It sounds like a simple question: What’s the cost of a modular home?
But the answer is actually kind of complicated – because it depends on how you define “cost”! At Loco Builders, we build homes that range from $119,900 to $1.4 million. But, those prices are built on a host of factors.
Many people come to us because they think a modular home will be cheaper than a stick-built/site-built home. And while we believe that our homes are a better value than stick-built/site-built homes, they ARE NOT CHEAP. They are, however, the best quality home for the money.
The most common question we are asked is, “What is your price per square foot?” All of our homes have a standard base price based on square footage. Base prices are calculated according to what we call “known items”, i.e. the number of windows, the linear feet of kitchen cabinets, the amount of lumber needed for that basic model. For example, a ranch style home may have 8 windows, while a two-story home might have 14 windows.
Any additions a homeowner decides to make to a base model are added to the base price. For example, say you choose our 2,000 square foot Cape Cod design. Its base price is $110 per square foot (average price in PA), and includes the cost of the house itself, plus permits, and allowances for excavation, utilities, etc. If you decide to add square footage to that plan, then we recalculate the price based on how those additions will affect the number of windows, amount of lumber, variations in the foundation, etc. And even if you choose to build a custom home, we have a standard base price. When you exceed what’s included in the base, then the price is increased.
NOTE: Since we build in Pennsylvanie we have priced every home in our catalogue for those regions.
The second most common question we’re asked involves the building timeline. Typically, a factory-built Loco home can be built in 90-120 days. A smaller home may take less time, while a larger custom home may take more. A typical stick-built/site-built home timeline can be up to 6 to 9 months. Our shorter timeline also means your money stays on your project. It doesn’t have time to be used elsewhere.
Regardless of the timeline, the quality and consistency of our homes is much better than a stick-built/site-built home because we’re in a climate-controlled factory, and we keep the same crew on your project throughout the entire build.
When people ask us why they should choose Loco over a stick built builder, we tell them all of these things. But often, YOUR bottom line is THE bottom line. And the truth is that we hit our target more than a typical builder does. We can generally estimate to within 1-2% is what your final bill will be. A typical builder starts with one price and then gives you allowances for everything and the price grows exponentially. Usually to 15-20% more than the contracted price.
So how much does it cost to build a modular Loco home? If you’re comparing it to a stick-built/site-built home, you’ll probably save up to 10% per home in materials. But you’ll also be saving time, labor and energy – and getting a much better built home.
Loco Builders specializes in custom designed homes in Pennsylvanie. Located in Pittsburgh, PA, Loco Builders is a pioneer in “off-site, stick-built” construction.