Modular Homes VA Blog

Higher Quality is the Main Advantage of Modular Construction

Many homebuyers assume that the primary advantage of modular homes is lower home prices. However, that is the third most important reason for building a modular home. Faster construction time is the second, and superior quality is the first.

The construction applications that strengthen a modular home include:

• The window and door casings are reinforced with metal splines in the corners
• Drywall is bonded to the wall studs and the ceiling joists with super adhesive
• Larger sheets of drywall are used on the walls and ceilings
• The first-story ceiling and second-story floor systems are separate on two-story homes
• Floor sheathing is both glued and nailed
• The basement ceiling is flush with the main carrying beam built into the floor system
• Double or triple perimeter joists are used at the marriage walls (marriage walls are where wall meet)
• The modules are joined together at the marriage wall with bolts in the basement and attic
• Corners of the perimeter floor joists are also strapped

Build Your New Home With Low Mortgage Rates and Modular Construction

Mortgage rates are still at all time lows and right now they are the lowest they have been in eight months. If you have been contemplating building a new home, now is the time to do it.

Modular homes can be built with many different floor plans for those seeking to build their own home. For the budget conscious land owner modular construction is the perfect solution, and this is the perfect time to build. Low mortgage rates and a way to build a home which allows you to really manage your budget. Modular homes are more accommodating to your budget than traditional stick built homes; there are no hidden fees or unexpected costs. There are no weather delays or material issues. Because the modules are built to specific standards in a factory, there are no additional costs as a result of wrong measurements, bad cuts, or bad weather. Each piece of wood is cut precisely and assembled consistently inside a factory.  

As the homeowner, you go into the project knowing what it will cost for the site work, the home construction and assembly process, and the landscaping; without “hidden fees” or rising costs due to unforeseen circumstances, your budget is sound as is your timeline to completion which is significantly less than with a traditionally built home.

If you have always dreamed of building a new home, with rates this low, do not just think about it, now is the time to make your dream come true. Contact Tidewater Custom Modular Homes.

The Basics about Modular Home Construction

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.

Modular Home Construction Process is Much Shorter than Traditionally Built Homes

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.

Modular Home Additions: An Affordable Way to Enhance Your Home

There is better, faster way to build your home addition. Rather than the long process of traditional construction, there is another option: a modular home addition. Regardless of how your existing home was built, you can put an addition on your home with modular construction.

Oftentimes, after finding out the project scope of a home addition many homeowners will get disheartened about the length of time it will take for the addition to be completed. With modular home additions your home renovation will be completed much faster, and you will be enjoying your new space much sooner.

Modular home additions are more economical, with no sudden cost surprises, but they are more energy efficient as well.  Modular construction is the answer. Contact Tidewater Custom Modular Homes to discuss the option of a modular addition on your existing home. With the right plan most homes can be expanded modularly. 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.

Making Custom Modular Homes a Reality

Tidewater Custom Modular Homes would like to build you a custom designed modular home.  If you just look at our photo gallery you can see how much customization you can really have.

Option for modular home customization

When building a modular home, the most common customization options are usually the siding, the style and amount of windows and the type of floors. If you are only interested in minor customizations like these, and you don't necessarily need to add or change a floor plan, take a look at the more inexpensive predesigned modular homes in our inventory.  Even these modular homes are beautiful and look just like stick-built homes.

Upscale customization options
Customized modular homes means you can add to the home design what you need. Add rooms, add bathrooms, add a sunroom or add a garage; move walls or add windows or fireplace. 

Modular homes are most often less expensive than traditionally built homes. No matter what type of home you build, however, as you customize your price will increase. You will save more when building a modular home, so even a customized modular home is less than a customized traditionally built home.

Modular Home Appraisal Process

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. 

How Much do Modular Homes Cost?

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.

Financing a Modular Home

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.

ODU and HU Students And Tidewater Custom Modular Homes Build "Green" Home

There's a quirky new building on the Old Dominion University campus, assembled like Lego blocks in about two hours Wednesday morning.

This house was delivered in four pieces in Norfolk, and crews fit them together to make a one-of-a-kind Solar Decathlon house.

The modules for this solar decathlon project were built in Pennsylvania and put into place on the campus of Old Dominion University Wednesday morning.  They will be joined together and then the interior work will get underway.

It was designed by engineering students from Hampton University and Old Dominion University who have been jointly working on this project as The Tidewater Team since they were invited to participate in April of 2010. Team Tidewater  is competing in an international green-technology contest called the Solar Decathlon, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.

The house has to be a zero net energy home, meaning the energy they use will be equal to the energy they generate.

"We have a water-sense toilet and low flow faucets in the shower and the lavatory," said Noel Nicole Harrison, Hampton University engineering student.

The home will have triple glaze, super-insulated windows and spray foam insulation.  It will cost $250,000 as affordability is one of the ten criteria these homes will be judged on in September in Washington D.C.

"We have to produce as much energy from the sun over the course of the contest as we consume," said John Whitelaw, ODU doctoral candidate.

The Tidewater Team reached the finals this year, the first time they entered, and will be going up against other futuristic models from universities in China, Belgium, Canada and New Zealand and from 15 other U.S. schools.
Truly a Project Green.

"So when they see a grand challenge for the whole world and their little piece in there while they're still being educated, it gets them excited.  When they're excited, they're engaged.  When they're engaged, they learn better, and that's what it's all about," said Oktay Baysal, Dean of Engineering and Technology at Old Dominion University.
 
It was a long-anticipated day for the engineering and architecture students, their professors and their professional helpers (such as Tidewater Custom Modular Homes), who until now had been working on the project for two years only on paper and computer screens.

More information and articles can be found on wavy.com