Modular Construction | Hunter Valley Modular Homes

Modular Home Transportation

How can a whole house be built in a factory, then transported on a truck to my land?

It seems impossible that an entire house can be built in a factory and then transported to your building site. It’s even more hard to believe that once this type of home is installed onsite, it’s impossible to tell it’s any different from a home that was built using the old, traditional process onsite.

Hard to believe…but true. How does it happen?

Interestingly, these homes are built as complete houses in our factory, very similarly to the way homes are built onsite. The major differences are that they are built on a steel chassis (which gives them massive strength that enables them to be transported) and their frames are laid out in sizes that enables them to be broken up into modules for transport.

Broken up???….sounds like the house will look like a mess!

No need to worry. When the homes are built in the factory, special joints are allowed for that makes pulling them apart for transport easy. These modules are then joined together onsite. Once joined, it’s not possible to tell where the joints were. The home’s interiors looks exactly like a house that has been built onsite from the ground up.

Why would you build a modular home?

Modular Homes are built undercover, in a quality-controlled environment that’s not affected by rain. This type of construction is the way of the future.
They are typically built much faster than site-built homes.
They are more economical…so you get more bang for your buck.
Site works are kept to a minimum. Yes, some concrete footings need to be poured in place but once your new home arrives it’s mostly complete with only a few finishing touches to go.
Your houses frame is never left exposed to the elements because it’s already way past “lock-up” stage when it arrives.

Now that you know how it’s done, perhaps a modular home is something you might like to consider.

What to think about when choosing the plan for your modular home

One of the great things about choosing a Hunter Valley Modular Home, is that you get a huge range of pre-drawn plans to choose from. These designs are based on years of experience. They are plans that really work in terms of flow, practical room layouts, handy storage and a creating a home that feels great to live in.

These are a fantastic starting point. In fact, we find most of our clients find a design that really works for them, and only make a small tweak or two.

So, how do you choose which designs to start from? Here is a quick list to help you.

Think about your site and the orientation of your house

A good place to start is deciding where the main living area should go? Think about where north is – this is where most of the sun will come from. If possible, it’s ideal to choose a design that allows for your main living area to be facing north.

It’s important to also think about where the best views would be. It’s great if these two things coincide, with the northern side of the house also having the best views, but it’s rare that you can be so lucky.

Another key issue is where the bedrooms should be located. Ideally these should be facing away from the biggest source of noise – normally the road. It’s also a good idea to position them on the most shaded side. Normally this is the south, but it depends on the location, and things like surrounding homes, trees etc

Think about how you live (now and in the future)

If you’re empty nesters, having a bedroom that works well for when your kids come back home to visit from out of town might be important. If you work from home, a study is obviously important.

If your kids are teenagers, a master bedroom that’s positioned away from the others might be important. It’s also important to think a few years ahead. For example, your kids might be 10 and 12 right now, but in a few short years they will be teenagers and your needs will change.

Think about your budget

One of the big advantages to modular homes is that they can grow with your needs. You might fall in love with a larger home but don’t have the budget to suit. With Hunter Valley Modular Homes, you can build a home with one or two bedrooms (plus kitchen and living/dining) now, then add more bedrooms at a later date as your available budget increases.

These are just some introductory ideas. Our Team are on hand to help you consider all the issues that go into choosing the best design to suit your needs.

How is a Modular Home Built?

A lot of people think a Modular Home is some sort of pod structure that’s made in China from some sort of exotic plastic materials, then shipped to Australia and plonked on a site.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The reality is that Hunter Valley Modular Homes are built right here in our factory on the Central Coast. Our homes are built using the exact same techniques and materials as homes that are built “on-site”. (Except for boring old bricks of course). This means timber or steel frames, fibre cement or timber cladding, good quality insulation, plasterboard internal linings, ceramic tiles and even stone benchtops. Everything you’d expect in your home is available.

The main differences are:

Modular Homes are built undercover, in a quality-controlled environment that’s not affected by rain. This type of construction is the way of the future.
They are typically built much faster than site-built homes.
They are more economical…so you get more bang for your buck.
Site works are kept to a minimum. Yes, some concrete footings need to be poured in place but once your new home arrives it’s mostly complete with only a few finishing touches to go.
Your houses frame is never left exposed to the elements because it’s already way past “lock-up” stage when it arrives.

So, if it’s important to you that your new home is built to suit your custom requirements, to your budget, and in a reasonable time period…maybe you should consider stepping into the future of building and selecting a Modular Home!

The Top 5 Advantages of Factory-Built Homes

If you’re looking to build a new home, a factory-built home (also called a modular home) could be a great option. Here are the top five reasons why a factory-built house can provide many advantages over traditional site-built construction.

