Tidewater Custom Modular Homes Blog

In the last few years, interest in modular homes has increased. Surprisingly there is still some confusion.

Modular homes often get confused with mobile homes. Mobile homes are smaller and are don't meet all of the same building codes as modular homes.  Modular homes mimick stick built construction in quality and design.

Modular homes can be custom designed.  You can choose from any style home: two story, cape, and ranch style homes. They can  also be custom designed to your needs, add a beautiful deck, or vaulted ceilings.

There are standard floor plans available which can be changed or added to depending on your needs.

Tidewater Custom Modular Homes can help you custom design your new home. Modular homes can range in design from 1000 square feet to 4000 sq feet and up.  

Contact Tidewater Custom  Modular Homes for a custom designed newly built home.

In Virginia, the housing market is in a slum. Because of this, many homeowners are hesitant to put their houses on the market for fear they won’t get the asking price or that it will sit on the market too long. What about building your new home?

There are many homeowners out there who think that building a home will take too long, or be too stressful. However, building a modular home takes those two issues out of the equation.

When building a modular home, from the decision and design stage to actually moving into your new modular home, the process can take as little as 10-12 weeks. That is much sooner than it would take to sell your house.

Once you decide on a home style and custom floor plan along with your add-ons (hard wood floors, deck, etc) we will present to you how much this modular home will cost you. Once you have that proposal, there will be no change in the cost of building your home. What you see in what it costs.

When building a stick-built home, the cost of construction is constantly changing. This is one of the main reason why building a home can be so stressful.

Contact Tidewater Custom Modular Homes if building a new home seems like the answer you have been looking for.

Building a modular home is faster, and more efficient than building a home the stick built way. The homes are beautiful, strong and efficient. There has never been a better time to build yourself a new home. And Tidewater Custom Modular Homes if offering you a few more incentives as well. 

Military discount
Any past or present member of the United States Military gets a $2,000 credit towards options or upgrades as a thank you for serving our country. Present your military ID when you order your new Modular Home.

Disaster Relief
This year has been rough on our service area with storms, tornadoes, and wildfires. Families rebuilding due to natural disasters or fires will receive a $2,000 rebate when their Modular Home is completed and funds are received. Proof of loss may be required to qualify.

Free Upgrades!!
Are you ready for a new home from TC Modular Homes? How ready are you? The faster you are; the more you save.

• Order a home in the next 30 days* and get a $2,000 credit towards options or upgrades.
• Order a home between 45 and 90 days* and get a $1,500 credit towards options or upgrades.
• Order a home between 90 and 120 days* and get a $1,000 credit towards options or upgrades.

Contact Tidewater Custom Modular Homes to get more information on any of these offers.

There are many homeowners who are contemplating downsizing their homes. There are many reasons for downsizing, the most common being the children have moved out. Perhaps you are looking to stay in the same town or remain near the community you have grown to love over the years, or perhaps you want to move to the waterfront.

Building a modular home may be a great choice for you. Thereare many styles and floor plans that will fit your needs. And building a modular home is cost effective, efficient. Also, downsizing can save you tax dollars.

A ranch style home, our favorite being the Austin, single story living at its best! This quaint three bedroom, two bath home offers a large master suite complete with a walk-in closet and a master bath featuring a garden tub. The foyer opens into a spacious living room/dining room combo, providing an abundance of space for entertaining or simply relaxing.

If it is the waterfront that draws you, we have vacation home floor plans to suit your needs as well. The Southport is one of our most popular vacation home floor plans. This quaint Cape Cod home with its charming front elevation features almost an entire wall of glass, bathing the great room in the front of the home in natural light, thanks to a towering vaulted ceiling. The large master suite is to the left rear of the home and offers privacy while an extremely open great room, dining room and kitchen area on the opposite side offers a gathering place for family and friends.

Then of course, we have the traditional cape. The Kingston, has a combination breakfast nook/kitchen design makes this area of The Kingston the gathering spot of the home. A bathroom, two bedrooms and an expansive living room complete the first floor. Two bedrooms and the home’s second bath complete the suggested second floor.

Feel free to ask us about any of these style homes or any other styles that we offer. And remember, at Tidewater Custom Modular Homes, we can create the home you are looking for within the price parameters you require.

Although the concept of modular construction seems relatively new because of the increasing interest, it has been around awhile.  The concept of modular construction is confusing for new home buyers mainly because it is confusing trying to discern the information you do come across about modular homes, the modular construction process and modular home manufacturers.

We would like to help clarify these myths and help you make a good educated decision for your personal situation.
Modular homes are built in factories to specifications created by the manufacturer and the state and local building codes. The design can be standard or it can be enhanced by the customer/new home owner.

A General Contractor, such as Tidewater Custom Modular Homes, works with the manufacturer. The General contractor coordinates the construction of the home in the factory and the delivery and assembly of the home on the site.

The general contractor provides and coordinates the site work (foundation), plumbing, electrical, and licensing and permits. This is why they are called the general contractor. Once you select a GC, you don’t need to do anything else regarding the construction of the modular home.

Many people think that modular homes are cheap or inexpensive. As compared to the cost per square foot of a stick built home, they are less expensive. However, modular homes are an expensive investment especially depending on how large a home you build. They do, however, generally cost 10-35% less to build than traditional homes. When you are comparing new home construction prices, make sure you are comparing the same type of house i.e square footage, amount of bathrooms, etc.

