Modular construction is not new. the individual modules, which are assembled once delivered, can be 90% complete when they are shipped from factory to building site, with walls, flooring, ceilings, stairs, and even finishes complete.

Typically, a two-story, 2,500-square-foot house can be constructed in a factory in a week.

Modular construction begins with the design process. When the floor plans are complete, they are sent to the state or municipality for review, to ensure that building-code requirements are met.

While stick-built homes take five to six months to build, modular homes can be completed in eight to 10 weeks on site. Many in the building industry believe that modular construction could reduce housing costs.

On average, it costs $128 a square foot to build a traditional house. The cost of construction in a city is $35 per square foot more than in the suburbs, studies show. So in the suburbs, the average cost of a stick built home is $160.

A study found that modular construction of a 16-foot-wide house in a city reduced square-foot costs by $32; for a 20-foot-wide house, the saving was $12 a square foot.

For information on a faster built, less expensive and custom designed new modular home, contact Tidewater Custom Modular Homes.

Excerpts from the study found in Philly.com