One of the biggest advantages modular home builders have
over their site built siblings is the factory. For a site builder to try
and navigate his way through the myriad of products out there that are being touted
as the next best thing in insulation to the ever changing and oppressive
building codes, it has to a daunting task to do alone.
But the modular home builder is not alone. He or she knows
that a phone call to either their sales rep or the factory will, nine times out of
ten, result in an answer. They may not like the answer but at least they will
get one.
At my monthly breakfast meeting yesterday that includes modular
home builders from VA, PA, WV and MD, the big topics of discussion were
insulating exterior walls and fighting code enforcement departments.
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| Some of the Wednesday breakfast meeting bunch |
As I sat and listened to what the builders were discussing,
it became abundantly clear that I wasn’t keeping up with all the types of
energy conservation methods available to build exterior walls. There are SIPs; SISs; foils; 8 &
12” walls with thermal breaks and insulation ratings of R-18, 21 and all the way up to R35;
air infiltration systems; air exchanges; New Energy Star regs; LEED requirements; bandboard
insulating methods and other things just too far out there for this guy to understand.
Fortunately, these modular builders know their stuff when it comes to all this
and most of it comes from working with their modular home factory.
That working relationship is enhanced when it comes to local
and national building codes. Factories must know all the codes where they deliver homes and some even
have full time people dedicated to following what each state and county require
for their homes. I can’t imagine what a site builder today has to go through to
build a home without anyone to help them. They have to learn what’s new in the
code world by waiting for the code inspector to show up, reject his work and
then find out why. What a time consuming problem.
I even learned that some unscrupulous homeowners that want to save money on
their remodeling and even new home construction are using state license numbers obtained from
builder’s ads, trucks and site signs and using them when they apply for a
permit. The builder never knows until a problem arises and the insurance
company or a state agency steps in and sues the builder. This practice appears
to be spreading, so check every once in awhile and make sure someone isn’t
using your license number without your permission.
As I sat there, I marveled at how open and helpful each
builder was to the problems they each face. Viva Modular Housing!
I would like to thank Dennis Hoffer, Sales Manager at
Sporoco, a supplier of construction materials to the factory housing industry,
for attending yesterday’s breakfast. His insight into new insulation methods
and products made the builders sit up and notice. Expect to start seeing some
of his products soon in a modular home near you.
