A modular house is a factory-assembled building that is installed ready-made on a site. Thanks to the serial type of production, such a house helps to cope with the main problems of construction: unpredictable timing and cost. After all, you receive a finished product with clear characteristics.
The process of buying a modular home is similar to buying a car. There are different brands with different prices and options. You choose the model you like, and the cost and production time are already calculated and fixed by the manufacturer.
At the same time, there are important points that need to be paid attention to even before the contract is signed. Let’s look at them together.
1. Cost
There are many offers on the market in different price categories. Moreover, at first glance, houses may look the same externally, but at the same time their cost will vary significantly from different manufacturers. It is important to understand that price is always tied to quality and service. To make a good product, you need money, so when looking at an inexpensive option, the question arises: where did you save?
For example: the most popular model of a house with an area of 50 m² with full finishing and equipment will cost from 3.5 to 5 million rubles. If you are offered a similar option costing less than 2 million, be prepared for the fact that the house will very quickly require repairs and you will have to add a lot to it yourself.
And vice versa: the most expensive houses will have a richer set of engineering equipment – think carefully before overpaying whether you will use all this.
2. Appearance
There are several style solutions from which you can choose the one that suits you. As a rule, these are houses with a pitched roof – in the barn style, or with a flat roof – in a modern style. Facades are most often finished with wooden planks or metal profiled sheets.
An experienced manufacturer will offer ready-made finishing options without the possibility of individual solutions – this is due to the peculiarities of the production organization. For example, if he works with wooden facades, he will strive to optimize all processes and material procurement in order to offer customers the best quality at the best price within one technology. If he uses a new technology each time, he faces many costs – additional deliveries, special tools, material scraps – which will affect the quality and cost of the house.
The right decision here would be to contact the manufacturer whose products meet your tastes and concept, and choose a ready-made solution from its model range.
3. Planning solution
Pay attention to how the interior space is thought out. Modular houses are distinguished by their compactness and rationality, so every square centimeter must be used wisely. Particular attention should be paid to the layout of the bathrooms: the size of the sink and shower, the availability of space for a washing machine. The manufacturer must also provide storage space and wardrobes.
Imagine how you will live in this house – on a good floor plan, you can immediately read the main scenarios and the routes of movement between them.
Once you have studied all the possible options and identified several suitable ones for yourself, you can contact the manufacturers and arrange to visit a demo home to check the convenience of the layout in person.
4. Equipment
The main advantage of a modular house is that it is completely ready for living at the time of delivery to the client. It is important that it is complete and that you do not need to complete anything yourself.
Typically, the manufacturer indicates the materials and equipment used in the proposal. A complete set is considered to be an insulated building with a facade and windows, interior decoration, including flooring and tiles in bathrooms, installed equipment and plumbing.
A responsible manufacturer will not only deliver the house with the light bulbs screwed in, but for ease of use, will provide instructions for the components that were used during assembly. Therefore, make sure that the proposal or brochure contains:
- Name of structural elements and finishes.
- Materials of windows and doors.
- Heating and ventilation.
- Sockets, switches, lamps.
- Street lamps and sockets.
- Water supply and sewerage.
- Plumbing.
5. Service and warranty
A house is a complex mechanism with a large number of elements that require maintenance. Like a car, it must undergo routine inspection and maintenance of worn-out components. Typically, this includes checking plumbing and electrical systems. For example, replacing filters, checking the functionality of taps, wear of electrical machines and the quality of clamping contacts. The condition of the exterior of the house, the drainage system, and the condition of window seals also require attention. Make sure you receive all these services in the future.
Due to the fact that all components are installed in one factory, you receive a manufacturer’s warranty for the entire house, and not for individual types of work. Different companies have different warranties for their product. The following terms are considered normal: 5 years for the structure of the house and 1–2 years for equipment and finishing materials.
When concluding a contract, be sure to find out the terms of the guarantee and clarify which cases during the operation of the house may be non-warranty.
6. Support frame materials
The main element of the house is the outer shell of walls, floor and roof. The service life of the house depends on the quality of their manufacture and the materials used. Here it is worth paying attention to the following points:
- Power frame. It should be made from quality treated wood. As a rule, kiln-dried planed boards or LVL laminated wood are used. Areas of the frame that will be exposed to moisture must be treated with antifungal compounds.
- Thickness of mineral wool insulation. It must be at least 150 mm. If the thickness is less, more electricity will be required to heat the house.
- Roof covering material. PVC roofing membrane is considered the most advanced – boats and swimming pools are made from similar material. It is soldered at all joints and forms a very airtight coating for the roof of the house.
