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I stopped by a modular home showroom the other day (models). It didn't give me any more to go on than actual illustrations/photos online. The designs are pretty nice for the size we'd be interested in (1200–1400 SF) but now the thinking is, since we don't want to live rural, we'd have to spend quite a bit on an in-town property to build on. But then, there'd be in-town water and sewer. Lots to think about....
On another note....yet another friend (mid 70s) has gotten to the point where she cannot access her second floor (walker). Seems like the closer we get to that age the more sense it makes to be on one floor. Unless we see the value of (and can do) stairs as daily exercise, which I'm inclined toward based on my mother's use of stairs to keep her fit.
We built a modular home in our town on land we bought about 5 years before. There was a restriction at the time for building new homes on the street. Anyway the modular homes have come a long way. We were able to select many options that some stick builders would balk at. We made a few wrong decisions in the building but otherwise we felt it a good wise choice. We have been in the new home 10 years now.
... Our plan uses a larger footprint than you want 2400 but part of that is to allow a large passive solar collection area in the Great room. High levels of insulation and good windows increase the cost but if actual analysis is done the smaller efficient heating system can offset almost all of it.
Our windows will cost about $1000 each on average. If we do not use wood heat at all, our calculated electric bill will be $520 per YEAR, for all electric. The Heating system will run $4500 installed (air source heat pump)
Building costs are estimated at $130 per square foot, but the two car garage cost is included. (land is not)
Our home is 2400 sq ft, we get a lot of Passive Solar warmth.
For windows we ended up using sliding glass door replacement doors. They are mass produced and therefore were low priced at $116 each. Triple-pane, Low-E, Argon filled, etc. 6' wide and 3' tall, we have 13 of them in our home, along with a dozen 3' by 3' opening windows.
Mini-split heatpumps are supposed to be the cat's meow of home heating/cooling systems, but that would cost 8X more than what our heating system cost. We do not have a cooling system in our home.
After living here 5 years we extended the roof out 8' on three sides [to give us a wrap around covered porch] and 40' on the fourth side [to give us a 3 vehicle carport]. Our total footprint is now around 4800 sq ft.
2400 sq ft X $130 = $312k are you sure about those numbers?
1. After having one home building experience, I would never do another.
2. Older homes are generally much better structurally. The material quality is much better. Even the expensive homes around here still use that cheap chipboard. I'd prefer to buy an old home, and fix it up. Its a cheaper up front investment, and it will save on taxes and insurance.
1. After having one home building experience, I would never do another.
2. Older homes are generally much better structurally. The material quality is much better. Even the expensive homes around here still use that cheap chipboard. I'd prefer to buy an old home, and fix it up. Its a cheaper up front investment, and it will save on taxes and insurance.
Not sure what you mean about older homes being better constucted. Most of the old homes I have seen were 2x4 constuction. My modular home had 2x6 construction as well as each piece (I had 4) being 2x6 construction. That means where two walls met those two made a wall 11+ inches thick. OSB (cheap chipboard) boards are as good as normal plywood and less expensive. Issue is there if the OSB is left out in the weather unprotected it will decay rapidly. Protected those boards are crisscrossed with the fiber. OSB is oriented strand board. OSB boasts a more consistent density. While a sheet of plywood might be 5 to 7 plies thick, a sheet of OSB is made from as many as 50 strand layers packed and compressed into the same thickness. There’s no equivalent of the weak spots that can be left in plywood when knotholes in adjacent plies overlap.
I agree that the water issue of plywood vs OSB is in favor of plywood but really there is not much difference in durability.
Our home is 2400 sq ft, we get a lot of Passive Solar warmth.
For windows we ended up using sliding glass door replacement doors. They are mass produced and therefore were low priced at $116 each. Triple-pane, Low-E, Argon filled, etc. 6' wide and 3' tall, we have 13 of them in our home, along with a dozen 3' by 3' opening windows.
Mini-split heatpumps are supposed to be the cat's meow of home heating/cooling systems, but that would cost 8X more than what our heating system cost. We do not have a cooling system in our home.
After living here 5 years we extended the roof out 8' on three sides [to give us a wrap around covered porch] and 40' on the fourth side [to give us a 3 vehicle carport]. Our total footprint is now around 4800 sq ft.
2400 sq ft X $130 = $312k are you sure about those numbers?
I think those numbers are about right. 10 years ago I build my modular home and it cost me $350k. It was a modular home and some of that cost was for transportation of the home modules and rental of crane and operator. It also included my sub-contractors (plumbing, electrical and construction crew) and lastly my lot prep to include the foundation.
Our home is 2400 sq ft, we get a lot of Passive Solar warmth.
Mini-split heatpumps are supposed to be the cat's meow of home heating/cooling systems, but that would cost 8X more than what our heating system cost. We do not have a cooling system in our home.
Mini splits in an efficient home are very efficient and cost very little. Ours has been priced at $4500 for the complete system installed. A rebate brings that cost down to $3000
2400 sq ft X $130 = $312k are you sure about those numbers?
We purchased a shack in the original Sun City, AZ. We reinsulated, new ac, new windows, concrete counters and floors, walk in showers for when we need them. I love this little chicken coop and the property taxes are nothing compared to where we lived in CA. Don't overlook a good fixer if you have the energy. We only put in $40,000 but we did most all the construction ourselves, so that helped with the budget. I would love to move to the Oregon coast and build a "tiny" house, but property taxes there are a concern at our ages and income.
I think those numbers are about right. 10 years ago I build my modular home and it cost me $350k. It was a modular home and some of that cost was for transportation of the home modules and rental of crane and operator. It also included my sub-contractors (plumbing, electrical and construction crew) and lastly my lot prep to include the foundation.
I had to hire a crane and operator also
Quote:
Originally Posted by whirnot
Yes I am.
Okay fine.
I built this house in 2006, with the roof extension added a few years later. So far we have spent $90k.
It is pretty tight, but it is not very well insulated [only R-60]. Once I finish getting the solar power going [December maybe?], my next project will be active solar heating. With that addition I hope to finally stop paying for heat.
To finish the 4400 watt solar power system, I need to drop another $4200. Then the active solar heat array will be around $1000.
We built a modular home in our town on land we bought about 5 years before. There was a restriction at the time for building new homes on the street. Anyway the modular homes have come a long way. We were able to select many options that some stick builders would balk at. We made a few wrong decisions in the building but otherwise we felt it a good wise choice. We have been in the new home 10 years now.
I am not sure. We liked the modular because we were able to put heated floors in the construction but they can be added later. We were able to find a company that did that out of Canada. We may or may not build again. We haven't decided yet. We are not even sure on the move or where to yet. All of this is subject to change as I am 5 years out for that move. I gave my wife a end date of 5 years from now. Okay first she told me that was what she planned then I just reinforced that by telling her no later then that. Actually it was more for her stopping work. I dont want her to burn out so I want her to cut her hours from the 65 a week she is doing on average to something more manageble and to a job with less stress and no calls at 11pm asking for instructions on what job to do. She works for a plastics company that runs 24/7 and she don't get paid for 24/7 but she seems to be working that. She is salaried and that is not good as far as I can see.
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