Modular Home Set -

What’s Involved In A Modular Home / Manufactured Home Set

The entire process of building a modular home generally takes anywhere from 6-9 months from purchase and design to delivery and occupancy. While the bulk of construction work on a modular home is completed off-site in a factory, there is still a lot that needs to happen on-site.

Builders and earth-workers will be working hard to get everything ready for delivery, including excavation, clearing, and leveling of the land, installation of the septic system, creating the driveway, trenching and connection of electricity, water, and telecommunications services, and laying the foundation. In a process known within the industry as a “house set”, a pre assembled module home is then permanently installed on this foundation with the roof weathered in and finalized.

What is a Modular Home “Set”?

While a house set for a home with multiple modules which includes several roof lines can take up to a week or more, less complicated home sets can usually be completed in a day or two. Here is what’s involved with the setting of a manufactured or modular home.

Modular Home Site Preparation

While the modular home is being manufactured in the factory, the initial site work simultaneously gets underway, which is one of the main reasons why modular builds take less time to complete. Ultimately, the sill plate has to be installed correctly and leveled to provide a secure bearing surface to accept the floor rails. The builder also must ensure the foundation is fully prepared for the delivery of the modular home using guidelines from typical drawings as well as in accordance with all local laws and building codes. The site must be cleared of any obstructions around the location of the foundation which might prevent easy access and maneuverability for the modular home transporter

Crane Requirements

It’s also the builder’s job to contract crane services and ensure there is enough area provided for the crane operator to work. Modular homes aren’t necessarily heavy or difficult to lift, but crane contractors must be aware of its size as well as any restrictions specific to the site. Not only does the site need a location for the crane, but it also must sustain the weight of both the crane and the modules on a set day.

While the crane is usually positioned somewhere close to the back or the front of the site, home layout and other site conditions can require the crane to be placed in a different location. This is why many modular home builders and manufacturers need crane contractors to carry out an onsite inspection prior to the set.

Modular Home Delivery & Setting

Once the modular home is ready, and everything has been prepared onsite, the builder will schedule a suitable day and time for delivery. The modular home is then shipped to site on specially designed carriers, and it will be anywhere from 70% to 90% complete when it arrives. Before the modules are removed from the carriers, the builder will check them for any sign of damage during transit and ensure they are documented.

The first module will be installed on the foundations, whether they are concrete slabs, engineered footings, or poles which are commonly used on mountainous plots. This module will typically take the most time to set in place because it is by far the most important one. That’s because the correct positioning of all other modules will be entirely dependent on the accurate placement and positioning of the first module. After the first module has been correctly placed onto the foundation and the straps or cables have been released, it would be extremely difficult to move again.

Once all modules have been correctly set on their foundations and joined together, the builder will complete the installation of the roof and any other finishing touches.

Final Inspection & Move In

After the modular home has been set on the foundation, all the utilities have been hooked up, and the assembly has been completed, the last step is getting the entire modular structure inspected. This final inspection is carried out by a building inspector to ensure the modular home meets all local laws, building codes, and is structurally sound. Once the final inspection is done and the modular home has passed, the building inspector will issue a certificate of occupancy, and if there were any temporary tags, they would also be removed. In only a matter of weeks after the home is set, you will be enjoying your new modular home.

Rocky Mountain Modular is one of the most experienced and trusted factory home builders in the state of Colorado. This is due to our excellent track record and connection to our customers on every modular project that we complete. It is critical when modular homes are “set”, they are “set” properly or the home can have problems well into the future. We are happy to give you a list of high quality modular set contracters we have worked with in the past, but ultimately the choice of who does the set is the decision of the client. Buying a modular home should be a fast, reliable, and enjoyable experience. Avoid problems by getting your house set properly by a contractor with a solid reputation in Colorado.

One other important thing to note. The more complicated the environmental conditions of the property, the more involved the “set”. Hill grades, weather patterns, soil types, and other factors must be considered in order for the home to be stable not just the day of the set, but for years to come. It is wise to use an experienced modular home “setting” service to avoid unwelcome surprises down the road. In Colorado, there are many elements to consider that many states do not have to worry about. Make sure to discuss and solve these issues ahead of delivery date. Rocky Mountain Modular Homes will do one free site visit within its service area to get the lay of the land, point out important things to think about when proceeding with a modular home project, and to make sure that the site is suitable for a modular home.

If you want to know more, make sure you contact our professional team today. We’d love to help make your modular home experience an enjoyable one.