Frequently Asked Questions - The Modular Home Group

Phone: 1-877-NJ-Modular | Email: [email protected]
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Here are the most common questions that we are asked. If you have a question that is not answered here, please give us a call at 1-877-NJ-Modular or email us at [email protected]

Q. What is a Modular Home?
A. A modular home is built in sections. A modular home is a building system where components which are fabricated into sections called boxes, all designed, engineered and assembled in the climate controlled environment of a modern factory. It is when these boxes are assembled together a modular home is created. A Modular Home is NOT a "Double-Wide", a "Single-Wide" or a "Trailer"; those are different types of homes, built to different standards and specifications. A Modular Home by the Modular Home Group is virtually in-distinguishable in appearance from a site-built home.

Q. What is the difference between a Modular Home and a Site-Built Home?
A. A site built home is built on-site, on your lot, without protection from inclement weather, sometimes taking over 12 months or more to complete. A Modular Home is built in a climate controlled weather-proof factory in a number of days. Once it is brought out of the factory it is 85% complete and covered in water-proof wrap helping to ensure that wind, rain, and snow will not penetrate the unit before it is delivered to your site. Once the house is set on your foundation, it is immediately closed-up and made as weather-tight as possible, ensuring that during the on-site construction process, rain or snow should not penetrate the home.

Q. What makes the Modular Home Group unique?
A. The founders of the Modular Home Group pride themselves on selling a high-quality, low-cost home to the general public. When you buy your home from the Modular Home Group, you can be assured that it will be set on a sturdy and level foundation (the most important aspect to ensure the structural integrity of your home), it will be energy efficient, and will be built with sturdy walls, and floors, ensuring it will a be a great investment for years to come for you and your family. The Modular Home Group does not take shortcuts to increase our profit and once you sit down with us, you will see the enthusiasm we have to complete your home on-time, on-budget and on-target. There is no reason a modular home should not last for decades, and we will help you see that it does.

Q. I've heard Modular Homes are less expensive than site built homes, is this true?
A. Yes! Modular Homes by the Modular Home Group are usually less expensive than a site-built home because of the efficiencies which come from the home being built on a factory assembly line. In addition, if you use our program, you will eliminate high contractor markups, because you will deal directly with the sub-contractors. Lastly, the price of a Modular Home by the Modular Home Group will be the same price no matter where you build it, because unlike most site-built homes sold by builders and developers, we do not price according to the neighborhood. (Delivery costs will differ depending on the distance between the factory and the building site, but this difference is very small.)

Q. How come there are no prices on your website?
A. All of our the homes we sell are custom designed, and unlike major home builders, we will work with you to build any type, size, or shape home you'd like, as long as it fits within the confines of your building lot, the building regulations of your town and your budget, so even though you may choose one of our many basic floorplans, most likely there will be major changes in order to tailor the home to your liking. In the past, the Modular Home Group has sold Modular Homes at prices as low as $75 per square foot finished, all the way to $250+ per square foot finished, not including land. Please read the next question and answer for more clarification on finished home prices.

Q. I have seen Modular Home prices as low as $30 or $40 a square foot. According to the answer above, why are the Modular Home Group's past home prices so much higher?
A. The Modular Home Group does not compete on price (although we feel our prices are very reasonable for the type of homes we sell), we compete on quality, knowledge, and the comfort that you will be dealing with an honest, reputable company. The price the Modular Home Group typically will quote is a "finished" price, this price takes into consideration almost everything you would need to finish your home, such as a full basement, site work, set-crew, crane, delivery, appliances, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, on-site HVAC installation, on-site plumbing, electrical, and masonry work, etc. The only items our prices do not include are land costs, landscaping, well & septic installation or local water and sewer connections, and town or local permits.

Typically, low price quotes are for a "Drop-Ship" home, which is the price of a VERY basic house, maybe the foundation and house-set costs, but all other finishing work, such as site work, HVAC installation, on-site plumbing, electrical, masonry, etc is not included in a drop-ship price. When all is said and done, the final cost of a drop-ship home will be very close and sometimes much higher than a similar modular home from the Modular Home Group. We encourage you to closely double check exactly what is included the home's price quote before you determine the Modular Home Group's finished cost is to expensive. In addition, please note our home specifications, all of the Modular Home Group's homes include these basic specifications. Modular Home Group Specifications.

Q. Can a Modular Home from the Modular Home Group withstand a hurricane?
A. Modular Homes by the Modular Home Group are delivered on the back of a truck, traveling hundreds of miles at speeds of more than 75 miles an hour, always arriving at your site in one piece, although hurricanes are more powerful and dangerous than that, it gives an example as to the conditions that a Modular Home is able to withstand. Most Modular Homes from the Modular Home Group are built to withstand a wind rating of at least 100 miles an hour, and can be built to higher specifications if you feel the need for it, in addition, if your town requires a higher wind rating or special wind bracing due to its location near a costal area, those additional requirements can easily be included when your home is built.

