Modular Home Customization & Prefab Home Modifications
What are Modular Homes?
Modular buildings are a specific type of prefabricated buildings. Prefabrication, or “prefab” refers to the process of constructing key elements of a building in a factory as opposed to the job site. Wall panels or entire structures can be prefabricated. Modular homes are fabricated in a climate-controlled factory that adheres to high standards of safety and most importantly, quality.
The modular structure can be constructed at the same time as your homesite is prepared saving you time and money. Upon competition of a modular home, the structure is transported to your home site. The home is then placed on your slab foundation or crawl-space.
A common misconception of modular homes is that they are just mobile homes. Modular homes are constructed with superior quality materials, are more durable, and have higher resale values than mobile homes.
“Standard” Modular Homes Features
When considering the construction of your own modular home, it is important to evaluate which features are standard or available for an upgrade. Custom upgrades can turn a house into your dream home.
Standard with the modular home, you can expect to pay a specific amount per square footage of the home for the fabrication costs only. You will also get standard rates for fabrication, transportation, and assembly. There may be additional building permits required in your area. A completed structure will always be provided.
Additional Modular Customization Costs
Compare available options for each of these exterior elements:
- Roof pitch and shingle grade
- Size of gable overhangs
- Window construction
- Siding materials
- Moisture Wraps
- Wall and ceiling insulation
- Attic ventilation
Standard Interior Features:
- Carpet
- Drywall
- Wood Trim
- Premium laminate countertops
- Tub/shower combos
- Plumbing fixtures
After selecting your modular floor plan and evaluating the standard and custom features, you should also consider other factors that will influence the total price of your completed home. For instance, the cost to prepare your land can greatly be impacted if the ground needs to leveled or have trees removed. Removing existing structures on the property can also influence the final cost. Before your modular home can be delivered, a slab foundation will need to be installed.
Unless you want a true bush experience, you will need to account for the costs to dig a well and connect electricity to your home.
Garages, sheds, basements, log siding and decks are NOT included as standard features with most modular homes.
Modular Home Customization Options
Much like getting a traditional home constructed, you can have an almost unlimited amount of options when it comes to creating your modular home. There are endless possibilities, allowing you to achieve a custom home that works specifically for your family. From the outside to the inside, you can customize nearly every aspect of your home.
Exterior Customization
Modular home designs offer a variety of standard themes. Select the option that best suits your style and region. The fun doesn’t end there.
Select your favorite color palette, exterior materials, and even window placement.
Roof, Porch, and Windows
Window placement plays a vital role in adding warmth to your interior and intrigue to your exterior. Unique designs and creative imaginations are welcome! For example, add transom windows to flank the door leading to the custom-configured porch.
A well-designed front porch with a pitched roof adds instant curb appeal to your modular home. Often, well thought out custom upgrades can increase the value of your modular home as well. Consider adding a wrap-around porch to enjoy the sunsets from your custom-built modular home. The objective is to make your modular home work for you exactly how you want it to. The possibilities are endless!
Siding
The exterior of your home should reflect its architectural style. Choose from traditional lap siding or a classic brick or stone exterior. Opt for wood panels in with natural tones to blend into wooded or rural environments. Combine these distinctive features to set your home apart.
Colors
As greige has become the new “it” house color, modular homes are following the trends. Select an exterior color with cool or warm undertones. If greige isn’t your style, choose from crisp white to modern blue to Earth-toned browns.
Many modular home manufacturers employ designers to help you select the ideal trim and front door to color to complement the body color. The color combinations are endless.
Interior Customization
Sure, you want your home to look stunning and have the perfect curb appeal, but you also want to ensure that the interior fits your style and functional needs. The first area where you can customize your home is the floor plan. Typically, the designer will have a few different options of floor plans, but they can often also tweak them a little to meet your needs. Do you want a bigger kitchen? Do you prefer the bedrooms to be located somewhere else in the floor plan? These are all customizations that can usually easily be made.
Living Spaces
Other aspects of the floor plan that you can choose from go far beyond just how many bedrooms you desire. We want to discuss all the other living spaces in the house such as your dining room, a library or perhaps a home office. At Rocky Mountain, we encourage you to be creative to create the modular home you want, not simply settle for something you dont. We are excited to walk you through the process and discuss all your ideas and desires.
We want to brainstorm and go over all your options. This journey should be enjoyable as well as efficient.
For example, you can add a fireplace for extra heat and ambiance or integrate stonework and the perfect elegant mantle. You have so many options that you can get the house of your dreams thanks to modular home customizations. The satisfaction of handing over the keys to your new modular home knowing you received exactly what you wanted is tremendous. Rocky Mountain will help you get it right!
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are also very important to the home and are increasingly becoming more common to customize. Start with how many bathrooms you want for your house and move on to shower and bathtub styles, fixtures and special cabinetry.
There’s a lot of flexibility in the designs here, whether you want full bathrooms or powder rooms. Again, the goal is to create what your imagination and heart desires.
Kitchen
The Kitchen is the heart of the home and is easily one of the most important rooms in the home. This is where you cook your meals for your family and celebrate holidays and other special occasions. You have a lot of different customizations that you can choose from here as well.
Do you want an island? What about maple cabinets or painted white doors? What style kitchen is your dream kitchen? What about a custom range hood? Custom backsplashes and high end appliances are also things that you can think about to create the kitchen you have been dreaming of.
Modular Homes for the Win
In addition to the numerous options for customization, modular homes offer other advantages as well.
Unbeatable Quality
As technology has improved in creating modular homes, so has the quality of these types of homes. These days modular homes can be just as good, if not better than the quality found in traditionally constructed homes. This is because modular homes are built in a controlled factory setting, using an assembly line approach to construction. This approach means that the level of quality control is extremely high, providing you with a higher quality product. No corners are cut during fabrication and assembly.
Faster Construction Process
In most cases, you can have your modular home constructed in less time than it takes to construct a traditional home. Modular homes can be built in about a third of the time it takes to frame a traditional stick-built home. Since interior and exterior finishes are fabricated as part of the home-building process, you can shave an additional 3-5 weeks off the timeline. In the case of inclement weather, on-site constructions may have even further delays.
As previously mentioned, the modular home can be built at the same time the foundation is built. Foundational work takes the same amount of time for a modular home and on-site built home. However, the modular home can be constructed during this time.
Cost
Typically, a modular home costs 15-20% less than traditional construction. Modular home costs usually are significantly lower than stick-built homes, contact us for more information.
Energy Efficient
Modular homes provide superior home energy efficiency as part of the standard package. Conventional on-site home construction requires additional extra steps, at a higher cost to you, to meet new global energy efficiency standards. By contrast, modular home construction requires very little effort or expense to include these energy efficiencies.
In addition to energy efficiency, the tighter construction of modular homes reduces the spread of fires, decreases moisture in the home, and prevents bugs and rodents from working their way in.
Final Thoughts
Modular homes are an excellent option if you want a custom-built home that is affordable and energy-efficient. Just because you opt for a fabricated option, that doesn’t mean that you are getting a standard home like every everyone else. Customization is at your fingertips. Modular homes are the perfect balance between affordability and customization.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss a potential project, we are here to help. Please contact us today!