Factory-built, modular homes, are built in a more controlled environment

You won’t have delays due to bad weather. With the usual site-built process, the construction materials used in your home are exposed to rain and sun until “lock-up” is reached. When building in a factory there’s always a roof protecting your building from the elements.
When you have a house built on your site you can have lots of noise, dirt and dust. Building in a factory means you’ll have fewer issues with neighbours.
Because your home is built in a highly controlled environment, it’s far easier to have tight quality controls. This means every element that goes into your home is closely inspected and monitored for quality control.
Your new home arrives at your site almost complete and ready to connect to utilities

Most of the hard work has been done in the factory. There’s only a short amount of site preparation to install the footings that your new home will be placed on. Then there’s the job of “complexing” which means joining the individual modules together. After that, the services (water, electrical and gas) are connected. Some small paint, plaster, and other touch ups as well as installation of any decks and other external fixtures follows.

In a few short weeks, your home is ready to move into.

Factory-built, modular home construction takes less time than traditional site-built construction methods

Factory-built home construction takes less time than traditional site-built construction methods. This allows you to start living in your new home much sooner than with traditional methods!

If you’re knocking down and rebuilding, this means you don’t have to move out for the entire duration of the build. You can wait until a week or two before the footings need to be installed, and a few short weeks later you can move back in to your new home.

4. You can customize many details of your home

Although there’s a wide range of plans available to suit almost any site, there are always some things that are unique to the way you live. With the factory-built process it’s often easier to make changes to the “off the shelf” designs to perfectly suit your way of living.

Your home can be customised to how you want it. From layouts to fixtures and colours, you can customize many details of your modular home.

5. Modular building is more cost effective than site-built construction

Modular homes are built in a factory, which means less time onsite. This saves trades travel time because they are driving to the same site every day and working on multiple homes. This means cost savings which ultimately flow onto you, the homeowner.
Having your home built in a factory means the builder has more control over the quality of construction and there are fewer chances for mistakes to be made…and again, that means cost savings.
Building in a factory means less waste during manufacture. For example, small timber offcuts from one house under construction get used for noggings in another being built next to it in the factory. With site building these offcuts would normally lie around on a muddy site in the rain, until they were thrown away. Wasting precious resources and costing the homeowner more.

Conclusion

With all the benefits of factory-built housing, it’s no wonder so many people are choosing modular construction over conventional methods. If you want to learn more about the benefits of prefab homes, contact us today! We’ll be happy to answer any questions or concerns you may have about this method of home building

Why building a Modular Home is a great option for you and your family

Factory Built

Modular homes (also known as “prefabricated” or “factory built” homes) have been around for more than 100 years, but they aren’t just for people who live in remote areas or can’t afford traditional building methods.

Today’s modular homes are stylish and modern, and provide many benefits over conventional construction methods. Here are some reasons why building a modular home might be just right for you:

Speed of Construction

A modular home is built with the same materials as a site-built home. This means that you can expect the same quality material, craftsmanship and standard features. The difference between a modular home and one built on site is that it arrives in modules, transported by truck to your property. The assembly of the house takes place in just days reducing construction times significantly

Modular homes are also built to meet all local building codes, council requirements, zoning laws and energy efficiency standards set forth by your council or the building code of Australia.

The speed of construction is a major advantage. Building a house onsite takes many months and in today’s environment could take a year or longer. If you are re-building your home this could mean you have to move out and rent somewhere else for all this time. Noise and mess onsite are also major issues and can often lead to having unhappy neighbors from the moment you move in. A Modular Home can commence being built in the factory as soon as Council Approval has been granted. Construction in the factory takes approximately 16 weeks. Normally site works to prepare for the delivering of the factory-built modules only need to start a couple of weeks before delivery and installation. Then there’s only a few jobs that need to happen onsite before you can move in a few weeks after delivery.

Value for Money

When it comes to modular homes, the price is right. Modular homes are an excellent option for you and your family because they offer value for money.

Modular homes often cost less than site-built homes:

Building in the factory saves wastage and pilferage that can happen onsite
You can save money on the construction time
You can save money on rent waiting for your new home to be built
The controlled nature of a factory build leads to labour time savings which get passed onto you

Quality Control

The quality control that a factory environment gives a builder is a major advantage of choosing a modular home. You’ve probably driven past lots of building sites that have stood idle in the rain for days (or weeks) on end, while their frames are getting wet, flooring timbers are swelling, and the site is a quagmire of mud.

The factory environment enables all materials to be fitted under ideal, dry conditions. This environment also allows strict quality control processes and checks to be undertaken throughout the construction.

Flexibility of Design

If you’ve ever built a home before, then you know that designing the perfect house can be a challenge. Contrary to popular belief modular homes can be designed to fit your specific site constraints. If a budget doesn’t quite fit with your desires or if there are other factors that need to be considered (such as an existing house on the property), then the design can be changed as needed.

Energy Efficiency and Sustainability

Modular homes are built with the same high standards as site-built homes using industry-standard building materials and methods. However, the factory environment is ideal for adding energy efficient design components like extra insulation, sheathing, high quality weather resistant barriers and installation practices. This means it’s often easier to achieve a more energy efficient house through building in the factory rather than onsite.

Conclusion

Modular homes are a great way to build your dream home in a short amount of time and with minimal disruption making them an excellent choice for those who want their new home built as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.