Modular Homes

Back in the early 1900s, buying a mail-ordered kit house was a practical and cost-effective alternative to custom-designed and site-built dwellings. The pre-cut and ready-to-assemble kit homes allowed homeowners to save money on labor and materials. In fact, kit homes were so popular that almost 3% of all homes in the US were built from kits at the time. Nowadays, kit homes are still available and popular in the cottage market.

However, today's trend is moving away from DIY home-building and towards assembly-line construction in a factory. Modular homes are built in sections that can be easily transported on a trailer and joined on the job site. Unlike manufactured homes, modular homes are designed to be just like a real house that goes on a concrete foundation. They are built to exceed traditional site-built housing standards, with extra bracing and heavier materials to withstand the stress of transportation.

Modular homes offer several advantages over traditional site construction. One of the main benefits is speed, as a modular home can be placed and connected to utilities in just a few days. This can save owner-builders a lot of money in financing and other costs. Another benefit is the efficiency of construction, as materials are stored in a climate-controlled environment, and everything is measured and fitted to exacting standards with very little waste.

Modular homes are also increasingly popular for infill housing in existing neighborhoods, as designers have created modular homes that look site-built and fit in with the existing scheme. Additionally, modular homes can come in a variety of sizes and styles, with some even featuring attached garages and decks.

Modular homes are a cost-effective and efficient option for home construction that offers several advantages over traditional site-built homes. As demand for lower-cost and higher-quality housing increases, modular homes are likely to become even more popular in the future.