In today's expensive housing market, a growing number of buyers are seeking more affordable options. There are many advantages to owning a modular home:

• Modular homes are built in factories, with quality control being maintained by constant inspection throughout the construction process.
• They are engineered for structural durability. A well-built house is a home that is easier and less costly to maintain.
• Additional factory insulation and precision building techniques make the modular house an energy efficient conservation home. The result leaves you with little maintenance and lower energy bills.
• Modular home manufacturers have many different design plans for you to choose from, with many options available.
• Standard plans can be customized to suit particular tastes and lifestyles.
• Delivery time averages six weeks from purchase.

Modular home componets are produced in a quality controlled (factory) environment and shipped to the building site for faster completion than site-built homes. They typically arrive on-site 90% complete and ready to attach to the foundation. Completion is done by general contractors recommended by the manufacturer. Modular housing is usually less expensive than a site built home of comparable size, due to labor, material and time savings. This could be offset, however, if it had to be transported very far from the manufacturer.

Speed and consistent quality are two major advantages of modular housing. On average, a home will be built in two sections in the factory within two weeks, complete with interior finish right down to carpets and wall finish. Final completion, including connection of utilities to the home and a short list of finish work, is usually handled by a local general contractor familiar with the manufacturer. Normally a house can be finished in two to three weeks. They can also be stacked to make two- and three-storey buildings.

Like conventional site-built construction, all modular homes must comply with codes in the region in which they are delivered, unlike mobile home HUD-Code housing, which is built to a separate, federally administered and enforced code.

-- Tips courtesy of HomeAdvisor.com