The most popular states for modular construction in 2001 were North Carolina, Michigan and New York.

A good many of the homes you see today — perhaps some of your competitors’ — are modular homes. In 2001, modular homes accounted for 3% of all single-family homes constructed, the BSC says. Outside of metropolitan areas, that figure jumped to 11%.

    How They’re Made 

In a highly engineered manufacturing process, modular homes are built in sections called modules. Once built, the modules undergo a series of quality-control checks in the factory.After the manufacturing process is complete —mobile house typically with interior finish on the floors, walls and ceilings — trucks transport the home to its site, place the modules on a prepared foundation with a crane and join them to the foundation and each other.While critics have charged that modular homes are too boxy, that refrain is beginning to fade with growing flexibility in design and customization options. Also, the emerging trend of hybrid modular panelized construction — adding site-built garages, porches and other custom add-ons — gives modular housing a fresh face.

     Fast Construction 

Some factories can build modular homes in as little as one to two weeks. The home’s arrival at its site and placement on its permanent foundation can be even more astonishing. In another two to four weeks, a local builder or contractor can connect the utilities and complete the home. “It takes approximately 90 to 120 days for the entire process, from the time the customer places an order until it’s ready for the family to move in,” McLendon says.

    Saving Time and Money 

Modular homes usually cost less per square foot — 5% to 25% less, one manufacturer estimates — than site-built homes, thanks to shorter, more organized and more predictable construction schedules. Aside from cost savings, buyers of modular homes also benefit from the accelerated on-site assembly time. The associated advantages — reduced chance of weather damage or home-site vandalism — make modular construction a smart choice for infill development.

    The Comfort Factor 

Modular homes are “overbuilt” to withstand travel from the factory to the home site, so they often are sturdier and tighter than conventional homes. They also make it easier to insulate areas hard to access in a home constructed with conventional building techniques. Reduced air infiltration and more complete insulation often make modular homes more comfortable than site-built homes while lowering heating and cooling costs.Increasingly, modular construction offers builders a competitive alternative that might be worth a departure from traditional construction methods.