Modular Homes Build on Strong Foundation

Sally Arbogast and her children outside their two-story Cape Cod, a modular home, in La Plata. (By James A. Parcell -- The Washington Post)

They're usually 10 percent to 15 percent cheaper than stick-built homes, Snyder said. He said they appreciate in value at the same rate as traditional houses and can be financed using conventional mortgages.

Because modules come pre-made and ready to place, there's little problem with theft at the site and building supply prices don't increase from the time of order to delivery, he said.

"Once the home is priced out, those prices don't change," he said.

Hugh Hambruch, owner of GCI and the builder of Arbogast's house, said that if owners get all the necessary permits there's no technical reason why a house can't be ready in one day.

"But in reality, it's about 90 days, because that's how long it takes to get all the inspections and subcontracting work done," he said.

Not that modular homes are a perfect solution in every case.

"On some smaller roads, the modules simply may not fit," said Vladimir Kochkin, program manager for residential structural systems for the NAHB Research Center, the research and development arm of the National Association of Home Builders. "And modular homes manufacturers are limited economically by a few hundred miles."

Also, because modular homes are built in factories, it's harder to improvise on site.

"If the foundation is a little off, a traditional builder can make a wall a bit longer maybe to compensate," he said. "With a modular home, it's already delivered and there's nothing you can do."

Arbogast, a Pampered Chef kitchen consultant, was pleased with her three-bedroom, 2 1/2 -bathroom white Cape Cod.

"The beauty is that it's all built indoors somewhere so it was never exposed to the weather or the rain," she said. "I could have it as finished or as unfinished as I wanted. I didn't have to worry about some . . . builder who was in a hurry to get their money."

Starting with the original design from Nationwide, Arbogast was able to change around the master bedroom, add some square footage for a mud room and make a bigger sitting room upstairs for her children.