Even though there has been tremendous growth in modular building over the past several years, it is still an unfamiliar concept to many people. One homeowner tells her story about the modular house she planned to build in a traditional New England town. When the neighbors heard about it, they were frantic, thinking they would have a "trailer‚¬

parked in their midst. In one day, 10 boxes were delivered on flatbed trucks and set in place with a crane.

 

The Georgian-style house took shape quickly, and when the neighbors returned home from work that evening, they were shocked to see a large, beautiful home, looking nothing like the double-wide they were expecting. The truth is, today's modular-built homes are visually indistinguishable from traditional stick-built homes. Many homeowners are surprised to learn the possibilities and benefits modular homebuilding offers. And many prominent architects now designing custom-built modular homes are breaking new ground in terms of style and size.

Why Build Modular?
The growth of the custom modular construction industry has been spurred by homeowners' desire to save time, money and resources. A custom modular house can be built in a week or two in a factory, set on a prepared foundation in a day or two, and finished in three to eight months; the same stick-built house can easily take a year or more to complete.

 Modular building also is a viable option if you're thinking of putting an addition onto your existing home. Because the "boxes that make up a modular house are constructed in the protected environment of a factory and closed up before the building materials are exposed to rain, snow and extremes in temperature, they are less affected by the elements. There also are few weather delays during the construction phase, because the outdoor work on the house is minimal. 

Factory-built modular homes are precision-engineered: quality control is high, cuts are more precise, and there is little wasted material. Wood is used efficiently, and what is not used is recycled as fuel in the factory. Also, modular building companies buy materials in larger quantities than traditional builders do, bringing down costs, and factories often are located in areas of the country where labor is less costly. There was a time, not so long ago, when modular buildings had limited options. Most designs were developed by manufacturers and were for modestly priced houses. Some companies were willing to make minor design changes to accommodate a homeowner's personal requirements, but the designs generally were simple and traditional. 

In the past few years, however, as more and more homeowners have discovered the advantages of this construction method, more designs, floor plans and customized options have become available. Today, modular home designs are available in every style - contemporary as well as traditional, such as Colonials and Cape Cods - and in just about any size. Custom-designed modular homes are being built with 30 modules or more. 

Architects Step Up Because of the desire for more sophisticated styling in modular houses, architects are in increasing demand to design these types of homes. Although architects' drawings for modular homes, unlike those for stick or site-built homes, do not require construction documentation (which can be provided by the manufacturer), the architect brings to the project an understanding of the necessary design parameters. It's important to keep in mind, however, that a critical review of final working drawings is important, since it is more difficult to make changes once construction has begun. Architects who design modular homes must consider a number of factors, such as the size of the boxes or sections the manufacturer is able to produce, and the orientation of the rooms, so they adhere to the box sizes. Site accessibility is another factor. 

Some roads are narrow and curvy, and cannot accommodate the largest boxes the manufacturers are able to produce. As a result, smaller boxes must be used for certain locations. To get an idea of what's available in modern modular home design, we turned to three architects who are prominent in the field - Michelle Kaufmann of San Francisco, Douglas Cutler of Wilton, Conn., and Joseph Edward of Aspen, Colo. Each brings a unique perspective to modular design, not just for new homes but for remodels as well. 

Michelle Kaufmann Michelle Kaufmann Designs San Francisco Kaufmann became interested in modular construction when she and her husband, Ken Cullin, found it difficult to find affordable housing in San Francisco. After spending six months in an unsuccessful search for the right house, they made a decision to build. Cullin wanted the house to be as green as possible, while Kaufmann wanted one that was also modern and affordable. After discussions with friends in their age group who expressed an interest in owning the same type of house, Kaufmann's design ideas began to take shape. She spent some time talking to builders and modular manufacturers, and soon hit upon the idea of developing a product that could be duplicated. 

Later, she found that her designs also were well received by older homeowners who wanted to downsize and simplify their lives, as well as those looking for a second home. Kaufmann took all her ideas and designed a modern, green, affordable, pared-down modular house, which she called the Glidehouse. But when she approached a number of modular manufacturing factories with her design, they were not interested in building it, preferring to focus on the typical Colonial-style houses. Eventually, she found a modular factory that shared her vision and was willing to build the Glidehouse. She since has found other factories in other parts of the country willing to build the new concept house. 

Kaufmann chose attractive, sustainable and energy-efficient building materials. For instance, the exterior siding for the Glidehouse is Cor-Ten steel, which has a rough texture and oxidizes over time, giving it a rich red color. Low-E sliding glass doors along most of one side of the house provide cross-ventilation, natural lighting and a strong connection to the outdoors. The shed roof is slightly pitched and made of Galvalume metal, chosen for its low maintenance and ability to blend in with solar panels, which are an option. For sustainability, Kaufmann chose strand-woven bamboo flooring, which is made from the waste of other bamboo floors and is very durable. 

