WHY MODULAR HOMES ARE A SMART ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL ONSITE BUILDING

So, you're looking to build a new home. Researching. Fact-finding. Looking at options. Maybe you’ve seen an ad for modular houses on Facebook, or the phrase has popped up in a Google search. Whatever the case, you’ve come across modular homes and are thinking – I wonder if this is an option for me?

In this article, we’re going to give you a basic understanding of modular homes, sort some of the facts from fiction and help you decide whether modular homes are a viable alternative for you.

OFFSITE VS ONSITE - WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Onsite built homes use traditional building methods where all the materials and trades travel to the construction site and create your home from scratch.

As a company, Westbuilt Homes firmly believes in the concept of offsite construction and will minimise the amount of onsite work as much as possible.

WHEN TO CONSIDER MODULAR BUILDING?

We find that modular homes work best if the your site, requirements and needs fall into the following categories. Keep in mind, there is no “one size fits all” approach and everyone has their own specific needs, so this is just a general guide. 

Your block of land is...

• Steep or sloping.
• A larger block size or acreage.
• In a remote location.

Your design considerations... 

• You're prepared to work with a design team to ensure your home fits into specific module sizes.
• You don’t require a slab on the ground.
• You're looking for a medium to a high level of finish
• You want a unique design, not something 'off the shelf'

Your requirements...

• You're looking for a home in a hurry.
• You don’t want to deal with site mess.
• You want an easy ‘hands-off’ building experience.

WHEN NOT TO CONSIDER MODULAR ?

To save you wasting time in your search, we want to be clear about the limitations of modular building. We're not all things to all people and being honest about where modular does and doesn't work is very important.

From our experience, modular construction is not a practical alternative if fit into one of the following categories: 

• You’re looking for project style home in a new estate which will be on ground level
• You're looking to be an owner builder or do a lot of the work yourself
• You’ve done all the design work for a site home and don’t wish to change the design at all

ARE MODULAR HOMES CHEAPER THAN ONSITE HOMES? 

A common perception about modular building, as with any alternative to traditional onsite construction, is that modular MUST be the cheaper option. 

However, this is not usually the case, especially because most modern modular home builders will build and design homes that are of the same quality as traditionally built homes.

Unless you're looking at a donga or site hut, then most offsite building methods will be similar in cost to traditional onsite builds, especially if you are getting a modular home custom designed. 

Where you can see cost-savings compared to traditional construction is if you live on a remote property or on an island. The costs involved with tradespeople having to travel far distances to site daily over several weeks, not to mention the costs of transporting materials, quickly skyrockets with traditional construction. Modular construction avoids these costs as the majority of the work is completed offsite prior to installation. 

WHY ARE MODULAR HOMES A SMART ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL BUILDERS?

We find that our clients choose to build modular for several reasons, each entirely different and dependent on their circumstances. However, overall, they share these major drivers on deciding to build modular:

1. Speed of Build – modular homes have a shorter lead time and the process eliminates weather delays and time wasted due to the unavailability of different tradespeople at different times of the process. 
2. Quality of Build – believe it or not, modern modular homes are built to a higher level of structural quality and finish than most onsite homes. Each module that makes up a modular home is designed to withstand hundreds of km’s of travelling at 100km/hr on bumpy roads – that's like a minor cyclone and earthquake all at once. 
3. Guaranteed Cost – because of the nature of the in-factory construction process, it is essential to ensure everything is chosen, sorted and double-checked before the build starts. This eliminates any unexpected costs arising after the signing of the contract.

HOW DO MODULAR HOMES COMPARE TO ONSITE HOME BUILDERS?

Modular homes are a viable and smart alternative to onsite builders. Fair enough, you say – but where do you sit in the market? Firstly, you need to understand there are three main types of builders in the market in Australia;

1. Project Home Builders – these are your stock standard slab on ground homes you see popping up by the 100’s in new estates. So, due to the scale and volume of these homes, they are quite simply the cheapest way to build. These builders will offer limited selections and little or no design input.
2. Local Builders – these builders are more expensive and offer you a vast range of options and designs. They will range from larger, more volume orientated builders to smaller family businesses.. The benefit of a local builder is their experience of building in the local region, and they will make what you want. Timeframes can be very long – especially for a good quality builder.
3. Architectural Home Builders – these builders will work closely with an architect and yourself to create your dream home. Price and time are not the primary considerations here – getting the house perfect is, and you pay for that privilege.

So, where do modular home builders sit in comparison? Well, like Westbuilt Homes, most modular builders are family run companies which offer similar results as a quality local builder in terms of finish, pricing and style.

COULD A MODULAR HOME BE RIGHT FOR YOU?

If you’re interested in an easier and more streamlined construction process for your next home, talk to the team at Westbuilt Homes.

We have been designing and building stunning modular homes since 1993. The construction process of a modular home is very different to that of a conventional home, giving you greater control over the construction time, the quality and the timeframe. 

To learn more about modular construction, book a no obligation consultation with one of our modular experts. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have.