
Home construction can be an overwhelming and time-consuming project. Luckily, given the nature of modular construction, building a modular home takes about half as much time as building a traditional home. Nonetheless, construction is no easy task, and it can be helpful to have a timeline to keep yourself on track and to maintain your peace of mind. The following timeline can be useful as you execute your modular construction project.
Pre-Construction
Your land may look good on the surface, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any costly or harmful problems lurking underneath. Before you start manufacturing, there is necessarily due diligence that must take place to ensure that your home will be on a sound plot of land. First, you’ll want to do some exploratory digging. If you discover significant amounts of clay, loose gravel, a solid rock ledge, or a subterranean stream, your building costs will increase. You also want to make sure that the soil is pollution-free, as polluted soil can be dangerous, especially to children. Before moving forward with any construction, you’ll want to obtain permission from the town to ensure that the land is not under environmental protection or that there aren’t any other regulations that you’re unaware of. Finally, you’ll want to conduct a perc test.
Pre-Set Day
There’s a lot of preparation that must take place before the modules can be delivered and your modular home set. You’ll need to clearly mark the boundaries of your property; level the build area; and clear the build area of trees, rocks, and large plants.
Three weeks before the set day, you want to designate and clear an area for an unpaved driveway for construction vehicles and the crane to use. Then you want to dig the foundation for the house and any other on-site construction projects, such as a garage or porch.
Two weeks before the set day, you will install the foundation, plumbing, gas, electric, and anything else that will run through the foundation. Then you’ll inspect the foundation and any utilities running through the foundation. If there are any issues, it’s better to catch them now rather than after the foundation is poured, when they can be extremely expensive to fix.
One week before the set day, you’ll install footing drains, install the sill plate, pour and inspect the foundation, do a waterproofing test, and do a drainage test.
Post-Set Day
Now it’s time to get on to the fun stuff and turn the separate modules into a home. One week after set, you’ll want to waterproof your home, as rainwater getting between modules can be disastrous. You’ll start work on any exterior on-site construction, such as garages or porches. You can save money by buying your modular home and modular garage from the same place. You’ll remove the temporary framing, connect utilities between modules, permanently fasten the interior marriage walls, inspect the structural integrity, and build the basement stairs.
The second week after set, you’ll connect your utilities to the grid, test the utilities, and complete any exterior on-site additions. After three weeks, you’ll install the carpet and custom flooring, conduct final utility inspections, add insulation to the basement ceiling and garage (if necessary), complete the backfill grade leveling of the build area, inspect the drywall for cracks and touchup and paint if necessary, and then do a detailed walk-through inspection for any last-minute changes.
After four weeks, you’ll complete any changes from the walk-through inspection, finish the on-site work, and complete the touch-ups. Then you’ll have a government building inspector give a final inspection and issue a certificate of occupancy.
By the fifth week after the set day, you should be all ready to enjoy your modular home!
Nashua Builders is here to assist you will all your modular construction needs. If you are considering building a modular home, contact Nashua Builders today.
Source:
Elitzer, J. (2015). The Busy Homeowner’s Modular Construction Timeline. Definitive Guide to Building Modular; Modular Homeowners.