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Five Myths and Facts About Custom Modular Homes

30 August 2010

A home is one of the largest purchases that someone will make in their lifetime so it’s important to know the facts – all the facts – before buying. Most people will buy a stick-built home just because it’s all they are aware of. But what they don’t know is that they will save money, time, and get a better product by  choosing custom modular homes.  

The biggest challenge facing the custom modular home industry is that it continues to fall victim to the old adage..."too good to be true".  But that sentiment is on the decline as more and more  independent consumer advocates come on board and verify the superiority of the modular home product over all other forms of construction.  But with that said, we know misconceptions remain as evidenced by the repeat questions that we get based on myths that just won't die.  Here we present to you the top five myths followed by the facts regarding that myth: 

Myth: “Custom” means expensive, right? After all, if I choose something for my unique needs, it should cost more.
Fact: The buyer works with a designer to take units and assemble them into a floor plan that suits them. In this way, homes are fully customizable. Homeowners can design the house of their dreams.

Myth: Isn’t a modular home a mobile home?
Fact: No! Modular homes look just like regular homes. They have a foundation, they are 1 or 2 stories, they may have an attached garage. In fact, if you drove down the street, you wouldn’t be able to tell a stick built from a modular home. Check out our older post about identifying the stick-built home from he modular home.

Myth: Modular homes are less efficient because they are modules that are stuck together.
Fact: Modular homes are more efficient. A recent study shows that modular homes exchange the air only 7 times per hour while a stick built home exchanges air 11 times per hour. That will translate into real savings on heating and cooling costs. And, because the home is built in a weather-free setting, insulation doesn’t lose its R-value by getting wet.

Myth: Modular homes are poorly constructed compared to stick built homes.
Fact: Modular homes are, in fact, constructed to be stronger than stick built homes. They’re built in units by professionals (and these professionals are supervised by qualified inspectors). They’re built in a controlled setting which means that the building materials stay dry. And, they come with a 10 year warranty, compared with most 1 year warranties that come with a stick built home.

Myth: Stick built homes are easier to build.
Fact: While it may seem that way because materials are brought to the site and assembled there, it actually takes far more work. Every stick-built project delay – from weather to crew problems – pushes the project back, and that is costly and management-intensive. However, a modular home is built in a climate-controlled setting on strict schedules.  There are no weather breaks for our staff.  Also, our products are built to exacting standards that stick-builders refuse to place upon themselves.  So our process is precise and demanding, two critical prerequisites for enabling the delivery of industry-leading quality products.

Summary of Facts:  Customized modular homes are stronger structures, are less expensive per square foot than stick-built homes, are constructed faster, and are much more environmentally friendly process due to significant less construction waste. It is patently obvious why the market share of custom modular home continues to rise while market share of stick-built homes continues to decline....better product for less money.  


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Avalon Offers Insight Into Floor Plan Selection

23 August 2010

Avalon building systems offers a  multitude of floor plans.   Because of this,  as a general rule,  our customers usually find  THE floor plan  that directly matches their needs.  . A subset of our customers choose to customize floor plans and we are happy to work with you toward this end.   We enjoy being a part of our customer's dream for a magnificently built modular home.   One point we’d like to make clear to you.  If you select one of our standard modular home plans, it will save you time and simplify the home building  decision process   since the design, engineering, and pricing have already been done by us. If you're having trouble selecting a floor plan, read on as  we will offer some quick tips on selecting a floor plan that is right for you.

All of our standard modular home plans typically include a floor plan and an exterior elevation. The modular floor plans show the location and size of each room, while the elevations provide an idea of what the finished house will look like on the outside.   When looking through our selection of modular home plans, do not be misled by the pairing of modular home floor plans and exterior drawings into thinking that you cannot make adjustments.   In fact, each of our floor plans for modular homes can have a multitude of exterior looks, and each exterior look can be applied to many different modular house floor plans.   For example, all homes can have a garage and porch, even if the artist has not included them in the drawing.   Likewise, you can adjust the slope of the roof, add dormers and decorative gables, and opt for over-sized roof overhangs if you choose, regardless of what you see in the drawing.

If you don't find any suitable modular home floor plans amongst the sampling we have put on our web site, please contact us to discuss what type of plan would better fit your needs.   We might be able to help you with one of our many other standard modular house floor plans.   If none of our standard floor plans for modular homes work for you, we'll be happy to help you design one of our custom modular home floor plans.   If you already have some custom modular floor plans in mind, we'll tell you if they can be built as a modular.   If your modular house floor plans cannot be built as a modular home, we will help you design one of our custom modular home plans offering similar features.

So the bottom  line, whether your are dead set on a design or absolutely uncertain how to go, Avalon Building Systems is perfectly suited to help you navigate quickly into the home of your dreams.  


