Foolish Ways to Lower the Price of Modular Homes There are three ways to lower the price of a modular home. Building a smaller prefab home will lower the overall price, but will increase the square footage price. Lowering the quality of materials is the second choice which will bring down both the bottom line price and the square footage price. I don't recommend lowering the price by either of these means. |
 Modular home flooring: OSB - oriented strand board
| Sub Flooring Most modular homes spec out 3/4 inch oriented strand board for floor decking. Other companies offer 5/8 inch OSB for their floor decking. A modular home with the thinnest floor decking allowed by code is a foolish money saver. Thin floor decking on a prefab home will lower the price of the home a few hundred dollars. However the spongy and bouncy floor will live with you forever. At resale time, your home will feel cheap as you walk through the home. If your home is constructed from sixteen foot modules, investing in a second layer of sub flooring will increases the stiffness and feel of the floor significantly. When reviewing your order make sure that 3/4 inch floor decking be installed as your home's floors. |
IKO Armorshake - Chalet Wood Wood Shingles | Roofing Materials The cheapest shingle to install on your modular home's roof are fifteen year three tab shingles. All modular home factories offer these a a low priced roofing. Some prefab factories offer these cheap shingles as a standard and other offer them as a down grade. Cheap shingles will cost you more in the long run. You will lower the price of your modular home by less than a thousand dollars, and will be replacing the roof within fifteen years. Most modular home factories offer thirty year architectural shingles to cover your prefab home's roof. These shingles are superior over three tab fifteen year shingles. You will get twice the life expectancy and a much more attractive shingle. |
 Twenty four inch on center rafter framing - Affinity Building Systems
| Roof Framing Most modular home factories and site built homes are offered with twenty four inch on center roof framing. Structurally there is nothing wrong with twenty four inch on center framing with the use of H clips. However the over the years, roof decking will sag where the ends of sheathing are not attached to a truss or rafter. Adding additional rafters after the fact is an expensive endeavor. Using sixteen inch on center trusses will only increase your price by a few hundred dollars. |
 Certainteed siding - cedar shake and board and batt styles.
| Siding and Trim Modular home factories offer vinyl siding as a standard on their homes. Vinyl siding is priced the thickness of the siding. Thinner siding will cost less, but will be less durable over time leading to premature replacement. Thicker vinyl siding will last longer and maintain a better appearance. When you price your modular home, always ask to have the best siding quoted as an in Lou of price to do a comparison. Vinyl siding is available in many different styles and colors. The styles include clap board, board and batt, cedar shingles, fish-scale shingles and more. Premium vinyl siding and shingles will drive the price of your prefab home up, however installing higher quality siding should be a once in a life time investment. To save money on specialty siding, shop local pricing for siding that isn't installed at the factory. These areas include gable ends and bum-pouts and other areas requiring site installation. |
 Anderson Windows
| Windows Most standard construction windows vinyl. Vinyl windows provide a number of advantages over wood windows. Vinyl windows cost less, are more energy efficient for the price and are easy to clean and maintain. Wood windows on the other hand cost more, are less energy efficient and will require some maintenance over the years. The cost savings found in buying wood windows is long term savings. Wood windows will last three times longer than vinyl windows. Saving money on the cheapest windows for your modular home is a foolish move. |
 Merillat Cabinets - Classic
| Kitchen Cabinets Often people ask if they can purchase their kitchen siding locally and install it on site. This is a foolish and expensive move. When a modular home factory omits the the cost of the cabinets from the price list, they will only deduct the wholesale cost of the cabinets from your order. In addition to omitting the wholesale cost of the cabinets, the factory will often charge you extra for installing receptacles and back bracing for cabinet installation. Some architects who design modular homes will call out for specialty cabinetry to coincide with their designs. Most of the major cabinet companies use merrilat, kraftmaid and other leading brands that will fit into your budget. |
Stair Treads | Stair Treads If you are considering having hardwood floor stairs in your prefab home, it is best to order the hardwood stairs installed at the factory. If you are going to carpet your stairs, make sure the stair treads are solid wood and not oriented strand board. Solid wood stair treads will feel sturdier and more rigid. In addition to the installation of the stairs, the factory will also take into consideration the materials you will be installing on the first and second floor to make sure the stairs line up with the proper rise. |