Modular homes appreciate and gain value the same way traditional homes do. Once a modular home is built, it is near impossible to tell the difference between it and a stick built home.

Modular homes can all be customized. Each modular home manufacturer or contractor has different designs to choose from. Those designs can be further customized. Additionally, you can easily customize the windows, doors, siding, colors etc. Modular homes make it very easy to have a custom home at an affordable price.

One of the biggest questions, or deterrents, pertaining to building a new home is the construction timeline. What is the process and how long will it take? With modular homes, are large part of the “decision to build thru moving in” time line is removed. Believe it or not, it generally takes from 60-120 days until you can move in and call your new house a home.

Modular homes are similar to on-site construction or stick built homes in appearance and performance. But one huge advantage of modular construction is the shortened timeline which results in cost savings.

The parts or modules of a modular house are constructed in a climate controlled factory which removes weather delays entirely. This also increases efficiency which allows your home to be built faster which also costs less.

By having a workspace for building the modular home that is separate from the construction site allows for many steps to be done at the same time. In other words while your building site is being prepared; the ground leveled, the foundation poured, your walls and roofs are already being built at the factory.

Contact Tidewater Custom Modular Homes if you want to build a new home, but you don't want to wait for it.

The question often arises: Do modular homes appraise for the same value as a traditionally built home? Simply put, yes.

In order to buy a home, it must be appraised so you can begin the process of getting a mortgage or loan. An appraisal is the estimated amount a home buyer can expect to pay for their new home. When buying any piece of property, including modular homes, you need a licensed professional appraiser. The question then becomes, if the home is not yet built, how is it actually appraised?

The appraiser will inspect the modular home plans to have an idea of how much your new home should cost. Generally, they use information on labor rates, building costs, and depreciation and appreciation locally where the property is being built. The appraiser will use sales comparisons, prices and values of compatible homes sold in the area, to determine the current value of the modular home.

Once a thorough analysis of the property has been completed, a report is created which is used to initiate the mortgage or loan process. Included in the report would be the property specifications, the replacement cost analysis and the above mentioned comparative sales analysis.

The replacement cost analysis is the total amount spent on the construction and materials of the modular home, and the lot value.

All this will determine the current total value of the property. The modular home appraisal will then be finalized so that the loan transaction can take place. The calculated total value of the modular home will help you determine future expenses such as utilities and real estate taxes. 

We get this question all the time.  "What is the price of a modular home?" Just like with stick built homes, so many things come into play in making this determination.

Ranch homes generally cost more per square foot  than a two story home. In the end however, they end up having a lower final price because they have less square footage. The fixed costs: foundation, site preparation and septic, all cost the same no matter what style home you build. Two story homes  use a smaller foundation. However, the square footage is greater because you have more than one floor. The larger the home, the more modules you will require, and more modules means higher costs. When you customize the modular floor plan, the costs increase as well.

Modular manufacturers have factory model homes which cost less than custom designed homes. Obviously custom designed homes will cost more.

For more information on the cost of a modular home, contact Tidewater Custom Modular Homes.

To build a modular home you need to pay the modular home company for building the modules and the general contractor for his services. If you do not own property, you also need to purchase that.

There are two typical sources of these funds. The first is private funds, such as personal savings, an equity loan on another property, or the sale of personal assets. The second is obtaining a mortgage through a lending institution, like a bank or mortgage company.

There is one major difference between paying for an existing, already built home and paying for building a new home. When you buy an existing home you pay the seller in full before you take possession of the home, usually through the mortgage. When you build a home, you make periodic payments as the work is completed. This protects you and the lender should something prevent the completion of the home on the GC end. Receiving compensation as the job progresses also protects the modular home company or dealer and the general contractor should something prevent you from paying for the finished home.

When you use a lender to build a home, you obtain a "construction loan" which is a short-term loan usually four- to twelve-months' duration. The loan provides for a series of payments as work is completed. Once the local building inspector issues a certificate of occupancy and the lender agrees that the home is essentially complete, the lender pays off the construction loan and issues you a mortgage.

What is the most different regarding construction loans for modular home construction is the time line. With traditionally built, stick built homes, the construction process is very long, a year or longer in some cases. The modular construction process is much shorter, a couple of months only.

What is the buying process for a modular home?

1. You choose your home and options
2. A contract is signed contingent on financing and a small deposit
3. Plan revisions are made and new engineered floor plans are drawn
4. You close on your Construction-Permanent loan
5. Your basement or crawl space foundation is built
6. We release your home for production
7. We set your new home
8. Finish work of your new home is completed

How complete is the home when it is set?
Depending on the floor plan and style, between 75-85% complete.

How long does it take to finish the home after it is set?
About 4-6 weeks.

Will you build my garage and/or porches?
Yes. However, this may be at an additional cost.

What is the difference between a Modular home and a Mobile Home?
Mobile Homes - built to a lax code with generally substandard building products (when compared to modular or site-built homes). Built on a steel frame to hold it together, most have wheels.

Modular Homes - built generally to the toughest codes required in the state, built out of the same type building materials and name brands you would find in site-built homes. There are no steel frames underneath, only approved floor system. There are no wheels of their own, they are transported and then lifted off the transporter and set with a crane.

How much do modular homes cost?
As with stick built construction the cost of a modular home will vary depending on what you put in the home and the style of home you choose. Modular homes prices compare favorably with an equivalent site-built home.

Can modular floor plans be customized?
Yes. There are standard floor plans of course; however, floor plans of each style home can be customized, as well as the amenities inside the home.