The words “dream home” inspire different images in people’s minds. For some, it may be a humble three-bedroom house with a small garden, and for others a mansion complete with an Olympic-sized pool. Either way, building your home instead of buying it can ensure every little detail aligns with your vision. Today, people who want to build a house from scratch are faced with the decision to go for modular or traditional construction. So, let’s see how these two building methods compare.
Construction Time
A traditionally built home is constructed on site from the ground up. As construction takes place outdoors, everything is at the mercy of the elements. So, in the event of bad weather, the construction of your home can be delayed for months. But pre built houses don’t face these issues. Since they are built inside a climate controlled factory, construction can take place regardless of bad weather or other factors regarding the site. As a result, pre built houses can be usually completed within 3 – 4 months, whereas stick-built homes can take anywhere from 9 months to a year to be finished.
Quality
Modular homes are built in a factory with the help of automated machines and under the supervision of construction managers. This precise building process means that there’s no room for mistakes to happen. What’s more, the materials are kept inside the factory too, which means there’s no risk that they’ll get damaged by outside factors such as UV rays, rain, or pests. In order to withstand the stress during transportation, modular homes are fitted with a metal chassis which also additionally enhances their durability. As a result, modular homes are less likely to develop mould or experience structural damage as opposed to traditional homes.
Cost Effectiveness
On paper, pre built houses usually cost more than traditionally built ones. However, when you factor in all the additional costs involved, modular construction often ends up being less expensive than traditional construction. Just consider it, the faster building time means that the owner has to spend less on renting another property. Plus, the fact that the construction takes place off-site, means that there’s no need to pay for travel or accommodation (if necessary) of the builders.
Energy-Efficiency
Once you’re finished constructing your house, there’s going to be energy bills to worry about. Pre-built houses are often considered more energy-efficient due to their unique design. They consist of separate modules, so when they are brought together side-by-side, each room ends up having walls, ceilings and floors twice as thick. As a result, the home tends to experience fewer energy leakages and also has excellent sound insulation. Additionally, features such as solar power and greywater systems can also be easily included during the building stage of a modular house.
