| Modular home construction has been around for a | | | | may even improve their ability to save costs further. |
| few decades now, but the technologies and designs | | | | For instance, prefabricated wall panels are already |
| continue to improve. Particularly in the last decade, | | | | being used by some modular home factories to |
| the explosion of designs and the increase in availability | | | | reduce labor demands for wall assembly. These |
| of modular homes have rapidly increased the modular | | | | panelized wall distributors can provide these at a |
| home as a wise choice of new home construction. | | | | lower cost than the expense it takes a factory to |
| But what is on the horizon? Anything is possible as | | | | supply materials and labor for wall assembly. Expect |
| global markets increase, national recession looms, and | | | | further streamlining within the factory setting through |
| streamlining within the factory advances. Here are | | | | outsourcing measures. |
| just a few possibilities to consider. | | | | Remember when Japanese cars overtook the |
| For almost 2 years, the U.S. real estate market in | | | | American car industry a few decades ago globally? |
| many areas has been experiencing a readjustment | | | | Be cautious of a similar trend in modular home |
| with home prices dropping and foreclosures rising. | | | | construction. If labor costs (which are the most |
| However, the population continues to increase and | | | | costly expenses for modular home factories) can be |
| new home construction will rebound after market | | | | markedly reduced by placing factories in China or |
| settling occurs. Given the recent experience of the | | | | South America, this could offset shipping costs of |
| homeowner and a national recession, attention to | | | | modules and importation fees. It may well be that |
| costs and investment potential will be at an all-time | | | | your new modular home could be assembled half |
| high. Since modular homes cost on average 20 | | | | way across the world before it ends up on your lot. |
| percent less than site-built homes, surpass them in | | | | The end result is that the market share of modular |
| overall quality, and maintain a strong investment | | | | homes in new construction is predicted to rise, and |
| potential, you can anticipate seeing the percentage of | | | | there are potential avenues where costs for new |
| new home construction awarded to modular home | | | | homes could drop even further by paying attention |
| building to rise. | | | | to the above areas and others. In addition, the |
| Factories that build modular homes continue to find | | | | capacity for recycling efforts and the attention being |
| ways to improve quality and design while lowering | | | | given to designing "green" modular homes will drive |
| costs and waste. This drive for efficiency has | | | | those that are environmentally conscious to strongly |
| created a secure spot for modular homes in the new | | | | consider this as the best option. Combining these |
| home construction industry. As sub-specialists who | | | | aspects in the industry with the ability of modular |
| make products that are attractive to these factories | | | | homes to meet the high design demands of the |
| increase, a potential for outsourcing some | | | | consumer, it seems obvious that this industry has a |
| components of the factory construction process | | | | stronghold for the future. |