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Does anyone have any experience with factory built homes (I’m talking about custom or semi-custom rather than your basic double-wide) that they can share pros & cons with. We are looking to build a lake home in a fairly remote area in Northern Minnesota, and the idea of a crew coming in and being able to get it enclosed in a few days has some big advantages. We’ve also just finished an 18 month extensive renovation of our 100 year old main house, so I’m in a simple is better mood. Thoughts
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Hi David,
Check out "Guildcrest" modular factory built homes for a feel on the subject. They're on the web.
Some people like them but the quality is not up to expections in most factories. They rarely use qualified anything. One carpenter, one plumber, one electrician and a whole bunch of minimum wage labourers.
You still can't beat a good crew, nice environments and a good working relationship between owner and builder at site, to produce some of North America's best homes.
In the final analysis, the cost is the same, so why not go with the local builders instead.
Gabe
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We built a custom house with a manufacturer last year -- the cost savings were substantial. We live in a remote area which affects the cost of building. We've been very pleased with our home -- it is entirely customized and it has a ten-year structural warranty -- something no contractor I know of is willing to do. They worked with the best local craftsmen to finish the house.
The company we got our house from is Kan-Build in Osage, Kansas. We have endured one winter in comfort and are into our first summer. We haven't any complaints about the house and we've been very pleased with the service from this company.
I would advise anyone thinking of building a home this way to ask for information on the warranty and to look at the contract carefully so you are sure about what you are buying. Some companies only sell the sections and you are responsible for all the other work involved.
There is a big difference in the quality of construction, too, just like with any builders. Its a good idea to shop and compare. In building our house we did a lot of research and I would be glad to dig some of it out to share with you if you would like.
Customizing is easy to do --- they can build two story houses and just about anything you'd like. Check out some of the sites on the web for examples of what can be done. I have more information on that, too, if you are interested.
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With all due respect Ma'am,
I'll build a house on a mud foundation and give you a ten year structural warranty on it...
Heck I'll bet the roof shingles last you eleven years!
As Gabe says, factory houses are typically poor quality as the workers are highly unskilled. In homebuilding as with everything else, You get what you pay for.
David,
"the idea of a crew coming in and being able to get it enclosed in a few days has some big advantages."
And some rather large disadvantages too. Pick a reputable design/build contractor ask them to keep it simple and be patient while the professionals do their work. You'll have lot's of time to enjoy your house after it's built, so a few weeks extra isn't really that much to ask is it?
Now that you're a seasoned construction client, this next project ought to go even smoother...
Such problems, lake house in northern Minnesota...
Dan Morrison
*I own a Wausau built home in La Crosse, WI. It is 35 years old and I am in the process of redoing it completely, but structurally, it is excellent. The walls are all plumb, the outer structure is square, the masonite siding has lasted well, the windows are shot(but most are after 35 years), and the design makes very good use of space. Having hired a few construction types in my life, I would disregard the idea the on-site workers are better than factory workers. If you are in doubt, ask any contractor about the level of help. Some are good, some are not. In short, my experience is great value for the money.Dennis
*I think manufactured homes are a good concept, but you haver to watch who you buy them from. Definitely check out a company before you buy a modular. Maybe even get a look inside some of their houses that are a few years old, if you can wrangle that. I also think the whole home industry is moving (slowly) in the direction of off-site fabrication. For instance, something like 90% of new homes in the US now have roof trusses. How many contractor make their own window frames on the site, like they used to 40 or 50 years ago ? How many of you make your own jamb sets and hang door slabs instead of buying pre-hung doors ? Would you rather buy a pickup truck that you assembled yourself, or one that was made in a factory ?
*Let me see now Ron,Would I rather have a production built Ford or would I rather have a hand built Morgan?Damn that's a tough one.NOT!!!!!No factory on earth (as we speak) can build a custom house with the care and dedication of any good GC in your respective neibourhoods.Remember those contractors in your town? Don't you think your selling them short? Don't you think you should show them a little support?I live not too far from a factory that fabricates houses and I know a lot of the workers there. I also know the reality of a plant and how it has to turn a profit. It's not with quality.Gabe
*Gabe, what the heck is a Morgan ?You said "No factory on earth (as we speak) can build a custom house with the care and dedication of any good GC in your respective neibourhoods. "I don't agree. There are good and bad GCs, just as there are good and bad modular home manufacturers. You have to be careful picking either. As for the contractors in my town, some are crooks, some are inexperienced, and a couple stand out as really good craftsmen and businessmen. And no, I don't feel like I'm selling them short. Keep in mind that I only said that housing was " moving (slowly) in the direction of off-site fabrication". I didn't say that the modular industry built all good quality homes. Probably 75% of them don't. But I still feel that the industry will keep moving in that direction.
