3 Things to Keep in Mind When Building a Modular Constructed Home
Before we get into the things you should keep in mind when you’re building a modular structure, let’s go over some of the benefits.
First, they are much less expensive to build than traditionally constructed homes. Roughly 60% to 90% of all prefabricated construction happens in a factory or a warehouse off-site, the projects can be completed much faster. In fact, depending on the size of the house, it can be built in a matter of a few months or even few weeks, and it can be installed anywhere between two days to two weeks.
Secondly, modular homes cost less than traditionally constructed homes. The design costs anywhere from 10% to 50% less than a site-built comparison. The cost per square foot for a prefabricated from is less than $77, where a traditionally constructed home is almost $95 per square foot, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Not only will you have your home finished quicker, but it will cost you less. Here are some things you should keep in mind while building your new modular home.
Budget
When you’re coming up with the budget for your new home, you never want to include your “last dime,” according to Inhabitat. This means that you don’t want to spend every last cent you have on your home. You should set your budget 5% to 10% below what you are actually able to spend so that you have room for unforeseen expenses. These include things like digging deeper than expected, blasting, electrical issues, permits, engineering expenses, and more. Your budget needs to be a realistic representation of what you can actually afford, or what a mortgage bank is willing to lend you.
Energy Efficiency
Secondly, you want to focus on energy efficiency when you build your home. This will set a precedent on what your monthly energy bills will look like in the future. Energy efficiency includes a few things. First, you want to make sure that your home will heat and cool well. Homeowners spend roughly $29 billion every year just on home cooling. You’ll want to make sure your walls are well insulated and your windows are good at keeping the air in your home.
Another thing you can do to make sure your home is energy efficient is to seal any and all cracks. This means that you go around and caulk surfaces. Caulk is an adhesive that people use to seal any leakable gaps that are less than one-quarter inch wide between stationary components and materials. You can caulk around your windows and doors to make sure they don’t leak, and you can also caulk any other gaps you may have to create an airtight structure. In addition, The Department of Energy estimates that setting your thermostat back by just 7 to 10 degrees for at least eight hours a day can help you cut heating and cooling costs by 10% or more.
Customization
Lastly, you want to remember that this is not a one-size-fits-all situation. This is your home, and you get to decide what elements go into it. With great power comes great responsibility though, as you don’t want to leave out essential functions to your home. For example, you don’t want to not install gutters because you don’t like the way they look. Clogged gutters are the number one cause of basement water problems, and could you imagine how bad your basement might be without gutters altogether?
With the mention of gutters, you want to keep the local climate in mind while you’re building. Will you get a lot of snow and rain, or is the local area dry and warm? These things will play a role in the features you choose for your home.
Lastly, you need to keep in mind things like zoning laws, building permits, property taxes, and insurance costs before you go crazy designing your dream home.
Modular construction gives you the ability to build a home that is exactly what you want faster and cheaper than traditional construction allows. Before you dive in and start designing your forever home, keeps these things in mind so you can save yourself from headaches and added expenses in the future.