Q. Can I build a Modular Addition from the Modular Home Group to my current home, even if my current home is not a modular?
A. If you are looking to significantly increase the size of your house with an addition, you can build a Modular Addition with the Modular Home Group. Depending on the size of your addition it may be more cost effective to hire an local contractor for the addition. If you are looking for an addition, but are unsure of what to do, please give our office a call at 1-877-NJ-Modular so we can determine if it is best for you to build a modular or site-build this addition.

Q. Can a Modular Home from the Modular Home Group include an attached Garage?
A. Yes, some floor plans from Modular Homes from the Modular Home Group include an attached garage, although it depends on the type and shape of the house you are building.

Q. Can a buy only a Modular Garage from the Modular Home Group?
A. Yes, the Modular Home Group does sell a garage by itself.

Q. What modular manufacturer does the Modular Home Group use?
A. The Modular Home Group is proud to use Haven Custom Homes. Haven Custom Homes has been building modular homes for over 30 years and is known for building very high quality, custom homes. The Modular Home Group has choosen to work with Haven Custom Homes because they are willing to go out of their way to provide a home just as the customer wants it, unlike most other "Custom" modular builders. You can find more information about Haven Custom Homes on their website at http://www.havenhomes.com.

Q. Where can I build a Modular Home?
A. You can build a Modular Home by the Modular Home Group anywhere a site-built home can be built. Towns do not treat Modular Homes any differently than a site-built home. The only thing that will prevent the Modular Home Group from building on your site is if the crane or the modular units are unable to reach your lot due to narrow roads, steep hills, overhead wires that cannot be moved, etc. This is a very rare occurrence, and one of the first things that the Modular Home Group will do is inspect your site to ensure that a home is able to be built there.

Q. How long does it take to build a Modular Home from the Modular Home Group?
A. After we receive final approval from you and we place the house on production, you could be in your home in about 3 months, but typically it will take from the time you pick your house to move-in day from 5-10 months

Q. Is there a limit to the size that a Modular Home from the Modular Home Group can be built?
A. The only size limit is what you can afford and what size house your town will allow you to build (you can easily get this information from the town hall). We have built homes from 700 square feet up to 5,600 square feet, but there really is no limit to how big a Modular Home can be.

Q. Does a Modular Home from the Modular Home Group require special financing?
A. No, but some lenders who are not familiar with Modular Homes may think that special financing is required. If your lender claims they are unable to help, is unsure, or is making odd requests because you are financing a Modular Home, please contact us and we can put you in touch with our lender who has been providing mortgages for Modular Homes for over 17 years.

Q. Does the Modular Home Group offer any financing options?
A. The Modular Home Group has been working with a lender for 17 years who has successfully completed hundreds of mortgages for Modular Homes. We do not have our own in-house financing company.

Q. I saw a great house plan in a magazine, on tv, etc. Can the Modular Home Group build a Modular Home like that for me?
A. Maybe. Even though there is no limit to the size of the Modular Home you can build from the Modular Home Group, Modular Homes do have special requirements in the width, length and height of the house, as well as special considerations in regards to the layouts of the home. In most cases, we are able to take a home plan and just make minor changes so that it can be built as a modular. If you have a floorplan that you would like to build from, please make an appointment with us so we can determine what, if any, changes need to be made.

If you know that you want to build a Modular Home, it's best to specifically look for a Modular Friendly floor plan, but please bring to our attention any floor plan you like and let us decide if it can be constructed as a modular.

Q. What types of homes can the Modular Home Group build?
A. The Modular Home Group can build almost any type of home, such a ranch, raised ranch, bi-level, cape, 2-story (colonial, contemporary, victorian) as well as multi-family buildings. If you want to know if we can build a Modular Home that you are interested in, please ask!

Q. Does the Modular Home Group have pre-designed floor plans that I can use? Or can we design our own custom floor plan?
A. Yes, and yes, we have a number of plans you can choose from, but since there are so many different types of homes and floor plans available, we suggest that you look through home catalogs to get a good idea of what you want. Additionally, if you have a simple floor plan - even if its written on a napkin - we can use that as a starting point for your Modular Home. To view some of our pre-designed floor plans, please click here.

Q. Do you offer Turn-Key homes?
A. Yes and no. We offer a option to our program which is not a true turn-key, but you would have most of the benefits of a turn-key still save thousands of dollars compared to a true turn-key. We can explain this in further detail if you are interested in this option.

Q. I'd like to manage the construction of my Modular Home from the Modular Home Group, will you allow me to do that?
A. Sure! When you build your house by becoming your own General Contractor, you can save thousands of dollars because you will be dealing directly with the sub-contractors, and not paying a General Contractor's profit.

Q. Can I build my modular home on a full basement? What about above ground pilings?
A. Yes, and yes! Modular Homes by the Modular Home Group can be built on any type of foundation you choose, such as a crawlspace, basement, or elevated on pilings in flood prone or shore areas.