The concrete countertops also are made of recycled materials. All this makes for a clean living environment; the Glidehouse has won approval by the American Lung Association because it surpasses their standards for a healthy home. To adapt to personal tastes and needs, Kaufmann designed two versions of the Glidehouse - one for homeowners in snowy regions and one for snow-free regions, such as the Southwest. There are several standard plans available, with one or two stories, and two, three or four bedrooms. 

The Glidehouse is available for purchase in the United States and Canada. It's delivered to a site by flatbed truck four to six weeks after the order is placed. For more information, visit http://www.michellekaufmanndesigns.com or http://www.glidehouse.com. Douglas Cutler Modular Home Design Center Wilton, Conn. In 1993, Cutler purchased a piece of property on which to build a house for himself and his family. He opted to build a modular house and designed what is still considered one of the most contemporary modular houses in the country. Cutler started investigating module construction in 1985, when he was building subdivisions. Over the years, he designed modular houses and redesigned existing homes using modular additions, developing a reputation as a knowledgeable modular architect. 

He particularly likes to use modular construction when remodeling houses, because once the physical construction begins, it is faster and less disruptive than traditional building methods. A first-floor modular addition can be made weathertight in a day, Cutler says. Kitchens, which can be complicated to build, are assembled at the modular factory, with cabinets, appliances and countertops all put in place - in other words, an instant kitchen. For a second-story addition, the existing ceiling of the first story is left in place and the module is set above it. 

Once Cutler identifies where the steps will be, the general contractor can build them while the modular box is being constructed in the factory. When it's completed, the modular addition is trucked to the site and set in the proper position with a crane, so the steps align between floors. The staircase is then completed by the contractor. The best part is, the homeowners can live in the house during the construction, since the added module is usually set in a day. There are limitations with modular additions, Cutler notes, such as when "transferring the loads of the second story down through the existing house sensibly

This can be complicated to do, he says, so it is necessary to have a licensed design professional on this type of project. "The real challenge,‚¬

Cutler explains, "is blending the new design with the old so it looks seamless.‚¬

For smaller, one-room renovations with minimal electricity and plumbing - such as a den - modular construction may not be financially practical, Cutler says. For there to be a cost advantage, he recommends that modular additions be 800 to 1,000 square feet, with bathrooms or kitchens. "There is an even larger cost savings in additions than there are in whole-house constructions,‚¬

adds Dave Wrocklage of Epoch Homes, a modular manufacturer in New Hampshire. 

For more information on Douglas Cutler, visit http://www.modulararchitecture.com. 

Joseph Edward Modular Design Group Aspen, Colo. Joseph Edward, a designer of custom modular homes, believes areas like Aspen are well-suited for modular building. In such a short building season, a modular home can be factory-built, assembled quickly on-site and closed in before it is exposed to the elements. Quick build times also help ensure that the weather doesn't hold up construction. In addition, Aspen often experiences labor shortages, particularly in the construction industry. With modular construction, a house can be factory-built where there is a larger labor force and where wages are more reasonable, and then trucked to the site, keeping costs down. Edward's designs range from cottage-style or Not So Big houses to large estate homes. He learned the modular-building craft while designing for a number of companies over the past decade and a half. 

After spending most of his career designing site-built homes, he became acquainted with modular building while working for Steven Winter Associates in New York City in the late 1980s and early 1990s. While working on the Steven Winter team, Edward developed the rocker hinge with an associate, Roy Pertchik. The hinge allows a factory to ship a module with a cathedral ceiling lying flat; the ceiling can be lifted up when the house is set. Edward and Pertchik patented the hinge, which has since been used in a variety of modular home designs. 

When Timber Creek Homes, a Nebraska-based builder of modular homes, started shipping to the Colorado area, Edward began to design houses for clients in the area. His first modular house with Timber Creek was the Cedar Hills model, which he designed initially for a developer as a spec house. He later was employed by another developer to design four variations on this initial design for an upscale subdivision. Edward continues to design variations on the Cedar Hills model, along with other custom homes in the Aspen and Vail areas. 

For more information, visit http://www.modulardesigngroup.com. Across the country, modular homebuilding is gaining popularity, and with architects creating custom modular designs sure to meet any homeowner's needs and tastes, the trend is sure to gain steam in the years ahead. Sheri Koones is a columnist, freelance writer and the author of Modular Mansions and House About It, published by Gibbs Smith. She's based in Greenwich, Conn. pullquotes For a second-story addition, the ceiling of the first story is left in place and the module is set above it, though care must be taken when transferring loads down to the existing structure.

 In regions with short building seasons, modular construction makes sense, since a home can be factory-built, assembled quickly on-site and closed in before it's exposed to harsh weather conditions. Architects who design modular homes must consider a number of factors, such as the size of the boxes the manufacturer is able to produce, and the orientation of the rooms. For smaller, one-room renovations with minimal electricity and plumbing, such as a den, modular construction may not be financially practical.