Modular Homes VA Blog

Looking for the Perfect Get-a-way? Take a Look at Our Vacation Style Homes

One of our most professionally rewarding acts is to build dream vacation homes and custom estate homes for our clients. Land across Virginia is being offered at value pricing we haven't seen in decades. With more land available in more places and all at valued cost, people are taking full advantage of the situation and building their vacation homes. Virginia beach is one of the most popular visited tourist locations in the U.S. and Tidewater Custom Homes is experienced in giving their clients the perfect beach vacation style home they deserve. With many choices to choose from and modular home design being more affordable than stick-built homes its not wonder why many people are choosing to custom build their homes.

With vacation home plans starting at 1867 square feet and ranging to 2657 square feet you can rest assured knowing that your vacation home will be the perfect get-a-way with a loved one or family gatherings. And working with Tidewater Custom Modular homes ensures that  we can quickly deliver an affordable vacation getaway that you deserve. Be sure to take a look at our "Vacation Style" floor plans and our many other custom design floor plans as well. Contact us today should you have any questions about modular home design and let's discuss how to turn your dream into reality.


Custom Modular Homes Are Slowly Becoming The Solution To The Economical Slowdown

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


There Has Been A Decline In Home Buying But Modular Construction Adapts

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.


The Reasons Why Custom Modular Homes Offer Greater Value For Your Dollar

How can you reduce the construction cost of your new house? There is an easy way to save up to 30% on the cost of construction...buy a custom modular home! Our modular homes are factory-constructed which are then delivered and assembled at your home site. Once assembled, your new home looks like any other home in your neighborhood, however, it exceeds all other homes in the neighborhood in terms of quality, strength, and durability.

Since your home is built in a factory, it is much less expensive than a custom-built home on-site. Remember when factories drove out craftsmen who worked with their hands? The same is happening now on a much larger scale! So how does all this save you money? As you know, factories use huge machines that build thousands of items in a short span of time. Thus, they deliver more savings in terms of time and labor. Instead of having a handful of construction workers on-site building your home in various weather conditions, you have a reliable, professional crew in a factory building your home in pristine conditions.

The homes are obviously not built with bricks and mortar which take lots of time and labor. The material for the homes consists primarily of wood, steel, vinyl and weatherboard. Factory owners buy the material from their original manufacturers and suppliers at wholesale rates which are heavily discounted. It is not possible for a retail shopper to buy his housing material as cheaply as the factory buyers can.

We cut and mold the components and modules as per pre-set designs which reduces large amounts of waste that occurs at the individual home builder's sites. And left over material is never wasted; we use all of our material and help protect the planet by constructing homes this way. The factories transfer these savings to their customers to attract buyers in a competitive market. The savings to a buyer of a factory built home can be as large as 30% which bring your home within much easier reach.

The home is then be transported to site on one or more trucks. The end result is a quality home, built in less time and for less money! Check out our quality floor plans like "The Austin" and "The Ashton" which can be customized to your needs. If you have an questions or concerns contact us today and we'll be happy to help.


Tidewater Custom Modular Offers More Options From Our Design Gallery

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.


An Important Element To A Successful Modular Home

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.

Understanding How Modular Home Construction Loans Work

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.


Is There A Difference Between Modular Home Loans From Traditional Mortgages?

If your dream is to build a modular home on your land, you may be wondering what kind of mortgage you will need to achieve it. In this case a modular home loan is different from a typical mortgage. The most common mortgage for people building a new home on their land is a Construction to Mortgage loan, or Construction to Permanent loan. As the name implies, the loan starts out as a construction loan until the modular home has been placed on your land and it has been completed and inspected. At this point, the loan can be converted into a more traditional mortgage.

When looking for a lender for a modular home loan it is advisable to find an agent that has some experience in this type of mortgage. For one thing, there are still some lenders that are unclear on the difference between a modular home, manufactured home, or mobile home. Overall, many more agents have become aware of the difference and even point out to their peers that they have worked with modular homes and have found many to be superior to stick built homes. So even if you do run across a lender that is not familiar with modular home loans you should not be discouraged. There are plenty of qualified lenders that are very knowledgeable and would love to have your business.

One unique thing about modular home loans which makes it important to have a lender that has experience in this type of loan is that the payment schedule must include a payment to the manufacturer for the total amount of the home at the time it is delivered to the home site. This is only a portion of your total cost, but generally the manufacturer will not release the house to be set on the foundation until it is paid for in full. As long as the bank is aware of this and has provided for it in the payment schedule this should not pose any problems. There are many banks that have extensive experience dealing with modular home loans. Some seem to favor the builder more, some the home buyer. Ideally, the loan should allow payments to the builder in a timely manner so he has the money he needs to complete each step of the process, but still leave the builder with the proper incentive to finish the job on your timetable.


TC Modular Has The Safest Built Modular Homes Around

Our modular construction is safe and sturdy, and is 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 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.

If you have any concerns or questions about modular construction or if you would like to come and take a look at our inventory feel free to contact us. As stated above we take pride in our safety standards to ensure that your home is built with the finest materials while keeping the look of quality and simplicity.


Three Beautiful Modular Homes For Those Thinking About Downsizing

People downsize for a host of reasons.  The most common being the simple fact that our kids have moved on and we simply don’t need that much home to manage, clean, and pay taxes on.  Also, downsizing, particularly into an affordable custom modular home frees up investment dollars to improve the quality of your life.  Let us introduce to you three superb custom modular floor plans that serve as perfect downsizing options.  

First, consider the “TIMBERLAND I” ( Single Level Ranch). It has 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and  1510 SQ.FT. The Timberland I is a single level ranch style home which includes a master suite and two bedrooms with adjoining bath, Flexibility abounds including the options of a TV/family room or private dining room off the large kitchen. Lost restrictions are not a problem as the Timberland I is designed with narrow lots in mind.

For those of you who don’t want to give rooms of furniture away when you downsize, consider the “TIMBERLAND II”, a Cape Cod style home with an unfinished 2nd Floor.  It offers 1 bedroom,  1 1/2 Baths, and 1132 SQ.FT. The Timberland II maintains a distinctive curb appeal while significantly reducing the overall footprint of this master-down charmer. A 12/12 roof with shed dormers affords growing families the opportunity to complete the upper level as their needs and means allow.

Finally, one home sure to please, “ THE POPLAR” (single level ranch).  It offers 3 bedrooms, 2 Baths, and 1207 SQ.FT. A magnificent kitchen/dining room combination highlights The Poplar. The optional bump-out window enhances the home’s appeal. Three bedrooms and two full baths complete the design of this ranch home.

These are just a few of the more popular smaller homes in our inventory.  We’d love to show them all to you.  >


Request Information
By Month
Copyrights © 2024 All Rights Reserved by Tidewater Custom Modular Homes.
Created and Maintained by WSI Pro Marketing, Inc.
Proudly serving residential and commercial customers in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Smithfield, Williamsburg, Surry, Richmond, Isle of Wight, and areas throughout the Tidewater / Hampton Roads VA region and North Carolina.