Tidewater Custom Modular Homes Blog

To show our gratitude and appreciation for our clients we are offering a 2011 winter stimulus package just for you. We have 6 incredible incentives for you to choose from, each having their own unique and person touch from TC Modular. But not only are we offering incentives for our clients but we are throwing in an added bonus: You are welcome to come to one of our Saturday morning factory tours and receive a $1,000 rebate! This is a limited time offer and will only be valid until 3/31/2011. Be sure to order your home today and get the dream home and deal of a lifetime!

Additional Living Space Add 2' to Your Home at NO Additional Cost! Add 2 feet and one of the following... Bedrooms Living Room Dining Room Den Great Room * Footage is added to length of boxes, not width (maximum of 68' box). * Additional cost applies when adding footage in baths or kitchen if cabinets are also added.	Energy Savings Upgrade Your Insulation & Your Windows! House Lifetime Energy Savings R-30 Floor Insulation R-15 Wall Insulation R-38 Roof Insulation Argon-Filled Windows 7/16" Radiant Barrier OSB Roof Sheathing * All Insulation is 'Eco Batt" (formaldehyde free).
Kitchen Upgrade Add Glamour to Your Kitchen! Granite Countertop 3 cm Thick Granite Countertop 4" Granite Blacksplash Maximum 20 Linear Feet Single Roundover Edging Stainless Steel Under-Mount Double Bowl Sink *Islands not included.	Custom Finished Details Add Finishing Touches to Your Home! Add the "Finishing Details" to Give Your Home a Personal Touch Windows Sills 5 1/4" Baseboards 3 1/4" Casings 4 5/8" Crown Moulding
Appliance Package Add 3 New Appliances to your Beautiful Kitchen! Choose from Black, White or Clean Steel for Your 3 New Appliances Side by Side Refrigerator Over the Range Microwave 'Free Standing' Smooth Top Electric Range	Cash Rebate! Extra Cash for Projects After You Move In. Enjoy a $1500 Cash Rebate if you select this incentive option. Ask your builder for details.

 

Tidewater Modular Construction is safe and sturdy, and are more resistant to natural forces  because of precision cuts that are fit and fastened in the factory. The construction technology for modular homes calls for glue-nailed sheathing and decking plus additional framing members which makes modular homes most likely to endure nature's onslaughts. The structure has to withstand being hoisted by crane and hauled on carriers over roads. The motion and forces that the structure is put under during these processes exceeds that of healthy earthquakes.

We ensure that our modular homes are built with high safety standards in accordance with federal laws requiring smoke detectors, escape windows and incombustible materials around furnaces and kitchen ranges. Our modular homes assure the buyer that all electrical, plumbing, mechanical and structures are built to a HUD national code, which exceeds any local standards.

Stick- built homes are sometimes constructed in areas where local building codes may be less, and the safety of the homeowner and family may be compromised. We make sure our modular homes are built in a safe environment and according to HUD standards. We go above and beyond to make sure you have the home of your dreams. Tidewater Custom Modular Homes researched modular construction for several years to ensure we offered the highest quality homes from a manufacturer with a history of quality construction, experience, potential for growth and, most importantly, a solid reputation. Contact us today to learn more about modular homes and how you can get your custom built dream home today.

Today, the educated consumers that are seeking to have a new home built to their specifications are increasingly turning to modular construction to achieve a higher quality of construction without sacrificing architectural style, open floor planning and quality finishes. Invariably, when clients initially call us, one of their first questions is "how do I get started?"

If your interest is having your new dream home built with modern modular technology and you, too, want to know "how to get started", we offer here the most important element to insure a successful project: selecting the right manufacturer of the modular housing components.

The modular components of your new home will be manufactured in a factory and those components will be shipped to your home site and finished to turnkey by the builder. Be sure to check out our selection of custom floor plans here. In addition to having floors plan readily available to our customers you can specify which kind of additions you would like to have added on. In our design gallery we show some popular additions such as our kitchen and bathroom ideas. As you can see we are very committed to the modular home industry and to helping out our customers in any way possible, so if you have any other questions feel free to contact us.

Winter is here and you will be using a lot more energy in your modular home, from having lights on longer to a furnace working overtime.  Here is an easy check list to follow when you are trying to reduce your monthly energy bills. You should seek professional assistance in each of these areas to assure the proper corrections have been made.

