| Modular homes are playing a crucial role in speeding | | | | that is 20% less than traditional site built homes in |
| disaster recovery in areas hit hard by recent | | | | New Orleans, one of the areas hardest hit by |
| disasters, including Hurricane Katrina. Because of the | | | | Hurricane Katrina. Architects are working with modular |
| speed of construction, durability of construction, | | | | home designers in New Orleans to create homes and |
| advanced engineering and lower costs, builders are | | | | buildings that emphasize the cities historical and |
| increasingly turning to modular construction to replace | | | | cultural roots, as in the famous French Quarter of the |
| what so many people lost and to establish structures | | | | city. Area builders say that modular construction is |
| that will better-stand the forces of severe weather | | | | particularly cost efficient for them because of the |
| in the future. | | | | high cost and short supply of labor and materials for |
| Modular homes, also called systems built homes, were | | | | on-site rebuilding. |
| long misunderstood by government oversight | | | | Modular homes are constructed in pieces in controlled |
| agencies and the general public, often confused with | | | | factory environments. The pieces are then shipped |
| "manufactured homes" and mobile homes. However, | | | | to the site where they are assembled. Because the |
| perception has quickly changed as the affordability, | | | | pieces need to be shipped, they are built much |
| energy efficiency, durability and speedy construction | | | | stronger than traditional site built homes, using ten to |
| of modular homes has become more publicized and | | | | fifteen percent more construction materials than are |
| understood. | | | | normally used. These safety benefits are passed on |
| "Many people thought that modular homes were little | | | | to the homebuyer, which is especially crucial in areas |
| more than cookie-cutter manufactured mobile | | | | susceptible to hurricanes and other severe weather |
| homes," says Grant Smereczynsky, CEO of Building | | | | situations. |
| Systems Network, a nationwide provider of | | | | Modular homes are more energy efficient that |
| custom-designed modular homes. "But this assumption | | | | traditional homes, leading the way in the green |
| could not be further from the truth. In reality, | | | | building movement, and are constructed in weeks |
| modular homes are meeting housing needs | | | | rather than months, reducing the interest and number |
| nationwide, both for affordable, high-quality housing | | | | of payments on construction loans, thus reducing the |
| and for an expedient solution to help those displaced | | | | overall cost to the homebuyers. Since modular home |
| by hurricanes and other natural disasters. They are | | | | builders provide 80 to 85 percent of the home, the |
| not cheaply built manufactured homes, but are | | | | buyer avoids the risk of giving money to a builder |
| engineering marvels that are stronger, more energy | | | | and not having the home built to their specifications, |
| efficient and more cost effective than traditional site | | | | or of having their price inflated by numerous change |
| built homes." | | | | orders. All of these savings make modular homes a |
| Builders throughout the Southeast, in areas hardest | | | | perfect solution for people trying to rebuild their lives |
| hit by Hurricane Katrina, are using modular homes to | | | | and need all the financial resources they can spare. |
| rebuild cities and replace the government issued | | | | Additionally, unlike modular homes, site-built homes |
| trailers that have served the residents as temporary | | | | are exposed to unfavorable weather conditions |
| housing since the disaster. Builders in Mississippi and | | | | during the construction process, making the home |
| Alabama have recently announced modular home | | | | vulnerable to water or weather damage, and |
| designs that can withstand 150 - 160 MPH wind | | | | increasing the costs of the project by adding |
| speeds. | | | | additional materials and replacement components. |
| Modular homes are being built at an average cost | | | | |