Modular Homes

Modular – Catch the Wave

With computer modeling and increased demand for green building, high-performance custom homes are going modular (a.k.a. “prefab” in Dwell Magazine circles) like never before. Why? Because they are built in a computer-controlled environment and transported to the site nearly complete. They are more energy efficient and much stronger. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita proved in numerous studies that modular homes prevailed where stick-built homes were washed away.

Not Your Father’s Double-wide…

Let’s get this out of the way now: modular homes should not be confused with federally (HUD) controlled mobile homes. Your modern design is converted into CAD drawings and built to the exact code for your county* in Maryland. The final product is indistinguishable from traditional site-built counterparts. The videos prove the point:

…Not Stick-built Either

Modular’s benefits are impossible to attain with stick building. Once you recognize the advantages of indoor construction and the economies of scale we enjoy, you’ll wonder why anyone would build their home (beyond remodeling and smaller additions) outdoors. And customization is not only available but also de facto… we’ve never built a modular plan “off the rack.”

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PROBABLY THE BEST “ALL ABOUT MODULAR” VIDEO EVER POSTED

Modular Homeowner Video

Funny Modular Home Ad

Better, Faster… for Less?

Depending on some variables, you will get better quality on your project AND:

  1. Construction in 1/2 – 1/3 the time
  2. At least 10% savings plus less loan carrying costs

Don’t take our word for it, check out Modular Homes FAQs
Tell us more about your project

“…modular homes are in many ways superior to stick-built homes and once assembled cannot be distinguished from their traditionally built counterpart.”

– Bob Villa

Finish Werks builds in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Charles, Carroll, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Queen Anne’s counties but is licensed in all counties and may deliver ModularDirect and/or Turnkey to greater Maryland depending on project conditions. Please inquire.

From the International Builders Show…

10 Reasons to Go Modular

  1. Faster construction time
  2. Less obtrusive to the neighborhood during construction than a stick-built house
  3. Greater structural integrity and greater quality and process control
  4. Materials protected from the weather
  5. Multiple cost savings with materials, labor, refuse removal and reduced risk
    of vandalism and theft
  6. Longer warranties
  7. Reduced risks from predictable costs
  8. More sustainable, less waste and less chance of mold
  9. Greater energy efficiency
  10. Easier to build in remote locations

Sheri Koones, author of the modular housing book, Prefabulous, shared 10 reasons builders can share with prospective buyers why to buy a modular house.

“My previous two books – Prefabulous and Modular Mansions were meant to change people’s perceptions of prefab as “doublewides” and to show that almost any house can be built prefab. I hope that I’ve altered peoples perceptions of prefab, at least a little, with the beautiful houses included in these books. Prefabulous + Sustainable is meant to inspire homeowners to consider more environmentally friendly options for their home. Whether they are building a new home or renovating their existing one, Prefabulous + Sustainable defines many of the aspects of green construction and offers some inexpensive alternatives to creating a healthier, more energy efficient house that is gentler to the environment. Readers are sometimes disappointed when they pick up my books and find they don’t include enough information to actually build their homes.”
-Sheri Koones

Koone’s book, Prefabulous + Sustainable came out April 2010

Take a look “under the hood”

Home
1. Floor joist 2×10 floor joists 16″ O.C.
2. Floor decking 3/4″ T&G OSB floor decking glued and fastened
3. Exterior wall studs OVE (optimum value engineered) 2×8 exterior walls 24″ O.C.
4. Exterior wall top plate Double 2×8 top plate
5. Exterior wall insulation* Knauf EcoBatts + DOW Styrofoam Insulation = R33
6. Exterior wall sheathing 7/16″ structural OSB sheathing
7. Interior wall studs 2×4 interior wall studs 16″ O.C.
8. Ceilings 8′-10′ ceilings
9. Windows Super-Low “E” Argon gas filled Windows with Grids
10. Front door 36″ ThermaTru 6-panel w/ half-moon window
11. Drywall 1/2″ (walls) 5/8″ (ceilings) with smooth finish
12. Roof trusses Engineered roof trusses to snow-loads +
13. Roof insulation R38 fiberglass batt insulation + blown cellulose = R55
14. Shingles 30 year architectural asphalt roof shingles
Systems
HVAC Mitsubishi HiPer Heat Pump w/ Smart WiFi Thermostat
Water Heating Hybrid heat pump 50Gal or demand/tankless or gas-fired
Appliances Energy Star Tier One
Lighting LED and Solar/rechargeable

NOTE: specifications can and do change, sometimes without notice
* Download details on our Super Walls