straps<br />6. roof, floor and wall sheathing held with fasteners every 4 inches and adhesive<br />7. six nails per shingle<br />8. 2x6 rafters 16o.c. (doubled every 12 feet)<br />9. metal electrical overhead boxes<br />10. 9 foot ceilings with 5-1/2 crown<br />11. 4 star energy efficient rating<br />12. 10 year structural warranty<br />13. 12 inch brick & block foundation with 2x12 treated sills<br />14. plumbing clean-outs and water shut-offs at every fixture <br />15. top of the line fixtures and faucets<br />16. ceramic kitchen and baths<br /><br />Modulars are the wave of the future. The first modular was designed by Thomas Edison, it was built in Maine and shipped to Florida in 1985 and still stands today!