• Have an energy audit- can be conducted by your local electric co-op or a private party.
• Seal air leaks- check around windows, doors, and any other seams/joints in your home.
• Check mechanical systems- change furnace filters regularly and systems for proper working order.
• Heat efficiently- replace old systems with new efficient ones.
• Use a programmable thermostat- this helps heat only when you need it.
• Control hot water use- change to a low flow shower head and lower the temperature on your water heater.
• Replace light bulbs-  use CFL’s (Compact Fluorescent Lights) as they will save you a considerable amount on your bills over time.
• Use outlet switches-  this is where you have a way of shutting power of to small appliances, televisions, etc.
• Install timers/motion light-  these work well for frequently used lights and others that are in hard to reach areas.
• Buy ENERGY STAR products- these products are there to save you money.

Saving energy and being more energy efficient is what modular homes are all about. When you buy a custom modular home you are already saving money and helping the environment. If you have been thinking about modular homes and have any questions about how they are constructed or why they are so popular contact us today. Be sure to also check out our floor plans page and inventory to see which homes we have already in stock for you.

Are you looking to expand your home?  Additions are typically the most common way to expand your home's footprint.  But additions can be costly, take a long time, and finding the right contractor you can trust can be difficult.  Fortunately, there is better, faster way to build your home addition: a modular home addition. It doesn't matter what type of home you currently have.  You can easily add an addition to your home with modular construction.

We know how it is.  You contact a builder, scope the project, see the price tag and time line, and then frustration sets in.  Fortunately, home renovations with with modular home additions can be completed much faster, less expensively, and with fewer headaches.

Why modular home additions?

Here are a few points our customers have discovered. Modular home additions:

• Are more economical.
• Have no sudden cost surprises.
• Are more energy efficient.

The bottom line:  modular construction is the answer.  Contact Tidewater Custom Modular Homes to see if adding a modular home addition is right for you.  Tidewater is more than happy to work with an existing home owner.  We can expand your existing home and deliver to you the space you need.

There’s no denying it, we’re in a serious economic crisis. Financial organizations are collapsing under the weight of bad debt that they have taken on and consumers are experiencing uncertainty and a lack of confidence in the market. As a result, lending companies are lending less money and the average person is watching their expenses very, very closely.

In spite of the crisis, life goes on. People still need to buy homes to live in. And to do that, they need to get a mortgage. Rather than buy a brand-new stick-built home, a preferred solution for consumers (and the institutions that lend them money) might be a custom-build a modular home.

At first, those unfamiliar with the concept might wonder two questions: “aren’t modular homes just like mobile homes?” and, “isn’t custom building usually expensive?”

Custom modular homes are not mobile homes. They look just like regular homes. The difference is that they are built in units in a factory-like setting by professionals and those units are shipped to the site and put together within just a few days. This method is actually cheaper to build in general AND it allows for customization, because prospective homeowners can select different units and put together the floorplan they want at a price that is lower than a conventionally built home.

Custom built homes at a price that is lower than a conventional home is attractive to anyone thinking about having a home built. But modular homes are attractive for other reasons, too:

• Because modular homes are faster to build than stick built homes (taking weeks instead of months to build and erect), there is less money required in a building loan and it gets paid back faster.
• Modular homes cost less to live in because they are more efficient to run and they come with a 10 year warranty.
• Consumers need to spend wisely on a solution but they also need to consider the future. How will they leave the earth for their children? Custom modular homes are more environmentally friendly because they are faster to build and there is less wasted building material.

The benefits are clear: In today’s tight economic times, custom modular homes are the right answer for consumers who want to spend less now and in the future, who want to enjoy the home they live in, and who want to still make purchasing decisions that are good for the environment. And with so many different floor plans to suit each individuals needs there is virtually no reason why to not choose modular. Contact us to find out how you can get started on building your custom dream home today

The sub-prime mortgage crisis has affected just about every form of housing within the country. Lending is more restrictive, current home inventories are still tremendous, and a large percentage is unable to make their current mortgage payments. And while the modular home industry has felt the effects, the impact has been much less than on the site-built housing industry.

Recent trends at the end of 2009 and thus far in 2010 has seen new customers considering modular homes in greater numbers. The largest group is those that normally spend $200,000 for a home but are looking to maximize their value while keeping the price within their budget. Modular homes boast greater value through better durability, larger square footage and more amenities compared to most equally-priced site-built homes. Given the continued pricing instability of new and existing homes, modular homes give a more stable value.

