Some homeowners dream of their own custom home, but do not want to spend the time and expense needed to manage the architects, engineers, and construction workers needed to build a home. Modular homes and prefabricated homes are the new trend in home construction and a perfect alternative to conventional home-building. They’re cost-effective and will save you a lot of time (and headaches).
What is a modular home?
A modular home is one that is built inside a factory-like setting. The finished products are covered and transported to their new locations, where they are assembled by the builder. A modular home is not a mobile home; it’s just a home built off-site. These homes are often referred to as factory-built, system-built, or prefab homes (short for prefabricated).
Modular home vs. prefab home
Modular homes and prefab homes often refer to the same thing. Prefab homes is a catch-all term for a home made up of sections that have been put together off-site. A modular home is often considered a prefab home—since it has been built elsewhere in sections.
Modular home vs. manufactured home
Modular homes and manufactured homes are not the same thing. Manufactured houses are not placed on permanent foundations. Manufactured homes, sometimes referred to as (but not always) mobile homes, can be moved from one location to another. Specific laws and regulations are in place for these relocations.
Advantages of a modular home:
Strong Structure
Modules that make up a building are more durable than conventional ones. Prefabricated houses must not only meet the design specifications, but also withstand transport loads.
Shorter Construction Time
A small modular house can be installed in the factory in less than two months. The explanation for this is automation, greater repeatability, greater coordination. Assembly at the construction site is usually a couple of days.
Higher Building Quality
The explanation is that the shop drawings of modular houses are much more accurate than those of conventional houses. Modular houses are typically elaborated with every detail. A higher level of health and safety at the factory would also improve the quality of jobs.
Faster Implementation
Shorter investment time means lower investment costs for any investor. There is no need to rent social rooms for employees on your platform. If you rent a flat now, you can pay less for your rent by moving to our home sooner.
Lower Damage Risk
Significantly lower risk of theft and damage by third parties. Theft occurs most often when the house has not yet been properly secured. Theft of building materials and equipment may be carried out by workers at your construction site. If you build a house traditionally and wonder why you ran out of tiles, theft might be the cause.
Price
Price is probably the biggest advantage. Modular homes are not more expensive than traditional ones at all. I can’t guarantee 100 percent that modular homes are always cheaper. All this depends on your design, material requirements, location, etc.
Advantages of a modular home:
Lifespan
The most common modular homes are made of wooden frames. It is popular in Scandinavia and North America, but it is not widely used in Central Europe. In Poland, many people think that brick houses are long-lasting and wood-made houses are not. Everything depends on the performance and the way you keep your home, but the feelings are right.
Shorten lifespan does not apply to concrete modular homes. In this case we can talk about identical lifespan as in brick houses.
Heat accumulation
Timber houses are much lighter than masonry houses, so they don’t keep warm and cool quickly. This is a major drawback. Most central heating systems operate during the day and are switched off at night. We can’t afford it in a modular wooden house.
Prefabricated houses with wooden frame technology will not accumulate heat gains from the day.
Fire Resistance
The walls and ceilings of the modular wooden houses have a fire resistance of just 1 hour. In brick homes, usually for two hours. In addition, wood is a fuel material. Concrete and bricks are non-flammable. The more we use non-flammable materials to build our home, the lower the losses in the event of a fire.
Construction Limitations
This is not a major downside, since you can, for example, combine several modules into one large space. Often when you’re preparing to have larger/higher spaces, it may be more cost-effective to have prefabricated walls only.
Conclusions
Modular homes—often referred to as prefab homes—are a perfect choice for homeowners who want to design their custom dream home without the strain of traditional construction.
The process normally runs quicker and easier since the home is constructed in a factory off-site by professionals who understand the zoning, licenses, and home-building process. You’re going to partner with the manufacturer to build your modular house. They’re going to build it in their factory, transport it to your place, and anchor it to the permanent foundation faster and for less than the traditional way of building your home.
