Modular/Manufactured Home - Spec Building??

Question

Initial planning phase.....Another investor and I are looking at purchasing four adjacent lots and considering speculative home building on these sites. Considering manufactured/modular homes. The idea is that we'd complete the site development and basements, and would then have modular homes arrive (time savings, but $$$?). I realize that the traditional stick build may end up being a similar cost, but am looking for some input from anybody that may have experience with this type of spec building.

Thanks in advance.

Eric Teran · Answer

@Mindy Jensen and @Karen Margrave thank you for your insights. Sorry for hijacking this thread. I just really want people to understand why modular is much more efficient than a typical stick build. In order to make it as efficient as possible there is a lot to know which is why I called over 30 modular companies and lost 2 deposits until I found the right one.

@Mike Herbon you can either design a custom modular home for find some stock plans. Stock plans don't always work for site specific needs. The only problem with custom is that a lot of modular companies will not do a full custom home. If they do you need to base your design off of modular principals. If you design without those principals and then try to make it into modular construction you will sacrifice your design, time and probably pay more.

I don't know your price point but if it is on the middle to lower end stick to all the modular company stock options. This will save a lot of money because they have everything in bulk and it will all be done in the factory. If not you will have to do it on site. Once you think you found a company go onto their website and look at their options. They usually have three levels but it doesn't vary that much.

In the end modular will save you money (labor and materials are cheaper) and definitely save you time. Time is money.

I would be happy to share with you stories on what not to do and what to look out for if you have any questions.

Good Luck.

Karen Margrave · Answer

@Nick Coonis  Check this out.  Nick Coomis Modular Home Project

Mindy Jensen · Answer

Hi @Eric Teran .

Self-promotion is not allowed in the regular forums. Neither is contact information. Linking to your personal blog is considered both.

The member blog you linked to contains links to your personal blog, so that link has also been removed.

To counter several arguments I get from this explanation:

"I'm not selling anything on my blog." Maybe not, but we do not have the resources to check every link and some people ARE selling things on their blog. So we have a policy to remove links to all external websites and internal member blogs that contain links to external sites that you are affiliated with.  (Meaning you can link to sites you are not affiliated with.)

"I see other people doing this all the time, why are you singling me out?" We get more than 3,500 posts every day, and cannot read them all. If you see someone who is violating our rules, you can report their post anonymously by clicking the three green dots in the upper right corner of any post.

Eric Teran · Answer

@Mike Herbon my post keep getting deleted because I am linking my daily blog (from start to finish) that I wrote when I built my own modular home in Virginia last year.  I think @Karen Margrave might have read it because we have commented on other modular construction discussions and I used to be able to share the link.

I wrote a lot more in the first two deleted post but I don't want this one to be deleted as well.

Good Luck.

Mike Herbon · Answer

Will do.  Thanks @Karen Margrave and Nick!  Hope to have my own story to share soon.

Karen Margrave · Answer

@Eric Teran Maybe someone from BP can better explain the policy of what links are allowed and which aren't.  I know sometimes when I include a link that goes to an outside website say for financing, or ? when someone is looking for sources I get tagged too. However; I'm sure in your case it's because it goes to an outside blog, so you might want to just post on BP forums to document your projects.

@Mindy Jensen

Spencer Brown · Answer

Hi @Mike Herbon How did this work out? I'm over in Ontario Canada, but I'm choosing between modular home - raised ranch, or doing a stick build. I think Stick build is cheaper, but not sure - less time and risk with modular.

Mike Herbon · Answer

BTW....this is in Macomb County, MI.

Modular/Manufactured Home - Spec Building??

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