Fortunately, lending practices for many banks have now loosened enabling easier financing for modular homes that had met resistances previously. This will likely continue for both new and existing modular homes as incentives to banks to make these loans become more accessible to the home-buyer. Because some people are selling their existing homes out of necessity, getting into a new home at a lower price is their eventual goal. For the same amount of money, modular homes offer more than traditional site-built structures.

In addition to modular homes offering a better value solution, modular home manufacturers and retailers are expanding their markets. By being more creative, those in the modular home industry have found new customers who benefit from this technology. Virginian residents are starting to look more and more at modular homes as well. With the tidewater area being a huge construction type area, TC modular has definitely been on the rise of success. Contact us today should you have any questions regarding modular homes or if you'd like to take a look at our custom built homes we have to offer.

Depending on the style of home you are looking for there are many options available to choose from regarding our floor plans. Each one of our custom floor plans has maybe options available for your dream home. These options range from the kitchen, to the bathroom, interior, and exterior. The options we offer can be broken down into the following broad categories:

• Ceiling Structures
• Bath & Plumbing
• Appliances
• Doors
• Electrical
• Flooring
• Heating & Cooling
• Insulation
• Interior Trim
• Kitchen
• Roofing
• siding
• Stairs
• Walls
• Windows

For example, options under kitchen category could include cabinets, trim, hardware, counter tops, faucets, sinks and more. We even have a broader category that features even more ideas for you home such as:

• Laminated stone flooring - Canyon finish
• Oak stairs with blue stain finish
• Oak balcony rails on living room an foyer overlook
• Arched entryways from foyer to living room
• Wall sconce with antique bronze finish above stairway landing  
• And many more!

So even though there are standard floor plans for each home style there is a lot of room for customization thereby allowing you to build your dream home. Contact us today to discuss personalizing one of our standard floor plans.

Today, the educated consumers that are seeking to have a new home built to their specifications are increasingly turning to modular construction to achieve a higher quality of construction without sacrificing architectural style, open floor planning and quality finishes. Invariably, when clients initially call us, one of their first questions is "how do I get started?"

If your interest is having your new dream home built with modern modular technology and you, too, want to know "how to get started", we offer here the most important element to insure a successful project: selecting the right manufacturer of the modular housing components.

The modular components of your new home will be manufactured in a factory and those components will be shipped to your home site and finished to turnkey by the builder. We are so confident that our modular homes will be perfect for your dream home that we’ve comprised a list of our best qualities.

• We have a reputation for building a quality product.
• We are capable of integrating architectural flexibility and custom design into our homes.
• Our reputation for strong customer service is outstanding.
• We have some strong financial capabilities
• We can also provide construction financing, if your project so requires in this difficult financial market.

Be sure to check out our selection of custom floor plans here. We also have a video of our factory process to show our customers just how modular home construction works. As you can see we are very committed to the modular home industry and to helping out our customers in any way possible, so if you have any other questions feel free to contact us.

First, a construction loan for a modular home will carry a greater interest rate than a standard mortgage, because it is actually a line of credit and will cover only as much of the cost of building your modular home as been determined in advance. We recently posted an article about how mortgage loans differ between traditional built homes to modular homes. Well we wanted to break apart from that article (so to speak) in an effort to explain how construction loans work in your modular home building experience.

What Construction Loans For Modular Homes Won't Cover
You'll need to find other ways to finance the early stages of your modular home instruction, including soil and perk tests, building plans, and your site plan, which must be approved by your municipal zoning board before you will be have access to the funds from your construction loan for a modular home.

How Construction Loans For Modular Homes Are Disbursed
None of the work being done on your modular home will be paid for until your lender has had it inspected, and when a particular phase of the construction has been completed and met inspection standards, payment will be made directly to the suppliers and subcontractors. If you need to ask for more payments than the number to which your lender originally agreed, you may be charged an additional fee for each extra payment.

Qualifying For Construction Loans For Modular Homes
Like traditional mortgages, construction loans for modular homes may require you to come up with a down payment. The chances of this will be higher if you are requesting a very large loan, or don't own the lot on which your home will be constructed. But there are lenders of construction loans for modular homes who will give 100% financing even if the person building the home doesn't own the lot outright.

Feel free to contact us today if you have any questions about modular home construction. Or even if you want to take a look at our inventory of beautifully built homes. We are more than happy to help any individual in regards to modular homes.