Unlike manufactured homes (often called mobile homes), a modular home cannot be moved. Once it is transported and removed from the carrier, it becomes permanent for the property, just like a standard site-built home.

Modular homes are built to the same building codes as a site-built home. The advantage is that portions of the home, called modules, are built inside a facility and protected from the elements during the building process. No dealing with inclement weather. But that is just one advantage to building modular. Because the modules are delivered to your site on carriers, they are built to withstand transportation over a variety of roadways. Adding to this the stringent quality controls during construction, modular homes become much more durable and resilient than site-constructed houses. Because the process is streamlined, modular homes typically cost less than a comparable site-built home and appraise at the same level as a site-built home. Despite this fact, they can still be financed through conventional means, making it possible to use the most profitable funding option available. So generally, with modular homes, you get the same quality as a site-built home that’s built faster, at less cost but with the same value.

Simply put, a modular home is a home built using modular construction. Modular construction occurs off-site and inside a facility rather than at the property where the home will be permanently located. Sections of the home, known as modules, are constructed inside the facility and then transported to the property and assembled. Once the modules are assembled, a modular home looks like any other house. Modular homes are different from manufactured homes (sometimes called mobile homes). Manufactured homes are built on a permanent steel frame and moved using wheels and axles on that steel frame. Because the steel frame is integral to its construction, a manufactured home can be moved to another location. Unlike manufactured homes, a home built with modular construction is transported on a carrier. Once it is on the property, it is moved off the carrier onto a foundation and assembled. The home becomes permanent to the property.

Yes! Modular homes appreciate similarly to traditional, site-built homes. They are appraised using the same standards, and in some cases, we see the market valuing them even higher. This is due to the reliable consistency, durability, and energy efficiencies that factory-built homes offer.

Yes. ARCbuild homes can be one- or two-stories with engineering and design plans underway for a third floor in the near future.

Structurally, ARCbuild homes are similar to ordering a car – you can change the colors, the finish, the engine size and some of the options, but you can’t change the wheelbase, or the location of the engine. Here are some general rules: We have several predesigned models and floor plans that speed things up in terms of production, submission to the various local and state agencies, inspections and delivery. However, we can also work with you to adapt your desired floor plan to meet the rigorous requirements of modular engineering. Once we arrive at a plan that works, we can work with you to discuss customization. We will provide a detailed fit-out sheet that describes the standard options in your home. Most customizations will involve interior and exterior finish, flooring, fixtures, lighting, windows, doors, cabinets, counters, appliances and the possible integration of clean tech.

ARCbuild offers the most advanced clean technology solutions offered by the most innovative companies across the globe. Taking a “Swiss army knife approach” allows customers to choose their clean technology systems. This enables ARCbuild to produce homes in any remote location and under all market conditions, resulting in net zero homes at a fraction of the traditional cost. Our clean tech has been tightly integrated into the design and underlying infrastructure of our homes to deliver true, grid independence. Our advanced wastewater system recycles both gray water and blackwater, reducing water consumption by 45% and lowering wastewater emissions by 50%. This reduces the carbon footprint, saves energy, and uses water twice. Our grid independent power system delivers close to a 40% reduction in power usage and allows our housing to run on 100% on clean energy.

No. ARCbuild can provide the architectural, structural and engineering plans required to get your structure permitted and approved by the local jurisdiction having authority.

Yes, ARCbuild homes can be installed in any climate. And except for extreme winter conditions, modular homes can be installed during any season as well. Over 80% of construction takes place in a controlled, factory environment eliminating exposure to the elements and avoiding delays due to weather.

No. ARCbuild uses the term “housing units” to describe our product line. Based on the unique nature of our cost-effective manufacturing process, the materials we use, our strategic partnerships, and how our units assemble, we can meet a broad range of requirements. Our buildings range from traditional style homes, Emergency Shelters, ADUs (Accessory Dwelling Units), Tiny homes, Mixed Use Hospitality, Villas, Camps, Employee Housing and Affordable Residential Communities. Our buildings range in size from as little as 300 SF through 3,600 SF and up. And while our housing can connect to standard infrastructure such as power, water and sewer, integration of our clean technology allows us to build grid-independent structures that generate power and recycle gray and blackwater water for true sustainability.

Using rigorous modular construction, ARCbuild homes are delivered to the site 80% complete. However, there is still about 20% of the finish work that needs to be completed once the home is set. This work includes finish work on the drywall, flooring, and ceiling areas where the modules come together, as well as setting doors or installing countertops that might start in one module but flow into another. On the exterior of the home, siding and shingles will need to be integrated between the modules. Also, the homes plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems will need to be completed on site and connected accordingly.

When it comes to building any home, there are many variables that play into pricing. Technically speaking the price per square foot of a home is simply the total cost of the home divided by the total square feet. When trying to compare prices of homes, be sure to compare apples-to-apples. If you are trying to compare the cost of a modular home and the cost of a stick-built home, be sure each builder has identified every cost associated with your build, including blueprints and plans, building materials, inspections, labor costs, bids from subcontractors, foundation, and utilities just to name a few.

Mortgage loans are secured by either land or real estate. Since modular homes are placed on a permanent foundation, they can be treated as a latter. This means that once such a home is installed, you can finance it through conventional methods, like a mortgage.

ARCbuild homes are backed by a comprehensive 1-year manufacturer's warranty, providing full coverage against workmanship & material defects, a 10-year warranty against structural defects, and 4 years for plumbing and electrical systems. In addition to this, certain brand-name products integrated into our homes may carry their own extended warranties, surpassing the manufacturer's standard coverage. Notably, items such as windows, shingles, and cabinets often come with longer warranties, enhancing the overall protection and durability of your new home.

Yes. As a result of our unibody structural system and the integration of non-combustible, impact resistant materials ARCbuild homes are Fire Defensible, Hurricane Ready and Earthquake Ready.

Research shows homes built with modular construction fare even better than a traditionally built home under extreme weather conditions like hurricanes and earthquakes. After Hurricane Andrew in 1992, FEMA commissioned a study comparing site-built homes to both manufactured and modular homes. In their report, called “Building Performance: Hurricane Andrew in Florida,” FEMA concluded that modular homes withstood the storm “far better” than site-built housing. “Overall,” the report stated, “relatively minimal structural damage was noted in modular housing developments. The module-to-module combination of the units appears to have provided an inherently rigid system that performed much better than conventional residential framing. This was evident in both the transverse and longitudinal directions of the modular buildings,” according to the report.” (Publication number FIA-22, item 3-0180).

ARCbuild homes differ very little from site-constructed homes when placed on a property, as they also become permanently bound to it. This means that they can last as long as a standard site-built home, though often they are even more durable. This is because they undergo stricter quality control throughout different stages of construction. Modular homes are also better suited to withstand natural disasters, including hurricanes, tornadoes, storms, and earthquakes (ARCbuild homes are also fire defensible based on the use of non-combustible materials). In addition to materials, modular homes are stronger due to the frequent and stringent quality controls employed during the manufacturing process. It’s not possible to say how long a modular home will last. An average traditional home can endure for 50 to 100 years. Modular homes are expected to meet and exceed this spec.