On average, a modular home costs 15% less than its exact counterpart that’s built in the traditional manner. The final modular home cost depends on how much customization is involved, your general contractor, and the upgrades you choose for your new home.
Below you can see how Next Modular breaks down those costs.
MODULAR HOME COSTS
The price of the basic home structure depends on the modular home floorplan you select. You can see the base “Home-Only” price of all our homes on our website. The price posted includes the modular home itself (built to our Standard Specifications), sitting at the factory ready to be delivered to your lot. We also Deliver & Set every home we sell, but this cost is not included in the Home-Only price, as it depends on your location. We can also do interior marriage line drywall/trim, and final exterior siding button up work within our Turn-Key Service radius, but these costs are priced separate from the Home-Only cost shown, and the costs depend on which home you’re getting. Outside our Turn-Key radius we can still do a Foundation & Set for you, see the links for details.
You will also need to plan for additional costs on top of the home price. Some of these additional costs are optional (like the garage) and others are not (water hookup). They also vary depending on whether or not you are building on developed or undeveloped land. Either way, we want you to know your options and have a general idea of the costs involved in building a custom modular home.
Additional Costs
One of the most common questions we get here is “how much does all the other stuff like the foundation, well, septic, etc. cost?” Here are ballpark figures for what other modular home costs you should expect.
PLEASE NOTE: THE COST OF MODULAR HOMES VARIES CONSIDERABLY FROM REGION TO REGION. THE FIGURES IN THIS POST ARE BALLPARK NUMBERS BASED ON OUR LOCAL MARKET CONDITIONS AT THE CURRENT TIME (SUMMER 2022).
FOUNDATION
Your modular home must be set on and anchored to a foundation. There are two basic types to choose from, a basement or a crawlspace (a slab foundation is not an option for a modular home). Both have their pros and cons and which one you choose depends solely on preference.
A basic poured basement with 8-foot walls, an egress window, insulation on the exterior to meet code, and a set of stairs will cost between $35,000 to $40,000 for a 1,600 SF ranch home. This estimate includes excavation/backfill, footers/walls, waterproofing, sump pit, drain tile, basement floor, sill plates, and an egress widow. A basement gives you additional storage or living space, but it also costs much more than a simple crawlspace. Your foundation cost will, of course, vary with the size of the home footprint. Even with the additional cost, if you consider all the extra living space and storage you receive, a basement can be a good investment.
A block crawlspace that is around 4’ deep, including an access panel and foam board insulation to meet code will typically add to your modular home cost from $18,000 to $20,000 for a 1,600 SF ranch home. This estimate includes excavation/backfill, footers/walls, damp proofing, sump pit, drain tile, sill plates, and an access door/well. Crawlspaces can serve as a storm shelter in an emergency, and sometimes people will use them for minor storage (although they’re not easy to walk around in!). Your ductwork and utility lines will also be in the crawlspace. Once again, the cost will vary with size.
HVAC SYSTEM
A full HVAC system install, including the furnace, AC, air ducts and gas lines to the furnace will generally cost between $10,000 and $15,000 for a 1,600 SF ranch home. Some of the homes on our website are priced to include the furnace in the home cost, but all our homes will at least need the AC unit installed on site. Your HVAC system includes not only the main unit but also the air ducts and gas lines that run beneath your home.
GARAGE
A simple 22X22 attached garage, including the garage door and opener, siding/roofing, and concrete work will add to your modular home cost between $23,000 and $25,000. A garage is optional, but not only does it add to the value of your home, but it also protects cars and increases storage. A garage is basically made up of two components, the poured concrete floor, and the walls/roof, but if you want to customize a garage to suit your individual needs, we are happy to do so.
CITY WATER HOOKUP OR A WELL
A drilled well that is 60 feet deep, including the bladder tank and water line hookups to the home will add to your modular home cost between $5,000 and $7,000. City Water costs vary considerably. The decision between doing a private well or city hookup is based on where your home will be located. If you are within city limits, there will be tap-in fees for both the water and sewer that must be paid to the local authorities. Every city’s fees are different, so we suggest you call the local water company and ask them about their hookup charges.
SEPTIC SYSTEM OR CITY SEWER CONNECTIONS
A standard “in-ground” septic system with a single tank and leach field in good soil will typically add to your modular home cost between $7,000 and $9,000. City Sewer connection costs vary considerably. Like your water connections, your sewer system will depend on the location of your home. If you are within city limits, you will need to pay the connection fees to hook up to the city’s sewers. These costs can be determined by calling the city building department and asking about Sewer Tap Fees. If you are located outside the city’s service area, then you will need to install a private septic system.
If you are outside of city limits, and a standard leach field system will not work, you will have to do a mound septic system. The determining factor is the type of soil at your location. “Bad” soil will require a mound system. The average cost for a mound system will depend on soil conditions, the size of the mound, tanks and lift pumps necessary, and regional availability of the special type of sand needed for the mound. As a result, it is difficult to give average prices for a mound system.
