Over the last few years we have struggled like a lot of modular builders with unstable factories that frankly kept going out of business. To say the least, this is one of the worst things that could possibly happen mid-project. We were fortunate to complete all of our projects prior to any major corporate shake-ups at the factories, but I have several contacts in the modular building industry that were not so fortunate. We feel blessed that we were able to deliver on every contract as promised despite the stormy market conditions.
As the Great Recession grew longer and longer (on our 5th year now in California), we cleaned up our supplier list and stopped working with any factory that wasn't financially stable. If a factory is stable and have a great product, a service department that you can count on, and there is a strong will to exceed the client's expectations then we will offer their product. Without all of those conditions being met we decided we are not going to take any unnecessary risks with our client's project and money.
In serving our clients seeking custom designed projects, it became more clear that the clients do not care about the factory to start off with. Clients looking for a modular home are looking to find a plan first. Period. Once the client has identified a plan they like, they want to identify the company that they will be working with and later on who the manufacturing sub-contractor will be. Most modular home company's that build with several factories organize their websites by the manufacturer's brand name, which benefits no one. The client's don't know the difference between each factory and aren't going to learn it looking at the distributor's website.
So, being a company that has no problem changing directions when it makes sense, and also being a company that go their website hacked and had to redesign the site using newer high security design and management software (Joomla), we decided to make the change with our redesign. Since we launched the site in its current form about 6 months ago we have been retaining a much higher percentage of our client's because the site is intuitive. Its a simple thing but it has made a big difference in serving potential client's in the way that they think and then following up with more information and specifications about the factory that we plan to use to build their home with the specifications at the time of a formal proposal when that information becomes relevant.
Take a look at www.cuttingedgehomes.net/plan-collections.php
Showing posts with label modular home planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label modular home planning. Show all posts
Monday, June 13, 2011
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Planning efficiency and Construction efficiency
One of the struggles with using a building system like panelized or modular homes is that the time efficiency that comes from the approach to building does not get you any additional time efficiencies with the planning and permitting process. We can save money and simplify the planning process, but it normally takes about the same amount of time to get a building permit.
A conventional construction project and panelized construction project will roughly follow this process to permit approval:
1. Choose an architect or designer, sign a contract and make a deposit so they start working. Pick a base plan to start with and redesign, or start a schematic design from scratch.
2. Concurrently, get your soils report completed if it has not been done already to determine the approximate foundation system required on your site.
3. Complete schematic design and submit for Planning Approval if required in your area as a separate submittal, make revisions as directed.
4. Make a larger deposit to start the production of the full set of construction documents. Include hiring a civil and structural engineer and getting them started in this step.
5. Construction documents are completed and submitted to the building department, receive red-line corrections and make modifications as required.
6. Pick up and pay for building permit.
A modular home construction project will roughly follow this process to permit approval:
1. Choose an architect or designer to start working on your schematic design, or hire modular home company to design your home. It can be done either way, but it is normally recommended to come to your modular home company with a strong idea of what you want and work with them to "modularize" or do a "modular translation" of your plan. Modular home companies usually employ an in-house designer that costs less than architects or other designers. At Cutting Edge Homes, our in-house design team headed by Chris Wells can help you design any home you want to build. Pick a base plan to start with and redesign, or start a schematic design from scratch.
2. Concurrently, get your soils report completed if it has not been done already to determine the approximate foundation system required on your site.
3. Complete schematic design and submit for Planning Approval if required in your area as a separate submittal, make revisions as directed.
4. Make a larger deposit to start the production of the full set of Factory Built Housing construction documents, which are completed by the modular home factory and submitted to the a state 3rd party approval agency for review. Include hiring a civil engineer for grading and erosion control plans and getting them started in this step.
5. Construction documents including the state 3rd party stamped Factory Built Housing plans are completed and submitted to the building department, receive red-line corrections on the on-site construction portion only (factory built is exempt from local review), and make modifications as required.
6. Pick up and pay for building permit.
There are several advantages to the modular home Planning process. The modular home Planning process is simplified because you don't have a drawn out design process like happens with many architects. We make a health consideration of what you want in your home, but since we are also building your home we can help steer you toward options that are high performing and of reasonable cost.
