Modular homes are more common in northern states, where bad weather makes outdoor construction more problematic. But they are growing more prevalent in the Gulf Coast region as a faster solution for post-hurricane housing woes.

The Home Depot introduced its modular home sale program at the New Orleans Home and Garden Show in early April. Tangipahoa Parish officials recently announced that a Gramercy company, B&D Manufacturing, will build a $30 million modular-home-building facility near the Pumpkin Center exit of Interstate 12.

Louisiana System Built Homes, a modular home company that had taken over part of a shuttered St. Martinville factory after Katrina, recently announced plans to buy the 1 million-square-foot facility.

‘It’s about time and quality’

But as the local market expands, quality is the potential consumer’s watchword. “The quality of a modular home is just like anything else,” said John Gutierrez, a partner in a Mandeville development firm. “You have a Yugo all the way to a Mercedes.”

McPherson agreed. “There’s a lot of junk out there,” she said. “You just need to educate yourself.” She said she did thorough research, reading books and Web sites, investigating companies and visiting homes. She settled on All American Homes and interviewed at least 10 contractors before settling on Gutierrez.

Buying a modular home wasn’t less expensive than building from scratch, she said. Shipping alone cost $10,000. But she didn’t have to worry about water damage, theft during construction or the risk of cost overruns. The house was built well, and it was built quickly, she said.

McPherson declined to say how much her modular home cost, but Gutierrez said houses like hers have a price range between $90 and $110 per square foot, depending on amenities and add-ons.

Gutierrez said he can typically finish three modular houses in the time it takes him to build a traditional one. Because the house arrives 90 percent complete, he said, he prepares the foundation and site, then “trims out,” or adds the final touches such as siding and flooring.

“I’ll never stick-build again. Ever,” said the longtime builder. Gutierrez said his company didn’t deal with many modular homes before Katrina, but now it’s about half the company’s business. “It’s about time and quality, and for us . . . it makes our life a whole lot easier.”

McPherson’s house is composed of pine, brick and vinyl. It has 9-foot ceilings and 8-foot doors and windows that are rated for 130-mph winds, he said. The structure itself is rated for 148-mph winds, and the roof has architectural shingles. It has a 10-year warranty, but Gutierrez said it should last 100 years.

McPherson has been renting a house nearby, and she is excited about the prospect of moving in soon. After living through the hurricane’s damage and its aftermath, wrestling with the decision to demolish her cottage and planning her new home, watching it come together has been an uplifting experience.

She said she was thrilled to see half the house erected on the day it was delivered, and the whole thing assembled the next day. When she walked in, “it was nicer than anything I could have imagined,” she said. “It is just such a happy experience.”

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Bruce Hamilton can be reached at bhamilton@timespicayune.com or (985)898-4827.

source : www.nola.com

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