ELECTRICAL SERVICE
Installing an electric “meter base” on the home and running the line from the outside meter base into your home’s electric panel will add to your modular home cost between $4,000 and $6,000. This would also include miscellaneous electrical work needed per code requirements (a light in the crawlspace, for instance). You need a meter base for the local electric company to hook into with their service line and to install the electric meter on. Normally, the utility company will run lines to your home for free, unless it is far off the beaten path. Once those lines are run, additional wires must connect the meter base to the breaker box inside. There may be other electric lines to run, depending on whether you have a garage or not, and on the local codes governing light/circuit needs in the basement or crawlspace.
GAS SERVICE
If your home uses natural gas, then just like with electrical, you will need a gas meter and gas lines run under the home. Hookup to the local gas service may require a deposit or fee depending on the company, but the gas utility company will usually run the lines to your home and install a gas meter for free, depending on how far they have to run the lines.
If you need a propane tank, the propane provider will typically charge you a set fee to set the tank, run the line to your home, install the pressure reducing valves, and also charge to fill the tank with propane. It is best to call a local provider for a quote. But remember, when you hire us as your General Contractor we will handle all this for you!
BUILDING PERMITS
During our years of building and installing modular homes, we have seen total permit costs fluctuate from a low of $500 to as high as $4,000, with an average around $1,200. Average permit costs are difficult to determine. Just like stick-built homes, modular homes require a building permit. Local ordinances dictate how much a permit might cost (and it varies quite a bit). Usually, the permit costs are determined by the size of the home, and there may be permits necessary for the driveway as well. You can call your local building department and ask what the fees are for your area.
DRIVEWAY
A good ballpark for concrete work is $5 to $6 per square foot for a 4” thick drive. A good ballpark for a 10’ wide gravel drive is $6 to $8 per running foot of drive (for a long drive). Like the garage, a driveway is technically an optional feature. However, except in rare circumstances, most homeowners are going to want some sort of driveway. At Next Modular, we can put in a driveway made of gravel, concrete or asphalt. Of the three, gravel is the least expensive initially but requires periodic maintenance. Asphalt presents a nice, finished look and costs less than concrete but also requires periodic maintenance. Concrete driveways are costliest, but the best because they last longer, and they meet all city and homeowner’s association requirements.
If you live in the city, you will probably be required to go with a concrete drive, and the cost will depend on the size. A gravel driveway is a good choice for a home out in the country where driveways can be longer and therefore much more costly if they are done with asphalt or concrete.
MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES AND THE FINAL COST
We covered some of the common items that affect the cost of your custom modular home building project. There are other things to consider as well, which we’ll detail for you in your personal home estimate. Generally, these other charges include items such as General Contractor fees, gutters, lawn grading, etc. To make it easier to understand, we have put together a Sample Bid for a 1,493 SF home, based off of our Cedar Ranch Home (home price accurate as of June 2022).
HOME ESTIMATE
Ranch Home 1,493 sq. ft. $132,682
Includes: Home-Only price & material surcharges, standard finishes, ready to deliver to your lot. See our FAQ section on the home page for more info.
Foundation: Poured Basement $38,769
Includes excavation/backfill, 8’ poured basement walls, poured floor, foam board insulation, stairs, waterproofing, drain tile, sill plates, and an egress window.
HVAC $9,500
Includes upstairs furnace, air conditioning, forced air and return lines, and gas lines.
Private Well $5,500
Includes drilling, bladder tank, and hook up to the home.
Standard In-Ground Septic System $7,500
Includes 1,000 gallon tank, leach field.
PVC Drains under home + Misc Plumbing $5,100
Includes running PVC drains under home and out to septic tank, hooking to well bladder tank.
Electrical Service $5,800
Includes installing the meterbase on the home and running service lines into the home panel. (Utility hookup charges not factored in)
Miscellaneous $38,900
Includes items such as delivery & setting, interior & exterior finish work, gutters, construction drive, permits, survey/home pinning, sidewalks, dumpsters, exterior steps, and our general contractor Site Management charge.
Total Price for This Modular Home $243,751
MODULAR HOME COST IS LESS THAN TRADITIONAL STICK-BUILT HOMES
We detail out all the potential modular home costs for building and installing your modular home before you begin. While some of the costs are dependent on your building site, the majority are predetermined and/or relatively easy to figure. In our experience speaking with traditional on-site builders, and customers who come to us after speaking with a site-builder, the average price for a stick-built home is $190 to $250/sq ft, but in today’s environment of rapidly rising site-built costs, we have seen estimates from local site-builders in excess of $325/sq ft for a simple ranch home! Based on the average costs to build on-site in our area, the total cost for this same home built by traditional means (without a garage) would be $283,000 to $373,000. That’s a big difference between our modular home cost, up to $129,000 savings! Purchasing a modular home means you can afford more house for less money. However, you won’t sacrifice any of the quality of a stick-built home.
We want you to feel comfortable with the process, so we spell out all the costs before you purchase. Call us and let us put together an estimate for your next home.
At Next Modular, we know that choosing a home is likely one of the most important financial decisions you will make. As an experienced modular home builder, we are committed to being your guiding light through this process.
Call (574) 334-9590 for more information.
Next Modular builds modular homes in Indiana and Michigan. We typically take on Foundation & Set projects within a 250-mile radius of Goshen, Indiana, and full Turn-Key projects anywhere we have a local Project Manager. We can do “Home-Only” projects up to 500 miles out.
