Avalon Building Systems Blog

Over the past few years, the interest in modular homes has increased.  

Builders and homeowners use these modular homes as a way to control quality, cut waste and streamline construction to improve start-to-finish timetables.

Recently, the green movement has hit home construction industry in full force, influencing the type and source of materials used, how parts are put together and how they affect daily living.

Avalon Building Systems manufactures single- and multi-family modular homes, as well as modular commercial buildings.

Avalon assembles the factory-built modules into a house on-site, along with a foundation, electrical and plumbing systems, doorways, final flooring and exterior.

The bottom line for the homeowner is a better-quality home that’s energy-efficient.

Other differences in modular construction include efficient use of materials; cutting the factory-waste stream; reduced gasoline and carbon footprints; more efficient materials; and more efficient sealing processes for less air infiltration and off-gassing. This results in a green more energy efficient home with lower energy costs.

For more information in the New England area, contact Avalon Building Systems.

Excerpts from San Angelo Standard Times

Can Avalon Building Systems build a custom designed home for me?

In a word, yes! At Avalon Building Systems our staff includes professional residential and commercial designers. You can work with one of the hundreds of modular floor plan we have, and personalize your home to  your needs. Or if you have had plans drawn up by an architect, we are happy to work with those plans, too.

Do modular homes meet code requirements in my town, city, state?

Our modular homes meet or exceed all applicable state and local codes. Each of our modular homes is engineered to meet the appropriate state and local building codes. We have all our building plans approved by the State before we begin construction.

Can I build a “green” home?

At Avalon Building Systems we can help you design a home that meets “green” standards. Throughout the site design, building design, and construction we can help you maximize your LEED points. All of the members of our staff are LEED accredited in order to better serve you, and we are always exploring new, better ways to build.

For information on building a modular home in New England and New York, contact us.

Designs from different eras may not always match. But they do in a modular home where you can combine crown molding and colonial charm with new construction technology and building systems.

Modular homes are built with the latest in construction technology and standards. The modules are constructed in a factory setting and built with Structural Insulated Panels or SIPs. SIPS create the walls, ceilings, floors, and roofs that close in the building creating a better insulated and better built home.

SIPs have been around for a while and Avalon Building Systems was the designer and builder of the very first "modular SIPS" home in the United States. Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are prefabricated insulated structural elements for use in building modular home at Avalon Building Systems. They provide superior and uniform insulation compared to more traditional construction methods.

Modular homes are available from Avalon Building Systems all over New England and New York.  For more information on more efficient, LEEDs certified and Energy Star rated new homes, contact Avalon Building Systems.

Modular construction is increasing in popularity and is quickly becoming well known and the often preferred construction method today. This is because modular homes are more efficient and timely to build over traditional construction.

With ever evolving technology, modular home builders can easily adapt to new technology and build custom designed modular homes that are very high quality and impossible to discern from a stick built home. But, modular homes are built in a quarter of the time of a stick built home.

Avalon Building Systems has hundreds of floor plans from which to choose, from multi-family properties to small vacation homes, or you can design  your own home. There are also hundreds of amenities from which to choose including counters, cabinets, flooring, lighting and finishes, everything to make your new home the home you have been looking forward to building.

For information on custom designed homes in New England and New York, contact Avalon Building Systems.

When you choose a modular home rather than a traditionally built home, you choose high standards, efficient construction, strict construction standards all at a more competitive price. Avalon Building Systems provides quality custom built homes.
 
Unlike stick built homes, once the design process is complete,  modular homes take weeks to build rather than months or a year. Modular Homes are constructed in a controlled factory environment which allows them to be built faster.

With no weather delays, unreliable subcontractors, material hold-ups, costs for building are less. With factory built homes, construction tasks are being built simultaneously which allows them to be built faster.

The building process in the factory is completed in a week. The modules are then shipped to your building lot and erected in one day. It is completed and ready for you to move into in a couple of weeks after that.

Choose higher standards, more efficient construction, more strict construction standards and a more competitive price. For information on modular homes, contact Avalon Building Systems.

As interest in green home construction and energy efficiency have increased, the use of structural insulated panels, SIPs, have gained popularity as the perfect alternative to traditional framing. Why, because insulation is an integral part of a SIP Modular Home.

What is an SIP? An SIP is putting the framing, insulation, and sheathing into one panel.  SIP Panel walls are straight, plumb and square. SIP Panels are structurally stronger, straighter, and quieter. The use of SIPs results in reduced costs of heating and cooling your modular home.

SIPs are typically 40% to 60% more energy efficient than stick construction. Why? Because the wall they create has a continuous R value. Wall studs in stick framing create a thermal break. The panels are factory-built so the labor and materials costs on your job site are reduced as well.

Avalon Building Systems offer modular homes built with Structural Insulated Panels, contact us. We service MA, ME, CT, RI, NY, VT, NH areas.

The home construction market is picking up. With people trying to decide what type of home to build, the question of the differences between modular construction and stick built construction arises. To make a well informed decision you need to know the difference.  

