Modular homes are homes that are pre-built into sections in a factory environment. This means the materials are not exposed to adverse weather conditions during the manufacturing process. The units pass one factory process after another, with their quality checked at every step by the builder's quality control division. After the finishing phase, the modules are covered and then brought to the home site. There, they are installed on a prebuilt foundation and sealed together before the local builder completes the project. 

Speed of Construction

How fast a modular home can be built depends on the design and the manufacturing company, but some modular homes can be built in as short as one week. And because modulars are built indoors, there are no delays due to weather. More info about this are defined in the given link. Usually, two to four weeks more is required for the local builder to finish the project once the modules have been transported to the site.

Building Standards and Regulations

Now also called manufactured homes, modular homes are constructed in accordance to the same federal code everywhere in the US. A modular home abides by the building codes required for the specific location that it is delivered to, and many cases, the finished product even exceeds the requirements.

Variety in Design

Unless people actually knows that a home is modular, they can never tell that it is. Manufacturers make use of special software to create plans that suit the client's preferences, or change a pre-designed plan as necessary. More of this are discussed in the site at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modular_building. This only indicates that any home plan can be transformed into a modular home. There are modulars that are very basic and look a lot like double-wide manufactured homes, but they still have significant differences. Each manufacturer is unique, so a client has to to ask about flexibility issues if he intends to have his own design.

Banks Financing Modular Homes 

Contrary to a common perception, most banks do finance modular homes, and even appraisers and insurance companies treat these houses the same way as any other. Anyone considering modular home loan financing should ask banks as well as mortgage brokers in their area for more information.

Are Modular Homes Cost-effective? 

There are times when modular homes can actually be cheaper per square foot than homes with a similar size and location. And this housing option from this homepage has other cost-saving features as well, such an energy efficiency and mobility.

If you're planning to build a home, modular housing is one of the best options you have today. You can Google your way to a local manufacturer, or ask people you know. Friends, relatives, colleagues, neighbors - they might be able to give you some referrals. After all, nothing bests a personal recommendation. Or just check the Yellow Pages, but do your research and don't just take an ad's for it.