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Land Considerations For Your Modular Home

16 August 2010

You’re an educated consumer, have considered all options regarding the purchase of your new home, and have decided  to build your dream  home of  custom  modular construction.  Congratulations!  When considering purchasing a modular home, one of the first things you'll need to evaluate is the type of land you'll be putting the home on. Modular home construction offers a wide variety of building options, and often those options are influenced (if not dictated) by the land that the home will be built upon.  Therefore, it's always best to close on your lot before engaging the home construction decision making process.  In this blog post, we'll provide you with some tips on the land search and selection process.
  • Contact a real estate agent in the area where you are interested in putting your modular home. Explain to the agency what you intend to do and give them an idea of the kind of land for which you're looking.
  • Visit the various properties that your real estate agent has found. It's vital that you visit each property in person to get a true idea about the property. There are several things to keep in mind while viewing properties, such as access to power, sewer and water. If you are not happy with any of the available choices, check with another real estate office.
  • Discuss the local building codes and other laws that may affect the home and land you are about to buy.
  • Talk to your real estate agent about the various properties. Go over the pros and cons of each parcel or lot. If you have any questions about a particular piece of property, ask. Double check with your agent about mineral and water rights because in some states these rights do not necessarily go with the purchase of the land.
  • Decide on the land you want to purchase. The piece of property you decide on should have as many of the things you wanted as possible for the local area. If you are not satisfied with any of the choices, don't buy.
  • Contact us to order your dream home. Now that you have the land for it, you will know much more about what options you want on your modular home. Choose options that best suit the land you have purchased and avoid options that will not add anything to the home.
At Avalon we want to make sure that you have all the essential tools for acquiring your dream home. Whether it be tips on what modular homes are to helping you choose which modular plan you'd like to purchase. Yes we make modular home buying easier for you which is why we want to give you a brief blog post about buying the best land for your home.


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Avalon Provides Quick Construction Service

9 August 2010

Avalon Provides Quick Construction Service

Avalon takes pride in providing quality custom homes to its customers. For this reason we like to provide people their dream home as soon as possible. Unlike stick built homes, our modular homes only take weeks to complete. Stick built homes can take months to get the home constructed. Why are our homes quicker to build? Well the process of factory building allows for a controlled environment for the home to be constructed in. There are no concerns of weather conditions, unreliable subcontractors, late material delivery and human error. Avalon's modular homes are constructed by skilled workers who each have certain responsibilities and tasks, which they are responsible for during the assembly process. Because the tasks are being accomplished simultaneously, the structure fits together quickly and in an orderly fashion. A home is completed inside the factory in about a week's time. When the home is shipped to the building site, the building can be erected within a day and can be completed, ready for occupancy, within a few weeks.


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The HUD code Further Ensures Quality From Avalon

3 August 2010

Just as site built homes are constructed according to a specific building code to insure proper design and safety, Avalon’s prefabricated homes are constructed in accordance with the HUD building code. What is this code? Well in 1974 under the National Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards Act, the United States Congress laid the foundation for the HUD Code. This Act directed the Secretary of the Department of Urban Development to establish appropriate manufactured home construction and safety standards that meet the highest standards of protection, taking into account existing State and local laws relating to manufactured home safety and construction. Every HUD Code modular home is built in a factory under controlled conditions.

The modular homes then must have a special label affixed on the exterior of the home indicating that the home has been designed, constructed, tested and inspected to comply with the stringent federal standards set forth in the code. This label certifies to the home buyer that the home has been inspected in accordance with the HUD enforcement procedures. Only when all inspection parties are satisfied that the home complies with the code will the certification label be affixed to the home. A consumer seeing one of Avalon’s modular homes for the first time will have the assurance that the home has been thoroughly tested and inspected from the design stage through final construction and found to be built according to the approved design. Quality is assured at Avalon and we take pride in the construction of our homes.


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How Are Modular Homes Safe

30 July 2010

Avalon’s modular construction is safe and sturdy, and are more resistant to natural forces  because of precision cuts that are fit and fastened in the factory. The construction technology for modular homes calls for glue-nailed sheathing and decking plus additional framing members which makes modulars most likely to endure nature's onslaughts. The structure has to withstand being hoisted by crane and hauled on carriers over roads. The motion and forces that the structure is put under during these processes exceeds that of healthy earthquakes.

Here at Avalon we ensure that our modular homes are built with high safety standards in accordance with federal laws requiring smoke detectors, escape windows and incombustible materials around furnaces and kitchen ranges. Our modular homes assure the buyer that all electrical, plumbing, mechanical and structures are built to a HUD national code, which exceeds any local standards. Stick- built homes are sometimes constructed in areas where local building codes may be less, and the safety of the homeowner and family may be compromised. We make sure our modular homes are built in a safe environment and according to HUD standards. We go above and beyond to make sure you have the home of your dreams.


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Are Prefabricated Modular Homes Strong

23 July 2010

Being Prefabricated—Are Modular Homes Strong?