It is normally much less expensive because the payment for step #4, the "full set of Factory Built Housing construction documents", is actually a deposit that is credited toward the purchase of your modular home. That is not the case with step #4 on the conventional construction Planning process list, which is a sunk cost that is not credited toward the purchase of your home.
A few years ago we realized that the Planning process was going rather slowly for our clients, so we decided to take a more active role when our client's desired Planning and permit processing services. We have a great team that does everything from the initial site review, coordination with all of the project engineers, submission to planning department and public meetings, preparation of the building permit submittal package, and coordination of all red-line corrections to the plans. We want to make our projects happen, not just talk about imaginary things that never happen. Our active Planning and permit processing work helps that goal get accomplished with minimal headache. It is not possible to build a home without headaches, because that just seems to be part of what happens when you get a bunch of government agencies and their regulations overlapping on one project, but we have the experience to get you to a permit and get your home built as quickly as is possible.
A conventional construction project and panelized construction project will roughly follow this process to permit approval:
1. Choose an architect or designer, sign a contract and make a deposit so they start working. Pick a base plan to start with and redesign, or start a schematic design from scratch.
2. Concurrently, get your soils report completed if it has not been done already to determine the approximate foundation system required on your site.
3. Complete schematic design and submit for Planning Approval if required in your area as a separate submittal, make revisions as directed.
4. Make a larger deposit to start the production of the full set of construction documents. Include hiring a civil and structural engineer and getting them started in this step.
5. Construction documents are completed and submitted to the building department, receive red-line corrections and make modifications as required.
6. Pick up and pay for building permit.
A modular home construction project will roughly follow this process to permit approval:
1. Choose an architect or designer to start working on your schematic design, or hire modular home company to design your home. It can be done either way, but it is normally recommended to come to your modular home company with a strong idea of what you want and work with them to "modularize" or do a "modular translation" of your plan. Modular home companies usually employ an in-house designer that costs less than architects or other designers. At Cutting Edge Homes, our in-house design team headed by Chris Wells can help you design any home you want to build. Pick a base plan to start with and redesign, or start a schematic design from scratch.
2. Concurrently, get your soils report completed if it has not been done already to determine the approximate foundation system required on your site.
3. Complete schematic design and submit for Planning Approval if required in your area as a separate submittal, make revisions as directed.
4. Make a larger deposit to start the production of the full set of Factory Built Housing construction documents, which are completed by the modular home factory and submitted to the a state 3rd party approval agency for review. Include hiring a civil engineer for grading and erosion control plans and getting them started in this step.
5. Construction documents including the state 3rd party stamped Factory Built Housing plans are completed and submitted to the building department, receive red-line corrections on the on-site construction portion only (factory built is exempt from local review), and make modifications as required.
6. Pick up and pay for building permit.
There are several advantages to the modular home Planning process. The modular home Planning process is simplified because you don't have a drawn out design process like happens with many architects. We make a health consideration of what you want in your home, but since we are also building your home we can help steer you toward options that are high performing and of reasonable cost.
It is normally much less expensive because the payment for step #4, the "full set of Factory Built Housing construction documents", is actually a deposit that is credited toward the purchase of your modular home. That is not the case with step #4 on the conventional construction Planning process list, which is a sunk cost that is not credited toward the purchase of your home.
A few years ago we realized that the Planning process was going rather slowly for our clients, so we decided to take a more active role when our client's desired Planning and permit processing services. We have a great team that does everything from the initial site review, coordination with all of the project engineers, submission to planning department and public meetings, preparation of the building permit submittal package, and coordination of all red-line corrections to the plans. We want to make our projects happen, not just talk about imaginary things that never happen. Our active Planning and permit processing work helps that goal get accomplished with minimal headache. It is not possible to build a home without headaches, because that just seems to be part of what happens when you get a bunch of government agencies and their regulations overlapping on one project, but we have the experience to get you to a permit and get your home built as quickly as is possible.
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