Modular Or Stick-Built: How to Choose The Perfect Home

Contractors will get pretty heated in debates over whether modular homes can ever compare to the traditional stick-built homes. My father-in-law is one of these contractors and he seemed stunned when my family starting shopping the modular home lots in our town. We wanted to investigate all of our options and get the most house for our mortgage payment. We toured dozens of modular homes made by numerous manufacturers before we decided on a stick-built home. Yet I can say with confidence that we did not reject the modular because of any major concern. We just happened upon a new construction at an unbelievable price. If you are facing the decision of which home to choose, there are several basic differences between modular and stick-built homes to consider.

Modular homes are built inside mass-production factories which yields smaller costs per square foot. These pre-made homes are all made indoors, eliminating the weather factor. Some will argue this makes modulars sturdier than stick-built because they are not exposed to nature's elements during the crucial phases of construction. This also makes a difference in the time frame. Rain or snow will not delay your construction process when you choose a modular, while weather's whims can hault construction completely for a stick-built home.

The price of appliances can also differ between modulars and stick-built homes. All modular manufacturers purchase their appliances in big lots, which means that even great GE appliances will be less expensive per unit. When manufacturers purchase 500 refrigerators, they will get a much better price than a general contractor who only purchases one or two.

Labor costs are another factor to consider. Manufacturers pay laborers an average of 8 to 12 dollars per hour, compared to electricians hired on stick-built constructions that can run close to 50 dollars per hour. Plumber, carpenters, painters, and many more subcontractors will have their separate fees for stick-built homes, while manufacturing plants produce modulars complete for one set rate.