Modular Homes in NC (Waynesville: sale, real estate, home builder)

[BlueLily7]

We are planning a move to coastal NC and my husband wants to build a modular home (a true modular, not manufactured)- he says these are actually built stronger than stick-built homes. He has been looking at manufacturers such as Ritz Craft.

I'm just wondering if anyone here has lived in a modular home, how was the process of getting it built- I know stick built homes can be kind of a painful process, take forever and little things are always going wrong. How long does it take to put up a nice modular- we have been looking at the 2 story ones, 3000+ square feet.

I don't know much about modular homes and have concern about whether or not they will appreciate in value like homes should. We already have land and it's a nice valued parcel, I'd hate to ruin it with the wrong home. Any comments or advice about modular homes or the best place to build them? When we move we will be living in this house for a very very long time, so how do they hold up over time in condition and value? The price is our incentive, as well as being able to have one built in a much shorter time than a stick built. We can get a nice, huge modular home in a very attractive style for about the same price some people we know put in their tiny stick built home.

I just want to make sure it's good quality and I don't really care for the "modular" homes that just look like mobile homes.

[Cpalmer]

Take a look at "pre fabricated" they are not the same as modular and better then a stick built from what I've heard and read. They make their walls in a factory so they are like 20 times stronger and more insulated then a regular house some with steel in them. I'm rough on specifics but remember thinking, this is the future and will one day be the way most homes are built. They apparently look nothing like modulars or mobile homes. People are even using this method for add ons to their homes (so it's got to look similar). Many web sites, just don't get fooled by the modular ones.

ps...they are suppose to be less expensive because they are made in a factory.

[mbeckoff1]

We have looked into modular homes and found that they were about the same price as stick built when you added it all up.We are building a larger 3000+ sq foot house and have decided to go with stick built

Melissa

[gypsychic]

True modulars are built "off-frame" and are considered the same as stick-built. My husband who is an architect, will testify that they are stronger and better built than a "stick-built" home. They also save you incredible amounts of time.

That said, we bought a very simple styled, older (1979) modular in an older neighborhood two years ago, and it is incredibly sturdy and energy efficient. I had some remodeling done to it and my contractor (who builds homes and yet lives in a modular himself) said it was built stronger than a regular home. Our home sits on a concrete basement and is sided with Hardiplank.
Once you build a modular it has the same value and appreciates the same as a stick-built and there is no difference in financing and doesn't need to be disclosed as a modular.

Remember, a true modular is that it is a pre-fab home built OFF-FRAME. I highly recommend the modular homes.

[BlueLily7]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

Remember, a true modular is that it is a pre-fab home built OFF-FRAME. I highly recommend the modular homes.

I see a lot of people speaking of "true modular" vs. what I guess would be called maufactured. Is it allowed to post the name of a couple of names of manufacturers of true modulars here, so someone can look and tell the difference? I am wondering about Ritz Craft, for one thing. Unless I am not mistaken, this manufacturer is true modular, right? I'm not clear on how to tell something is pre-fab built off frame. My husband says you cannot tell a modular home if you don't know it's modular. But I know that when I look, and I don't know much, some of the ones you see when you drive by the manufacturers lots DO look modular looking to me and no way I'd mistake them for a stick built home. I don't know if there is a major reason for this or if it's just because they are cheaper designs and are basically a 2 story rectangle.

It's good to know the real ones are better-built than stick built- not saying I think you can't get a really good stick built home, but our home currently is stick built, and it has some issues. A stick-home builder told me that modulars are not good quality. I figured there must be much more to it than that. My husband's uncle is a good carpenter and he is getting ready to have a modular home put up, and he says they are better built than most stick homes. He could build his own house and build it to be very sturdy quality and as nice and neat as he wants, he's particular, and yet he's putting up a modular- he says this is the future of homes.

