It usually takes at least 7 months to close on a modular home, though as soon as construction starts, the client might be able to move in just 2 months. The sheltered environment where most of the modular home construction takes place reduces the common delays experienced in traditional construction. Therefore in most cases, modular home manufacturers can offer an accurate closing date from the moment construction starts. However, when the whole modular home building process is considered, the closing date can vary.
Duration of every phase of the modular home construction:
| The different phases of modular construction | Duration | Possibility to experience delays |
| Designing the house | around 2 months | Very likely |
| Acquiring the building permits | around 3 months | Very likely |
| Building the foundations | from 2 to 4 months | Likely |
| Off-site construction | from 2 to 4 months | Unlikely |
| Transportation and assembly | around 1 to 2 days | Unlikely |
The modular home construction timeline
To calculate the closing date of a modular home, it is necessary to analyze the duration of every stage of the modular home construction. The first stages of the construction are very likely to experience delays due to elements the manufacturers can’t control. Therefore, modular home manufacturers tend to calculate the closing date from the beginning of off-site construction to offer a reliable closing date.
Designing the house
The design phase of a modular home takes an average of 2 to 4 months [1]. This duration can highly vary from one client to another. For example, a client acquiring an already predesigned modular home will invest a much shorter time in this phase than a client designing a house from scratch. Regardless of the design type, it is common to experience delays during this stage. However, delays in this phase aren’t necessarily negative. It is essential to avoid rushing this phase since as soon as the construction of the modules starts, no modifications can be made to the design.
Acquiring the building permits
Obtaining building permits is a procedure that every modular home has to go through before construction can begin. The duration of this stage varies enormously from one jurisdiction to another: some can release the building clearance in just 3 months, while others may take up to 12 months [2]. Given that the floorplans have to be presented to obtain the permits, this phase can’t start until the design is completed [3]. Since this phase can’t be done simultaneously with other stages, it is common to experience delays that will postpone the closing date.
Building the foundations
It usually takes around 2 to 4 months to build the foundations on-site [1] [2]. The work required during this phase varies from project to project depending on the house design, the type of foundations, and the lot’s characteristics. Since this phase is performed on-site rather than in a sheltered location, delays are quite probable. However, these delays usually don’t disrupt the closing date much since this phase is generally done simultaneously with the off-site construction of the house.
Off-site construction
The off-site construction of the overall volume of the modular home takes from 2 to 4 months [1] [2] [4]. While the duration of this process might vary from house to house depending on the work’s complexity, the modular manufacturer will usually offer a precise estimation of the modular home closing date as soon as construction starts. Given that the manufacturing process takes place in a controlled environment that is highly mechanized and protected against any weather events, delays due to climate factors are unlikely to occur.
Transportation and assembly
Once the modules are manufactured, they have to be delivered to the building site to be assembled on the foundations. With simple projects located nearby the manufacturing plant, this stage can be done in just 1 day, though it can easily extend [5]. While the modules are delivered completely finished, some finishing work, like connecting the house to the site utilities, is required to close the modular construction fully.
References
- Discover a better way to build your home. Plant Prefab https://www.plantprefab.com/homebuyers/#process
- You have questions, we have answers Blu Homes https://www.bluhomes.com/fact-sheet
- How to obtain a building permit – A guide to the homeowner The Corporation of the township of Georgian Bay Building Department https://www.gbtownship.ca/en/living-here/resources/Documents/Building-Permit-Guide.pdf
- Frequently Asked Questions – Process. Method Homes https://www.methodhomes.net/frequently-asked-questions
- Semler, K. How does a modular home get assembled? – Part II: Set day Impresa Modular https://impresamodular.com/how-does-a-modular-home-get-assembled-part-ii/