- Quality of windows and window fittings. Most manufacturers use PVC windows. The quality standard is double-glazed windows, a profile with a thickness of at least 70 mm and the use of lamination to give an aesthetic appearance. More advanced manufacturers of modular houses choose laminated wood profiles for windows, frameless stained-glass glazing made of tempered glass and double-glazed windows with UV coating.
- Sealing joints when finishing a house and installing windows. The durability of the house directly depends on the quality of the vapor barrier contours and wind protection of the structures. For this purpose, special films, construction tape and waterproofing are used. When installing windows and the front door, the joints are taped both inside and outside. Floors in wet areas must be protected with waterproofing. Also, critical elements of the house frame must be assembled using wood glue.
7. Interior decoration
To decorate walls, manufacturers most often use wooden slats or plywood panels. It is important that the type of wood (lining, imitation timber, planed boards) is at least AB, without large knots and roughness, and that the joints are uniform. A certain number of cracks is allowed – this is more a feature of natural materials than a defect.
If plywood panels are used, it is important to pay attention to the finishing coating and finishing of the joints. If the coating is made from high-quality materials using the right technology, the surface of the plywood will be smooth and dense, “furniture” quality. The joints must be carefully filled with sealant.
Any type of coating can be used to finish the floor, but it is important to check with the manufacturer about its wear resistance and water resistance class. The most suitable classes are 33–43. It is imperative to use heated floors in all rooms, since in a frame house, even with good insulation and heating, it does not warm up to a comfortable temperature.
8. Engineering systems
The house must be fully functional so as not to cause discomfort to the user. The standard equipment includes completely hidden pipes and wires, a ventilation and heating system as standard.
Please note the following points:
- Sufficient number of sockets in the premises.
- Availability of a complete electrical panel and separate power groups for heating, household appliances, refrigerator, boiler.
- Heated floors, winter heated water supply.
- Availability of installed plumbing – toilet with installation, washbasin, bathtub or shower with mixer.
- The presence of an installed heating system – as a rule, it is electric.
- Lamps indoors and on the facade of the house.
Try to find out the brands of plumbing and electrical equipment used: their quality and cost are indicative. A good manufacturer will not skimp on this.
9. Additional services
Any home can be customized endlessly, so some manufacturers offer options that are not included in the basic package. For example:
- Smart home system. It will be especially convenient to use it to control heating remotely. This way you can save energy when you are not using your home.
- Kitchens and dressing rooms. There is no such thing as too many storage systems, and installing all the closets along with the house will significantly reduce the number of problems when moving in.
- House terraces. A must-have for country life – in the warm season you will spend most of your time there. The terrace can accommodate outdoor furniture and a summer kitchen.
- Additional modules, which can be retrofitted to an existing home. This is a unique feature of modular technology – after some time you can easily expand the area by adding an additional bedroom or, for example, a bathhouse. To do this, it is important to check with the manufacturer which models have the possibility of “growth”.
10. Assistance in site preparation
To install a modular home, it is important to properly prepare your site. First, check the modular home delivery routes. The width of passages must be at least 3.5 m, and the distance to wires and gas pipes must be at least 4 m. Very sharp turns with a radius of less than 6 m can also become an obstacle. Take a video of the route from the main highway to your site and send it to the manufacturer – this will help to avoid surprises during installation.
It is also necessary to make an easily erected foundation – as a rule, these are metal screw or driven concrete piles. The manufacturer must provide the diagram; sometimes he can also help with choosing a place for the house on the site. Another important point is the installation of external communications: water, sewerage, electricity.
These jobs always have a variable cost, so companies do not include them in the price of the house. You can prepare the site yourself, hire third-party contractors, or ask the manufacturer to recommend reliable contractors. An experienced manufacturer will always provide instructions for site preparation and make recommendations on contractors for all types of work.
11. Reviews about the manufacturer
Pay attention to the presence of reviews and reviews of the products you have chosen on the Internet. A good manufacturer is always happy to talk in detail about the design and equipment of their homes and provide reviews of new models. You should be wary if the site does not have real photographs of built houses, but only 3D visualizations. And also if specific information about work experience is not provided.
Good feedback can be obtained from the manufacturer’s clients. For example, if the houses are located at a recreation center, you can talk to the owner or read guest reviews about living in them.
12. Test drive available
The best way to choose a house is to try living in it yourself. As a rule, good manufacturers already have completed projects. For example, as mentioned above, several houses can be located at recreation centers. Or he can rent out demo models himself.
When moving in, check the lifespan of the house – this will help you understand how durable it is. The most informative would be a test drive in winter: this will allow you to check the comfort of the climate inside the house, the quality of insulation and heating.