How Long Does it Take to Build a Modular Home?
Constructed in an off-site, climate-controlled setting, modular homes are an efficient option for home buyers, as they are often built and completed much faster than site-built homes. If you’re considering purchasing a modular home, you probably have many questions, and we’re here to help.
You might be wondering what that means on a practical level, specifically how fast is faster? There are a number of factors that can influence the timeframe of your modular home, and we’re here to help.
THE CONSTRUCTION OF YOUR MODULAR HOME
Every site-built home is different, while modular homes are built in a highly ordered and systematic process. During a site-built home’s construction, there are tons of variables beyond your control, like weather and subcontractors, whereas with a modular home, the variables are more precise. Your modular home is constructed in a climate-controlled setting where strict quality assurance standards are adhered to during the construction phase that is taking place inside the plant facility. Once finished, they are transported to your site, assembled, and integrated into the foundations.
Many believe that modular homes are stuck within a specific cookie-cutter house type, but this is not the case. Your modular home can range from ranch style, cape cod, and two-story layouts. Custom elements and finishes you choose that take place after the home is completed in the production facility will affect the time it takes for your home to get completed, but most often, it won’t take more than 120 days.
BENEFITS OF A MODULAR HOME
First and foremost, a modular home is a faster, more efficient way for a home buyer to purchase not simply a new home, but one that is designed to their specifications and needs — one of the many modular home advantages. Modular homes typically start from a template or basic layout and can be altered depending on your desires. The time it takes to build your home is influenced by your decisions in the planning stages.
Custom homes are built on-site and therefore require a number of contractors and many moving parts all converging on a job site in varying schedules coming to one place (i.e., lumber shipped across the country in various elements). Modular homes are constructed in one facility, climate-controlled, and protected from the sun, rain, and snow. This means that your modular home avoids many of the risks of site-built homes.
See Full List of Modern Modular Home Advantages
FACTORS OF COMPLETION TIME
Unlike site-built homes, the completion of a modular home is less impacted by circumstances that can influence the time table that occurs during an onsite build. Depending on the complexity, it can take between 60 and 120 days to finish your home from the day of the house setting.
Because modular homes are partially constructed when they arrive at your site, these factors are minimized. Your home’s completion is much less impacted by things like weather and the scheduling of subcontractors, which can both vastly hinder a site-built home.
FEATURES OF A MODULAR HOME
Like we said, a modular home is surprisingly customizable. While some might be under the impression that modular homes are inflexible, this is simply not the case. The only custom features that can add time to your build are unique finishes on the interior of the home done onsite. Even custom elements like porches, decks, and garages do not add much time because they are built and planned from the start.
When a home is constructed inside a production facility that is equipped with the materials, manpower, and tools, the process is simply more efficient than homes built completely onsite. In the production facility, it may take a week to ten days to complete the construction process, plus installation time.
THE BUILDING PROCESS
Once your modular home is completed in the production facility, it is then transported to the building site. There, the builder will perform a number of remaining interior and exterior tasks.
On the interior of the home, the builder will:
- Repair any stress cracks that occur during transportation (this is common and repairs are typically minor)
- Drywall finishing between passageways and marriage wall openings
- Perform touch-up painting
- Complete flooring, add carpet and/or laminate or vinyl flooring between marriage walls
- Install and hook up mechanicals like ductwork and plumbing, as well as electrical connections and, of course, air conditioning.
- Finish stairs for basements and second stories
On the exterior, they will:
- Construct porches, decks, and garages
- Install vinyl siding below the sill plate to the grade of the land as well as on gable end walls
- Mount soffit and fascia at home’s gable ends
- Add additional roofing in areas between roof ends
Once these items are complete, your home is finished!