I am feeling better about the idea of a (true) modular home, just still having some confusion as to how to make sure it's a true modular. My husband knows and he'll get the builder set up, but I want to know. LOL. I have honestly not seen (because I have not looked) really good quality modular homes, the only ones I see look sort of cheap, not to be offensive. There is nothing wrong with living in a double wide and I know a lot of people that have really nice land and live in a doublewide there because it's cheap. They save a lot of money. We should have done that instead of rent. But, many of the "modular" homes I've seen, just don't try to tell me they don't look like 2 story doublewides. I have seen pictures on Ritz Craft's website of homes, and a lot of them truly do look like stick built homes, but some of them have more of a manufactured look, too, and I guess what I am saying is *because* we are putting one up as our main home with the intention of living in it for life, I want for it to be good from the start. It's not like we just want something put up and then will upgrade or later build a stick built house, this is IT. So, I just want to make sure I like it. Just as I would with a stick built house that's going to be my last one.

One more thing, my husband says you can have the interior options just like a stick built, you can have any fixtures and design you want, flooring options, windows, etc. It seemed like if you built a modular home you'd save money in some areas and be able to afford nicer fixtures etc.

I'd love to hear from anyone with experience in building a modular home.

[gypsychic]

I think you are confusing a modular home with a "manufactured" home, which is kind of the same as a mobile home. Modular homes are also manufactured, but as I said they are not on a steel frame. You CANNOT really tell by looking. I think you are seeing cheap, manufactured housing on a steel frame.

If you get a good reputable modular builder you won't be sorry. Here in Fla. I have a contracter who does remodeling for me and these days they don't even stick-build anymore, it's modular all the way.

[chisoxfan]

For what it's worth: The development near Waynesville in which we own land allows modular homes. Of the lots that have been built on, about one-third are modular homes, one-third are log and one-third are traditional stick-built. The modular homes are great-looking, and the residents we talked to are very happy with them. Most of them said they saved 25 percent or so by going modular.

We've always dreamed of building a log home when we retire, but with building costs in Waynesville as high as they seem to be, we might decide to go the modular route if/when we decide to build there.

[Sierra2Caden]

Just wanted to say that no matter what anyone tells you about modular, pre-fab, or mobile homes, if you ever sell it you will lose money. I took a real estate class and not matter what you you do to the home, it will not appreicate(sp). I know for me I would pass up on any of thiese home to a stick-built. Sure it may cost more, but you will get your money back and more if you ever sell. One more thing, You do not have to pay taxes on the money you make on selling your if you have lived in it 2-5 year before selling it. We lived in our house 2 year and sold it made $26,000 off of it and did not have to pay tax on it.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by Sierra2Caden

Just wanted to say that no matter what anyone tells you about modular, pre-fab, or mobile homes, if you ever sell it you will lose money. I took a real estate class and not matter what you you do to the home, it will not appreicate(sp). I know for me I would pass up on any of thiese home to a stick-built. Sure it may cost more, but you will get your money back and more if you ever sell. One more thing, You do not have to pay taxes on the money you make on selling your if you have lived in it 2-5 year before selling it. We lived in our house 2 year and sold it made $26,000 off of it and did not have to pay tax on it.

That is not true. That may be true for manufactured housing on a STEEL FRAME but not manufactured or "modular" housing. Modular houses do not have to be disclosed as such on the sale and there is no difference in appraisals or market value. My architect husband and our contractors all back up this statement.

I would build a modular in a heartbeat - the older one I live in beats the old "stick-builts" in my neighborhood into the dirt.

[Davest]

We moved into our modular three months ago and like it so far. There are so many options available it would be imposible to list them here. Because of the lay of the land and where we wanted the drive way/garage we reversed the plan,made a mirror image. We put it on a full basement,also modular built and fully insulated. We spent about three months researching the project before we decided on the different options,very expensive to modify once your locked into a plan. Every one worked with us on it ,mostly by e-mail, we were in MA. If you want to contact me I have a couple of web sites you might want to check out.