Stick Built Construction is the traditional way to build a home. In steps, foundation, framing, walls, electrical, plaster, etc. Stick built homes are built on site, from the ground up on the building lot, your property.  So any home built entirely on site is a stick built home.
 
Modular Construction is an easier, faster and more economical way to build a home, through modules.  Modular homes ARE stick built homes, they are just built in a factory first. This is the fastest growing and most advanced style of home construction.

The modules are built in a factory, and then transported to the construction site where they are assembled. What are modules? Picture a traditional 2 story colonial home. The first floor is built in halves and the second story is built in halves. When completed they look like fully constructed pieces of the home. Once they arrive on site they are stacked, like blocks and then “buttoned up” or fastened together.
 
Modular floor plans can be custom designed. Then the plans are sent to the factory for construction. The home can be made out of as many modules as necessary.
 
For more information on modular homes, contact Avalon Building Systems.

Q. I’ve been looking at houses for quite a while now and finally decided that building a new home is our best option. What is your opinion on stick-built vs. Modular?

A. Both stick-built houses and Modular homes are built to local codes. Modular homes however, are also built with strict quality control in the factory rather than in the field, which is an advantage. But there is a major advantage to modular homes. Other than being generally less expensive, understanding what some traditional builders (not all, but some) put into their houses and the materials they use is important. For starters, some contractors use the cheapest (least expensive) asphalt roof shingles that are within codes but may last less than 15 years.

This does not happen with modular homes because the standards that are applied in the factory are too high.

Another thing to look for is what goes into the stick built house. Some contractors buy the cheapest heating systems that they can get away with. Same goes for water heaters, dishwashers, washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, ranges, and wall-to-wall carpeting.

With modular construction you get energy star rated appliances, heating systems, lighting and windows and top quality roof shingles. Remember, this home needs to be transported, it needs to be built with high quality materials and be VERY structurally sound.

Want more information on Modular Homes? Contact Avalon Building Systems.

Excerpt from Boston.com

The allure of a newly constructed home has a certain appeal for many home buyers. Why not build a home so that you have a home that is completely clean and potentially perfect.

With modular home construction you can have your perfect home. With a traditionally built home, this may not be as simple as it seems. Why? Well, this article we found explains the downfalls, trials and tribulations of building a new home the traditional way. If after reading, you want information on how to build yourself a new home without all the issues of traditional construction; if you want the peace of mind of safe materials, standards and safeguards, and no price increases, then contact Avalon Building Systems.

New Construction's Hidden Costs Can Burn Buyers

What many buyers don't realize is that new traditionally built homes often have numerous hidden costs. If you're considering a new construction, here's what you should look out for to make sure you're spending your money wisely and you don't experience any unpleasant surprises.

Hidden Defects

Just like an older home, a brand-new home can have hidden defects, or latent defects that require expensive repairs. Heavy rains on the job site can reveal inadequate waterproofing or grading that leads to leaks or flooding in your home. A weak slab could crack. Siding could fall off. Electrical wiring could be done incorrectly. Any problem that you might be afraid to find in an older home can also appear in a brand-new stick built home.

Modular homes have a warranty, which is important because your homeowners insurance may not cover “latent defects”.

Missing Necessities

New homes often don't come with everything you need. It's quite common for them to lack fences, decks, window coverings, appliances, landscaping and other essentials. When modular homes are built, they are finished in move-in condition. Decks and fences can be included in your modular home floor plan and budget.

Pricey Upgrades

Counters and hardwood floors are not included in your budget. When you buy a modular home, you know exactly what you are getting. There are no hidden fees. The counters and the flooring are included in the budget, no price increases part way through the construction process. In fact, you tell us what your budget is, and we tell you what we can do.

Also, if you buy the upgrades through the builder, you might pay an up-charge and have a limited selection compared to doing the upgrades yourself.

Conclusion

Don't make any assumptions about what you'll be getting if you buy a new home. Buying a new stick built home can be more expensive and come with many more uncertainties than you bargained for, along with a very long construction time.
 
Want more information on the stress free new home building experience modular construction can offer? Contact Avalon Building Systems.

SF Gate

Are you looking for a place for your parents to live? Perhaps you want to help your grown children buy their first home. Or, perhaps you want to own a rental property for additional income. Consider building. But not just building any home, build a multi-family modular home.  Multi-family housing is a growing trend for families today.  

What do we mean by multifamily homes? A multi family home is like a townhouse; any number of homes that share common walls. There is a trend of extended families investing in modular multi-family housing either to care for parents or to combat the tough economy.

Traditionally, in order to keep parents out of assisted living homes is to build an addition on your existing home, an “in-law suite”.  But that is not as easy as it sounds, and actually could take longer than building a new, multi family modular home.

Many homeowners are interested in buying a rental property. Build one. Buying that property outright is challenging. Building a two family modular home is faster and less expensive. You have your new home and a rental home all at once.

For more information on multi-family modular homes in New England, contact Avalon Building Systems.