We know the process of which modular homes are built, but what about the sturdiness of them? Stick built homes go through Mother Nature when being built, how are modular homes stronger? Well first off Avalon uses the strongest of all construction methods based on the 2x4 platform framing system. This is the same system that a conventional stick builder would use, but the differences in the construction process and materials differ. Most modular homes have the reputation of being over built, which is a good thing. The process of building in a factory allows the structure to be open while being built. Workers are able to access the inside of the walls and ceilings, between the wall board and framing members, to glue and seal the wall board from the rear, before the outer sheathing and insulation are attached. These types of extra applications to the building process make a very ridged structure. Precision cuts, which are fit and fastened in the factory, along with the technology of glue-nailed sheathing and decking, additional framing members, and metal strapping insure less movement in the structure. This process makes modular homes about 30% stronger than stick built.

A Modular home’s strength speaks for itself when one considers that the structure is moved by truck carriers over road and then hoisted by crane for setting. These forces of movement on the structure, in most cases, are far in excess of what Mother Nature can produce.


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Avalon Floor Plans To Suit Your Preference

21 July 2010

Modular homes are the future of home building. Yes its true, Factory-built homes offer precision, cost effectiveness, and state of the art building tools; and are also subject to a more rigorous inspection process. Manufactured homes also avoid damage to the materials that building on site, in the elements, creates. Making prefabricated homes a more affordable and smart choice.  Avalon's modular homes come in various floor plans for your preference. Here are a few of the most common floor plans in detail for modular homes so you can have a broader idea of what they are.
 
First of is our ranch style home. It is a single story home that is commonly used as a starter home, or for those that prefer all rooms on a single floor. These home styles also have a basement, which can be finished for added home and entertaining space. The benefit to the ranch style is affordability and a simple floor plan. The disadvantage of this style is limited space, especially if it is in an area without the option of a basement.
 
Another choice we have is the cape cod home. It is also commonly referred to as a New England style home. These homes are typically one and a half stories with numerous windows, and have a cottage ambiance. Kitchens are typically large and include a great room. The cape cod style provides a clean, symmetrical look and offers a lot of floor space. The second has a bedroom and a bathroom.
 
One other we offer is the colonial. The colonial offers more square footage than with the other styles here. And the master bedroom is typically on the first floor and this home offers a formal dining room, great room, large first floor, a master bath, and much more. With the exception of the master bedroom, the other bedrooms in the home are located on the second floor, which opens up room for a spacious kitchen and great room. Inquire about one of these great floor plans or take a look at the other floor plans that we have to offer and contact us today with any questions.<\p>


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Modular Homes Offer State-Of-The-Art Home Living

7 July 2010

At Avalon Building Systems we take pride in our  magnificently built modular homes. Frankly, it's the state-of-the-art in home building. There have been some articles on modular homes but let Avalon fill you in on this increasing trend in home living.

For centuries, yes literally centuries, human beings have built their shelters and homes the old-fashioned way, one board at a time, one nail a time. In the past two decades, the modular industry has taken giant leaps forward in both focus and capability to the point where virtually every modular plant is able to produce modules for custom homes. But still many traditional production builders are still stuck with their old-world ways of individually framing the same structure by hand. These old time builders place the frame over and over again on different lots. So the modular industry has left their former one-design-fits-all approach and created the means to take any design and build it in pieces in a factory, to be assembled into a custom home in the field.

For years, the modular home industry had a problem.  Its Achilles heel was the inability to customize product offerings. However, due to increasing efforts and vast improvement in the industry, modular homes, including us here at Avalon, are producing fully customized dream homes.  In an age where we're all using the internet as a means of choosing a product, paying for it on the web, and receiving it in a few days, it's fitting that the modular industry can finally provide the speed and quality we all expect. And with this growing advancement, Avalon is here to fit all your custom built needs.


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How are modular homes constructed

2 July 2010

How are modular homes constructed?

Most people know how homes are built; slowly and costly. And people know about modular homes, but how are they built? What are the tools needed?  Well modular components are typically constructed within a large indoor facility on assembly lines much like Henry Ford originally began with his automobile company. Facilities such as these use an assembly line track to move the module components from one workstation to the next. This is a quick and cost effective way to get many module components together. However it’s not just modules by themselves there are independent building inspectors on site to supervise the construction and ensure that all building codes are taken care of during assembly.

The modules that will combine to form the house are assembled in a different factory. The construction of these modules can take one to three months to be completed but only take as little as 10 days actually to construct when they are first started. Afterwards, the modules are transported to the building site where a crane is brought in to assemble the modules together. The placement of the modules generally takes several hours or days to do so. A great thing about modular homes, once assembled, are that they are essentially indistinguishable from typical site-built homes. While mobile manufactured buildings often decrease in value over time, our  modular built homes have the same longevity as its site-built counterpart, increasing in value over time.

Here’s a short process in which the modular home goes through:

  • First you have the bulk material
  • The walls are attached to the floor
  • The ceiling dry walled in spray booth
  • Roof set in place
  • Roof shingled and siding in stalled
  • Then it’s ready for delivery


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