Virginia Modular Homes

Modular Housing:
Inspection & Regulation: Before a modular home manufacturer begins construction, all building plans must be reviewed and approved by the state of Virginia. Modular homes must be designed and built to the code for the state where the home will be shipped. Modular home manufacturers contract with state approved third party plan review agencies which conduct plan review on behalf of the state. The modular manufacturer also contracts with a third party inspection agency that is licensed by the states to perform the in-plant inspection while the home is in production. When the housing sections or modules are complete, the third party places a label on the home certifying that the home has been manufactured in conformance with the approved plans and complies with all provisions of the building code.

The Energy Efficiency of Modular Housing:
Quality engineering and the latest construction techniques significantly increase the energy-efficiency of your new modular home. This ensures it will be economical to own and comfortable to live in regardless of the weather. In addition, most modular homes use two-by-six (2 x 6) framing for the walls. This allows more insulation to be placed in the wall, thereby ensuring greater energy efficiency. Finally, modular homes have much less air infiltration, which is one of the largest causes of heat loss in a home. The fact that these homes are constructed in a factory allows the manufacturer to place more sealants, such as caulking, in problem areas that site builders have no access to. For example, a manufacturer is able to create a better seal around electrical outlet and fixtures because they can access the walls behind, above and underneath these areas.

Modular Homes are Environmentally Friendly – Going Green:
Modular home construction is more environmentally friendly than its site-built counterpart. Engineered construction materials are utilized, and effective in-plant recycling is in place at most modular home manufacturing facilities. This means that all the excess materials are able to be recycled. This may not sound impressive, but one of the dirty secrets of site builders is the amount of waste a new site built home generates.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center, the “typical” waste for a new 2,000 square foot site built home is eight thousand (8,000) pounds or fifty (50) cubic yards. In 2000, the cost to dispose of this averaged $511 per home. Consequently, while waste from a site built home typically goes in a landfill, waste from a modular home is recycled.

Modular Housing Cost Considerations:
Cost overruns are virtually unheard of in the modular industry. As mentioned above, climate controlled factories ensure there are no weather related construction delays. In addition, there are no cost overruns from “no-show subs” (as may often be the case with a site built home). Next, because of the reduced construction time there is reduced interest on construction financing which means you, the consumer, pay less on your loans. Finally, because of the volume of homes a typical manufacturer builds in a year, additional savings occurs through volume purchasing of materials and yearly buying contracts with suppliers.