Value:
My partner and I just spent time in late 2006 evaluating the pro's/con's of going modular and found that at first glance, costs seem much lower, but there are more hidden costs associated with this kind of building. We build only "starter homes" and need to build them cheaply and quickly to stay profitable and keep them affordable for our market segment. We determined that the biggest pro for the builder is not cost but the fact that the time it takes for construction is dramatically decreased. For now, we will stay with stick frame construction until some of the back end costs of modular come down. The biggest pro for the buyer is just how energy efficient and structurally sound these homes are. In fact, Europe is WAY ahead of the US when it comes to modular housing as there it is quickly outpacing traditional stick frame construction. Check out my next post for some specific articles. Apparently, right now "stick frame" contruction in some areas of the gulf coast is going for as high as $300 a square. Where I'm at, we build for around $70. Cost per sq. ft. all depends on where you are, what kind of slope you are dealing with, local cost of subs and materials etc.
Ren
"Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn." C.S. Lewis
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