Maine Modular & Custom Home News

Good Advice in the Modular Housing Market

Sharon — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:22:20 +0000

The Portland Press Herald posted some really good advice regarding modular housing in the Simon Says Column on October 16, 2009. The question submitted had to do with the bad reputation modular building can have and how to know if modular construction is the right choice for your building needs. Simon replied:

“I would encourage you to do your homework before you make a commitment. I would find out who the manufacturer of the house is and contact them directly. I would ask them to give you names of contractors who have worked with their product.

After speaking to the contractors on their take on the product, I would then ask the contractors for the names of the end users – people who are living in the houses. I would then contact those individuals directly.”

Good advice Simon! Any modular builder worthy of their name would want their customer to check them out thoroughly before deciding to buy. Matching your expectations to your builder’s expectation makes for a happy consumer. Thanks for the tip.

Extension of the Housing Credit a Possibility

Sharon — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 19:22:43 +0000

The National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) has written an article explaining the predicted outcome of extending the housing tax credit. They predict that extending the housing credit for another year would create 350,000 jobs and promote 82,000 new house starts. This would boost the overall health of the economy and stimulate the housing market. You can read the report at this site. In addition they have created a page to send a letter to Congress to show your support for extending this credit. Click here for the letter.

Housing Market News

Sharon — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:46:25 +0000

The housing market news is haltingly optimistic. While some are forecasting a slowdown in the rebound, statistics are still showing remarkable comebacks. The Realty Times posts that housing sales are on the increase due to great prices and great mortgage rates. The back log of existing homes is diminishing, so the prospect of building new is increasing. Building new with modular and systems built technology is gaining popularity as never before. Modular building makes sense because you can have your cake and eat it too. You can get great pricing, the floor plan you want and the energy consciousness you desire your home to have so you don’t have to worry about paying your heating bills. Perhaps some of you are still looking at the existing home market but you are never really satisfied with the floor plan. Don’t forget that you will most likely need to add money to your budget to make upgrades to the energy efficiency of that home, too. When you add it all up – building new is great value and will save you money.

Schiavi Home Survives Storm

Sharon — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 13:42:09 +0000

When Paul and Cathy Bickford bought a new Schiavi home they knew it came with guaranteed workmanship, but they never thought they would have to live through a tornado to find out how well their home was built. Touching down in their back yard the tornado, so rare in Maine, caused about 20 trees to be blown over. Luckily for the Bickfords their new home was fine. We at Schiavi Home Builders are thrilled that the Bickfords are safe and pleased that their home escaped damage. There was never a doubt in our mind that they purchased a quality home and we are glad that it stood up to the unusual winds in this crazy storm system that passed through Oxford County. You can read more about the storm at the Sun Journal.

Someone Has to Win

Sharon — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 14:27:13 +0000

Do you like to enter sweepstakes and contests? I found these on the Natural Home Magazine website. You enter with a chance to win sustainable home products or garden tools or even a community chicken coop valued at over $2000. At the same time you can sign up to be on their e-mail list and get the latest information on green products and sustainable living. Even if you don’t win the sweepstake prize, you will benefit from all the timely tips the e-mail newsletters will provide for your home. Who knows – you might win the prize too, someone has to win!

It’s In There – Energy Efficiency in Modular Building

Sharon — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:59:59 +0000

Mother Nature Network has a great blog article about manufactured housing: A to Zeta. It shows just how far sytems built technology has come with efficient green building. Pay attention to the list of green features. What it shows is that it is available – if not the norm – yet. Modular building is all about making your home what you want it to be. If you are looking for an energy efficient green building, ask for that and voila, it’s in there. If you want more closet space – ask for that and like magic, it’s in there. Your new home should be everything you want it to be. The energy conscience townhouse seen in this blog may be just what you have in mind. A country ranch might be more to your liking – we can do that, too. If you’ve never watched a modular home craned onto a foundation be sure to watch the short You Tube video of the townhouse being set into place at the bottom of the blog post on Mother Nature Network. It’s fun to see it done in a mere 4 minutes with the men scurrying around so quickly. Of course it takes longer than that in the real world, but it is still a much faster process than stick building on site. If you’ve never considered a modular home before I encourage you to consider it now. Call us to find out how it would work out for you!

New Home Inventory

Sharon — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:54:28 +0000

You’ve moved into your new home and love it…but have you taken an inventory for insurance purposes? It is an important step in getting settled to take a home inventory in the event something happens to your new home. Unfortunately we do have to be prepared for the unthinkable; the only thing worse than losing your brand new home to a disaster would be to lose your home and not have an inventory of the contents. If this seems like an overwhelming task read this brochure I found on www.housing-information.org. It is a guide to help you know what you need to keep a record of in case of loss. You will rest easier knowing you have taken this practical step.

Spend a Little, Save a Lot

Sharon — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:30:09 +0000

In this economy where we are all looking to save money and energy, these products found at ThisOldHouse.com make a lot of sense. Some of them might seem a little pricey, but if you factor in the energy savings, the net cost can be zero in just a matter of months. My favorite item is the washer and dryer that can complete a clothes cycle in 30 minutes. The energy saved in two years pays for them, but if I included in my time value – conservatively saying $30 per hour – with the amount of laundry to do in my house, I figure they could pay for themselves in six months. Now, if This Old House would find a way that every item is folded and pressed when I open the dryer door, that would be priceless.

What to Expect?

Sharon — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:32:42 +0000

The July 2009 Builder Magazine published results from their recent survey in an article titled Brave New World. They have taken a good look at what the home builders of the future will be expecting in the housing market. There are three distinct markets that will drive these expectations according to the newest information. Immigrants will still be dreaming about being able to build a home big enough for extended family, Baby Boomers will be looking to downsize without giving up quality, and the “Millenials” will be looking for urban, uncluttered and well designed homes. All three groups will be looking at affordability due to economic constraints that were not there in the past. The builders of the future will need to accommodate a variety of expectations and keep the cost down. This is where sytems built technology has a head start. Design, affordability and meeting expectations have always been the foremost concerns in a modular building process. As we look to the future we can expect that modular building will be in a prime position to help anyone build the home they are looking for.

Aesthetic Solar Roof Panels

Sharon — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:35:35 +0000

Solar roof collectors are often considered an eyesore and therefore don’t get the consideration they deserve. Now, Velux, which has been making skylights for many years, has made a solar collector panel that blends right in with their oversized skylights. Velux offers the complete package for solar collecting; including a pump station, a controller, a mixing valve, an air separator, an expansion tank and propylene glycol to charge the sytem. Now your roof will look like you have ordinary skylights, but you will be the happy consumer of renewable energy. The best news is that this package qualifies for energy tax credits.