System-built
construction
has doubled over the past 10 years due to an educated homebuyer
discovering the strength, quality & energy efficiency
of our homes. Delivered and set on your foundation in hours,
not months like a site-built home. The term modular simply
refers to homes that are built in sections and then are
transported to the home site and assembled. The term System-built
more accurately reflects the hi-tech way we build our modular
homes. We believe it's a better way to build, and after
you've evaluated the variety of homes we offer, our
construction process and the quality of our homes, we're
confident you will feel the same way.
This
next generation hi-tech way to build your new home has many
added advantages over conventional building methods.
Climate Controlled Environment
The lumber used in a System-built home is moisture tested,
stored indoors making it more dimensionally true. A Site-built
home has lumber that is exposed to the rain and can cause
wood to warp or swell, problems you'll never get rid of
in a lifetime of ownership. Building indoors enables your
home to avoid weather-related defects such as moisture saturation
in the lumber, drywall and insulation; warping of walls
and doors; freezing and cracking of brittle materials; and
other ravages of the elements. System-built construction
can deliver your home virtually year round regardless of
weather. Finished home sections are covered for protections,
and then transported to your home site. They are placed
on a pre-made foundation and contained from the weather
in one day.
Strength
The
structural frames of a System-built home is stronger than
a traditional home because they are transported by highway
to your home site, then lifted by a crane and set on
your foundation. System-built construction by necessity
use more building materials than traditional construction.
More lumber, nails, fasteners and adhesives greatly increase
our homes overall strength. The reason is our exterior walls
are built with 2" x 6" wall studs on 16" centers, giving
them more rigidity than the 2" x 4" studs. Our floor joists
are 2" x 10" on 16" centers, also much sturdier than
the joists normally found in other homes. The expandable
foam bonding the ceiling wallboard to the framing offers
tremendous holding power in high winds. In addition, there
are triple-headers used over window openings and around
stairwells. We actually overbuild our homes to ensure they're
strong, but building the way we do allows us to keep costs
reasonable because we have so much more control over the
building process. System-built homes are built in sections,
so the impact of high winds are spread out and dissipated.
This strength was confirmed recently by FEMA in a report
noting that System-built homes withstood the 131-155 mph
winds of a Category 4 hurricane in Florida far better than
Site-built housing.
Quality
The
structural integrity of a System-built home is its main
claim to superior quality. Our construction facility is
able to use larger, more powerful, state-of-the-art equipment.
Precision control is ensured because all the main components
are assembled with jigs. This means that every home is built
exactly as it was designed, with all corners square, floors
level and walls plumb. In stick building, the carpenters
often have to use "creative" techniques to make things fit
because measurements are seldom exact. In-plant inspectors,
as well as independent inspection agencies, inspect the
house on behalf of our state and local government building
codes. Inspector travels from station to station with extensive
checklists of performance standards and the quality of the
workmanship. Our factory environment helps to organize the
construction process by using automatic assembly equipment
and repetitive assembly-line techniques. Our craftsmen assemble
component parts more quickly and with greater consistency
in product quality.
Energy Efficiency
The
tighter construction of System-built homes greatly improves
their energy efficiency. R-19 insulation on walls and R-30
on the ceiling is standard on all of our homes. R41 is also
available as an upgrade. Hand packed insulation around electrical
fixtures and caulking along exterior sheathing seams helps
to eliminate infiltration of cold air the winter and hot
air in the summer. Your utility bills will be lower due
to our standard Energy Star windows and house wrap.
Time
System-built homes are a growing segment of the
construction industry that can save the consumer dramatic
amounts of time and frustration in building a house. Delays
due to material back orders, no-show subcontractors, poor
weather make it hard even for the most conscientious stick
builder to keep the customer on schedule.
The scheduling and deliver of your new home is 8 to 12 weeks
depending on the time of year. It actually only takes 5
to 7 days to build your home on our assembly line with all
of our subcontractors in one place. Your home is set on
your foundation. It will take 4 to 8 weeks depending on
the complexity of the home. You will be able to stay on
schedule and better plan your move when choosing a System-buillt
home.