*Hi Ron,A Morgan is a hand made British motor car with a 6 month to 2 year waiting list.You stated that in your town, you had a few contractors that were craftsmen. Don't you think you should be promoting them, instead of some factory?One aspect of this equation you haven't considered is the ability of the client to JUDGE the product.I was assigned a luxury 52 unit townhouse project to repair a while back.They were absolutely the worst that I had ever encountered. Floors were out of level by as much as 4" in 16 ft. This was a 1 year old project.I had to move the clients into a hotel, move their furniture into storage, demolish the unit from the inside, rebuild it, move the furniture back and the clients. Pay a settlement to them as well.I had 3 clients that refused to be moved, refused to have the units repaired and refused any settlements. The reason, you ask? They were 110% satisfied with the unit. Thought they were the best quality of any home they ever lived in. Couldn't believe it.This is why I never accept one or two glowing recommendations about any products.If you built enough of them, you will find clients who are satisfied. The little guy has to work harder to ensure he has satisfied clients.He gets my admiration and respect.Gabe
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Wow! It amazes me! The subject of modular homes is a very emotional and heated one.
I have to say that there is a grain of truth in all of this discussion. Our research into building on site and modular proved that there are bad contractors and excellant ones and that there are some really bad modular homes out there as well as some exceptionally fine ones. The craftsmen who worked on our house to do the finish work are some of the best our area has to offer and they were very impressed with the quality of workmanship in our modular. It was built to last for several generations.
I just think you have to do your homework. When you want the best hire the best. There are varying degrees of quality workmanship whether it is done in a factory or on the site.
Unfortuantely there are a lot of very shoddy modulars being built out there. There is a trend amongst a few top builders to build really good modulars. Country Living (or maybe it is Country Homes) magazine recently had an article on a modular show home they built in New York City. The company they worked with is Avis America. I urge you to check that article out. It will give you another perspective on modular construction.
I think modular contruction is going to be the wave of the future. As someone stated we are already using factory built products such as windows, doors and trusses. The cost of building is a big factor here, as well as weather and the availability of craftsmen to do the job. There will always be work for the contractor -- we can't live without them. We had a lot of finish work done on our house, a porch, a deck and the basement, to name a few. And there are some designs that don't lend themselves to this concept. But, for many this is an economic alternative to building a fine home for themselves.
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As someone starting out in the construction trades I am very interested in the "trend" towards modularity. Do you vets out there think that it is a real option. From a novice (five year carpenter wanna-be) who has only worked on custom homes I don't think so. I do feel like there is room for it, but it needs to be quality (ie. Swiss production homes) and it appears like it could never replace site built. Maybe just more parts that are harder to lift.
*Gabe, I spent many years in the truss business. I've bid thousands of jobs to thousands of contractors. Most of them seem to take the lowest bid, and aren't loyal to any one supplier. So why should I be loyal to them ?You said a Morgan is a hand made British motor car. Is it assembled on site, or at the factory ? That was my point.
*Hi Ron,The Morgan has no factory in the normal sense of the word. Its a loyal group of highly skilled craftsmen who hand build cars with hammers, hand drills etc. No assembly lines, no robots, no production line workers.Show me the factory with loyalty to its suppliers.Gabe
*How about modulars for remodeling? The attached file shows a modular second story addition, one of several we have done. 5% of our remodeling projects will be modular second stories this year.We have been very pleased with the quality of these units. Needless to say measure twice ...
* Fred,
Joseph Fusco View Image
*Joe, This particular job had 4 "boxs" two large, two small. I'm not sure what the lead time was, want to say 4 weeks but I'll check. We typically start demo on monday, level up and set plates tues-wed, subs prep thur. set friday.The last picture shows end of set day. Roof is from the factory except for tie-ins between boxes.Shingles are also on from the factory except at tie-in areas. We did a lot of work on this one, wrap around porch, new kitchen, stairs to second floor etc,.Savings versus stick frame for the factory parts ~15%-18% depends on project.The boxes are 95% complete from the factory, however we have done some were we tile out the master baths, add hardwood etc. on site. Ask on. Fred
*I've business acquintances that used to deal exclusively in manufactured houses. Their biggest gripe was shipping distances. If the "kit" was shipped far (flatbed, rail, or both), their experience was that the constant rattling around didn't bode well for the quality once the house made it to the building site. Joints came loose, trusses especially did not fair well. Sheet goods tend to be bottom of the barrel. Their words.They were quite happy with the quality of kit at the factory, they just didn't travel well. Both men had houses built while in the business, they both stick built. Now out of the business, they do not recommend pre-manufactured houses. That said, the industry has evolved somewhat in the last few years. I would like to think there's at least one decent manufacturer to be found in the industry. Do your research. Don't let price be your only guide.
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Does anyone have any experience with factory built homes (I'm talking about custom or semi-custom rather than your basic double-wide) that they can share pros & cons with. We are looking to build a lake home in a fairly remote area in Northern Minnesota, and the idea of a crew coming in and being able to get it enclosed in a few days has some big advantages. We've also just finished an 18 month extensive renovation of our 100 year old main house, so I'm in a simple is better mood. Thoughts