Modular homes do not come fully furnished as a general rule. A modular home isn’t a style but a construction process where the house is built as separate modules in a controlled environment before being assembled to the foundations on site. Therefore, most modular homes in a similar way as on-site homes, are not expected to be fully furnished. However, since modular homes are marketed as live in ready, you will see that all of them come with cabinets, closets and finished kitchen and bathrooms. It is easy to get confused and wonder why some furniture items are included and others aren’t, yet the explanation is simple, and it relies on the difference between fixture and furniture. Some retailers might offer the possibility to fully furnish the house once the construction process is done as an extra service.
Most companies have a similar understanding on which furniture elements are included in the modular home and by exploring each one of the main rooms we can clarify what is included:
- Kitchen
- Living and dining rooms
- Bedrooms
- Bathrooms
Since some modular home companies offer the possibility to fully furnish your home, we can understand the different types of furniture that companies advertise as included or not included. Doing so can make our expectations realistic if a modular home comes as live in ready.
The difference between fixture and furniture
The terms Furniture and Fixture can be easily exchangeable but there is a great difference between the two as furniture consists of free-standing moveable elements, while fixtures are those elements or pieces of furniture that are built-in within the structure of the house. Take for example cabinets or closets, both are pieces of furniture when conceived as an independent piece that you can add, subtract and move around the space; when these cabinets or closets are built into the walls and have a fixed spot, as it happens with kitchen cabinets, then they are considered fixtures [1].
| Bathroom | Kitchen | Cabinets and closets | Fully Furnished | |
| METHOD HOMES | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| BLUE HOMES | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| MODULAR DIRECT | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| CONNECT HOMES | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| CHAMPION HOMES | Yes | Yes | Yes | No. But some retailers might offer the possibility |
| PLANT PREFAB | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| PALM HARBOR HOMES | Yes | Yes | Yes | No. But some retailers might offer the possibility |
| NATIONWIDE | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| CLAYTON HOMES | Yes | Yes | Yes | Furniture packages are available |
| ICON LEGACY | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
In the table above are some of the main Modular Home companies based in the United States are listed. All of them offer homes with all fixtures included, while furniture is an extra option only offered by a small percentage of the list. In the case of Champion Homes and Palm Harbor Homes, furniture is not an option offered since they are both only manufactures and their products are sold by certified local retailers. Those retailers then might offer the possibility to furnish as an extra service. That service however, it is not directly related to the main company. Clayton Homes differs from the two since it is both the manufacturer and retailer offering a fully furnished package if requested.
Which furniture elements are included in the modular home
Kitchen
The kitchen usually looks quite complete once the modular home is assembled on site. In the design process, the kitchen layout has to be defined and it won’t be able to be altered once it is built. Kitchen furniture is functional and it is placed in relation to the appliances, stove and sink which require plumbing and electrical wiring to function. Plumbing elements are fix and don’t allow any flexibility, therefore all the cabinets to which all appliances, stove and sink are built in and those around them will be set in place and constructed in the manufacturing process, therefore considered fixtures.
What fixtures will definitely be included in your modular home kitchen:
- Kitchen cabinets
- Sink and Faucet
- Kitchen island if included in the layout design
- Kitchen bar if included in the layout design
- Lighting and lamps are in most cases included. Champion Homes, for example has a whole catalog with the different options of lamps you can choose from [2].
What furniture elements won’t be included in the kitchen.
- Moveable tables
- Chairs
- Stools
- Decorative elements
Appliances aren’t considered furniture elements and there isn’t a clear rule to define it if they are included or not in your modular home kitchen since every supplier will have a different opinion about it.
Living and dining rooms
These rooms mostly will look quite empty once your modular home has been assembled on the foundations. Depending on your modular home company and the design you choose, your living and dining rooms might come with:
- Built in entertainment center [3]
- Built-in shelves
- Fire place [4]
Modular home living and dining rooms won’t come with:
- Sofa
- Dining table
- Chairs
- Any moveable furniture
- Rugs (Carpet will be included is that is the finished flooring chosen)
- Curtains
- Decorative elements.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms will as well look quite empty once the modular home is delivered. As a general rule, closets or dressing rooms will be included here and considered fixtures since they will be built-in within the structure of the home. Dressers however, are separate moveable elements that won’t be included unless purposely defined. So you can expect your modular home bedrooms to be equipped with:
- Closets and/or dressing rooms
- Lighting and lamps
However, do not expect your modular home bedroom to be equipped with:
- Bed frame and mattresses
- Dressers
- Sofas
- Tables and chairs
- Rugs (Carpet will be included if that is the finished flooring chosen)
- Any decorative element
Bathrooms
Bathrooms are one of the rooms that will look completely finished and ready to be used as soon as the modular home company has assembled the modules on site because most of the furniture elements needed to define this room are fully functional and require plumbing works and electrical wiring to properly work. Therefore, we won’t classify these elements as furniture but as fixtures that are built-in within the structure of the house.
What fixtures will definitely be included in your modular home bathroom:
- Toilet
- Bath tub and/or Shower plate
- Shower Faucet, Shower head and plumbing
- Sink with faucet (the number of sinks will be decided upon the design phase of the project)
- Mirror
- Cabinets (The number, style and type of cabinets will be decided upon the design phase of the project)
- Lighting and lamps.
- Towel hangers and toilet paper roll holders.
What elements won’t be included in your modular home bathroom:
- Decorative elements
- Towels
- Curtains
- Small moveable pieces of furniture
The brands, styles and colors of each one of these fixtures will depend on your modular home company’s options. Customisation is always possible within the possibilities of each manufacturer. Champion Homes for example offers a variety of eight different Shower plates and eight different bath tubs to choose from [5]. And Clayton Home offers seven different bathtub choices to fit your style [6].
Is a modular home live-in ready in terms of fully furnished?
Modular homes by definition will be live-in ready with furniture as fixtures that are built into the design and anchored in the construction process. Separated movable furniture will not be included in a modular home, that however will be entirely up to some companies that offer this option for an extra cost. For those who are in a hurry to move in, this choice if available would be ideal and can be a very helpful advantage and leaving the home completely ready and true in definition of a fully furnished modular home. However, for most who don’t have this option might it might be inconvenient, can take the opportunity to furnished with their own as personalizing their space is important to feel home.
References
- Davis B. (2021, March 31). What is classified as furniture and fixtures? Mvorganizing https://www.mvorganizing.org/what-is-classified-as-furniture-and-fixtures/
- Interior Decor New Era Building Systems (Champion Homes retailer) https://www.neweramodulars.com/decor-options/interior-decor
- Hannah D. (2020, April 20). 6 Home Entertainment Centers You’ll love Clayton Homes https://www.claytonhomes.com/studio/6-clayton-entertainment-center-options-for-your-manufactured-home/
- Nationwide Homes (2011, April 5) How to buy a modular Home – Chapter 4 YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkS2gBlssa0
- Baths & Kitchens New Era Building Systems (Champion Homes retailer https://www.neweramodulars.com/baths-kitchens
- Clayton (2019, June 25). 7 Bathtub options for your Clayton Built® Home Clayton Homes https://www.claytonhomes.com/studio/manufactured-home-bathroom-tub-options/
