DESIGN YOUR OWN MODULAR HOME PLAN

So you have decided you are ready to build your new custom home. Building a new custom home can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. There is so much to do, from selecting a building site to selecting a floor plan and then selecting colors. There are so many decisions to make. If you are like most home owners, you have been looking at home plan websites and checking out Houzz.com for months, even years. By now you have a picture in your mind of what the perfect dream home would be like. However, finding it is a completely different story.

Designing your own house can be a fanstastic journey of ingenuity and creativity. In looking at plans and searching design websites you have probably accumulated lots of ideas. It is time to get organized! Having all of the things you like scattered about on scraps of papers will make it much more difficult as you start to design your home. Get a sturdy graph-ruled notebook and keep it with you. You can keep the pages numbered and it will help you to organize your thoughts and keep your sketches neat. You can also paste or tape in photos, pictures, lists, contractors, numbers, and anything else that is important to designing your new home.

Express Modular has integrated an interactive 3D design tool into the website to use when creating a working home floor plan.

7 TIPS WHEN DESIGNING A MODULAR HOME

TIP 1 – MODULE SIZE

A modular home, as the name implies, is constructed by assembling a group of modules to create the finished home structure. Each of these modules is individually transported to your site. Modules are typically built in widths of approximately 10′, 12′, 14′, and 16′. When designing a modular home it is more cost effective (but not a limit) to make the width of your overall home a multiple of standard widths (i.e. 28′, 32′, etc).

TIP 2 – ROOF LINES

As with any residential construction method, a large variety of complex roof lines add to the overall expense of the construction for your home. While it is important to design a home you will be proud to live in, don’t underestimate the positive impact on your home budget of simplified roof lines.

TIP 3 – BATHROOM LOCATIONS

Don’t feel constrained by placement of bathrooms. Plumbing is relatively cheap. Don’t let your concern for plumbing costs impact your plan. Design it for your lifestyle first!

TIP 4 – CEILINGS

Open space is important. Modular homes allow for vaulted ceilings, cathedral ceilings, and even 9′ high ceilings. Open spaces on marriage walls (the structural joint where modules meet) have typical engineering restrictions. It is usually possible to have 19′ to 24′ clear openings on structural walls. If you want larger openings it is usually possible to insert a small support with a decorative covering to make it appear as an intended part of the design.

TIP 5 – WINDOW AND DOOR LOCATIONS

In all home design, keep track of the exterior appearance and location of windows and doors as well as the interior appearance. There are building code requirements that determine the minimum size and opening areas for windows. If you have any specific concerns about this don’t hesitate to contact us.

TIP 6 – ROOM SIZES

The size of the rooms of your home ultimately depends on you and your lifestyle requirements. Here are some basic area guidelines for homes that you can follow:

• Dining Room: Between 125-200 sq.ft
• Living Room: 175-330 sq.ft
• Master Bedroom: 145-300 sq.ft
• Bathroom: 40-80 sq.ft
• Kitchen: 135-300 sq.ft

TIP 7 – CREATE YOUR DRAFT FLOOR PLAN

Call Express Modular to help you with any questions or to learn more about modular home design as you develop you dream floor plan.

The home design program is great for allowing you to draw floor plans in 2D then visualize them in 3D. You can easily move walls as you refine your design. You can quickly produce, view, and generate designs from your ideas. You can modify the plan as you drag and drop furniture, appliances and fixtures into the design. Many times, you’ll realize that there isn't enough space for furniture or fixtures, or that maybe there is wasted space in some areas. The interactive tool is just that, a tool, a way to help you create working designs to submit for beginning the process of building your new custom home.