CONTRARY TO THE MYTHS ABOUT MODULAR
HOMES SPOKEN PRIMARILY BY THOSE WHO WISH THE MYTHS WERE
TRUE:
FACTORY-BUILT HOMES HAVE SUPERIOR
QUALITY.
Regardless of whether we're talking about
factory-built, panelized or modular homes, in-plant construction
quality is invariably superior to what can be done on a job site.
Parts cut with a hand saw or a hand-held power circular saw at a job
site cannot possibly be as precise as those cut with a $10,000
radial arm saw or $100,000 component cutter in a factory. Factory
fastening methods are also demonstrably superior because they use
pneumatic tools, which drive fasteners to precise depths - no
under-driving and no shiners. What's more, factory inspections cover
every construction detail from floor framing to final paint, and
trained factory inspectors or independent third party inspectors
perform more than one-dozen unannounced inspections per house. The
best that can be hoped for at a job site is three or four announced
inspections. These days, with so much construction going on, local
inspectors don't always have time to get there.
FACTORY-BUILT MATERIALS ARE THE
BEST.
The quality modular home manufacturer does not
use green lumber and protects all building materials from the
weather; otherwise, materials would be too warped or bent to fit
into their precise jigs for wall panels or trusses. In many on-site
building locations either green lumber is still used or building
materials are not protected from the weather; as a result, for
decades the ultimate homeowner inherits problems after the building
is finished.
FACTORY-BUILT HOMES ARE STRONGER THAN
STICK BUILT HOMES.
The modular unit uses the strongest of all
construction methods based on the 2x6 platform framing system.
Traditionally, modular units are over-built so they can be hauled on
wheels over roads to get to the site and so that a crane can lift
them off the wheels and place them on a foundation. Only modular
construction is sturdy enough to withstand such forces which are the
equivalent to that of a healthy earthquake.
FACTORY-BUILT HOMES ARE EASIER TO
FINANCE.
Factory-built homes are very easy to finance
because they have a positive track record. When the homeowner wants,
for instance, the Acme Plan 3A from a factory with some variations,
chances are the local banker has seen it before and knows the value.
Bankers also like the idea that factory-built homes are well
insulated which means the ultimate buyer won't go broke paying
utility bills. Bankers also like the simplicity of the construction
process compared to on-site construction.
FACTORY-BUILT HOMES ARE QUICKER TO
BUILD.
From the time you place your order, even when
the factory is hopping busy, you can get a two-module home delivered
to your site in eight weeks or less and you can move into it within
a few more weeks. From the time you place your order, the average
site built home takes six to nine months to complete.
FACTORY-BUILT HOMES APPRECIATE IN
VALUE THE SAME AS STICK BUILT HOMES.
Other things being equal (primarily location),
factory-built homes appreciate in value in lock step with site-built
homes.
| The best value for your
money |
Modular homes are
built in factories, and benefit from the assembly line
production process. The factories buy huge quantities of
lumber, sheet rock, carpet, paint, etc., they pay much less
for each and can have large quantities delivered at one time.
Labor is used with maximum efficiency, with skilled craftsman
moving between workstations on the factory
floor.
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| The highest quality |
Modular homes are
built in a modern controlled environment, and they are
precision engineered for a lifetime of trouble-free structural
durability. Quality control is maintained by constant
inspection throughout the construction process.
To
insure a safe and secure trip to your property, modular homes
are built especially well, using high quality materials. For
example, there is typically 20% to 30% more lumber used in
framing your home and most factories GLUE as well as nail or
screw the components of the home
together.
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| Peace of mind |
Buying a modular
home gives you peace of mind - you won't have to worry about:
- "I need more
money"
The home owner's worst nightmare - the job's
half finished and your builder tells you he's way over
budget and needs more money or else he'll quit.
Factory-built houses come at a guaranteed price, without
cost overruns.
- The vanishing
builder
Everyone knows someone who's had this problem
- just don't let it happen to you. You don't want an
unfinished house slowly rotting away in the rain. When you
buy modular, you get your finished house product ready for
installation.
- The pre-soaked
house
Maybe you like your jeans pre-washed, but you
don't want your house to come that way! A site-built house
open to the rain can cause your wood to warp or swell,
problems you'll never get rid of in a lifetime of ownership.
Modular houses are built in controlled environments under
the factory roof and are shipped in weather-proofed
wrapping.
- The unexpected
uninspected house
Often times you don't really know
what quality you're getting with a site-built house. Modular
homes are thoroughly checked out before they leave the
factories. A quality control process provides 100% assurance
that your home has been inspected for code compliance and
workmanship. In-plant inspectors as well as independent
inspection agencies inspect the home on behalf of your state
& local government. So if you're looking for peace
of mind you came to the right place.
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| Speedy turnaround |
On the average, a
home consisting of two sections will be built in the factory
within a couple of weeks. Once your home is placed on its
foundation, final completion takes two or three weeks. This
schedule allows you to move more quickly, and knowing when
you're new home will be ready helps you plan your move better.
As site preparation work differs for each property, contact us
for a more
exact schedule for your home.
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| Lower home ownership costs |
Repair bills can
really add up. Modular homes are built in a modern controlled
environment using high quality materials. They are precision
engineered for a lifetime of trouble-free structural
durability. A well-built house is a home that is easier and
less costly to maintain.
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| Resale value |
From the outside
your home might look just like a normal house, but after all
those years, quality shows through. Modular homes are
precision built at the factory and they're built to last. Your
home requires less maintenance and your energy bills are lower
than your neighbors. When you come to sell your home, you'll
be glad it's a modular
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FACTORY-BUILT HOMES ARE SAFER THAN
SITE-BUILT HOMES.
Modular construction technology of glue-nailed
sheathing and decking with redundant framing members makes a modular
home a safe place to hang your hat if you live in earthquake or
tornado country. Modular homes are built to survive nature's
onslaught. The frame work of today's modular homes matches or
exceeds site-built homes or panelized units because modular homes
are engineered for safe use in each of the specific geographic
region where they are sold. Modular homes may be the safest on the
market because of the federal laws requiring smoke detectors, escape
windows and incombustible materials around furnaces and kitchen
ranges. Many site-built homes are constructed in areas where not
even smoke detectors are required by local law.
FACTORY BUILT HOMES LAST AS LONG AS
ANY OTHER TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION.
There are endless examples of factory-built
homes that have been in continuous service for 50, 60 and 70 years.
One example: the homes built by National Homes through the midwest
50 years ago which originally sold for $7,000, $8,000 and $9,000
complete. These homes today are still in use, the major change has
been that they have increased ten-fold in value.
FACTORY-BUILT HOMES LOOK
GREAT.
Over 90% of all panelized homes today are
customized to meet the buyer's needs. They look as good, and in many
cases, better than anything that can be built on-site. Some
manufacturers are producing spectacular mansions of over 10,000 sq.
ft. Modular units are routinely stacked to resemble any type of
architecture the buyer may want from a New England Salt Box to an
Ante Belle mansion. Modular units can be finished with stucco walls,
tile roofs, and exterior design features so that they become
indistinguishable from on-site designs.
FACTORY-BUILT HOMES ARE THE WAVE OF
THE FUTURE.
America is the nation that invented factory
fabrication. When we buy a washing machine, a microwave oven, a VCR
or a car, we don't expect it to be dumped in parts in our backyard
for us to assemble. We expect these products to come factory-made,
factory inspected and ready for instant use. It is unlikely that the
home building industry will cling to the idea of costly, error prone
piece-by-piece fabrication of homes at job sites. For both economic
and quality reasons, on-site home building can't last; factory home
building can't miss.
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