Here in West Virginia, we're used to rough winters. However, the storms we've experienced over the past few years have been pretty severe - when you can measure snow in feet rather than inches, it's pretty safe to call it "severe weather."
In the aftermath of these storms, we've seen roofs collapse under the weight of snow and high winds blow homes over like the Big Bad Wolf huffing and puffing. However, it's been proven time and time again that modular homes stand up better to extreme weather than traditionally-built homes. Even FEMA praised modular construction as it "performed much better than conventional framing" in hurricane-level winds.*
Here are a few reasons why modular construction is safer in sever weather:
The modular building system creates a more rigid and sound structure than traditional stick-built homes. Think about it: your home is built in separate modules (or boxes) that have to be strong enough to withstand the process of loading it onto a truck, traveling on roads at 60+ miles per hour, and lifted and set into place by a crane. If you think about it, each module has been through the equivalent of a hurricane and an earthquake before you even move into it - those modules need to be pretty solid in order to make it through all that!
Add to that the idea that each module is attached to each other, providing load-bearing inner walls that are twice as thick as conventional walls because they are essentially 2 exterior walls set back to back.
Imagine four small boxes built from Lego blocks, then attached to one another at the top and bottom in a larger box shape. That's a building that won't be easily knocked down!
Oftentimes, substandard workmanship is cited as the reason roofs and walls fail in severe weather. This is often because small construction teams are building many different jobs on the same project. A framer may be asked to finish drywall, or a roofer to install vinyl siding. If that person is inexperienced in that specific task, you could end up with poor workmanship.
Modular homes are essentially built inside a large factory, with specific people building a specific part of the home every day: roofers, framers, window installers, drywall finishers, etc. These builders do the same thing the same way with the same tools day in and day out, so they by nature are extremely experienced at their specific job. This consistency allows them to do their job perfectly every time, insuring you receive high quality workmanship on every aspect of your home.
When a stick-built home is finished, a home inspector comes in and checks the house out from top to bottom. The inspector must sign off on the safety of the construction before the owner can move in.
The same final inspection is done with a modular home; however, there are also many additional inspections performed at every level of construction while still in the factory. In order to maintain a high quality product, modular home builders perform many specialized inspections throughout the building process...even though it is not required by the government.
Once the separate modules are delivered and set in place, they are connected inside and out at many different areas of the floors, ceilings, and walls so they are tightly bound together. This helps to strengthen what is called a Continuous Load Path, a construction concept that creates multiple connection points in order to tie the building together from top to bottom, inside and out.
This makes for a much stronger, more stable house, and a safer home for you and your family.
If you'd like to talk about the benefits of building a modular home, CONTACT US or give us a call at 304-291-0072...or better yet, stop by our office in Morgantown!
At Paradise Homes, we have a variety of model homes on our lot that you can tour, all with different options, floorplans, square footage, and styles. After walking through our models, you can sit down with our expert staff and talk about what features are important to you, where you'd like to build, and what your home will cost. We'll customize a floorpan just for you, and walk you through every step of the home buying process.
If you'd like to learn more about modular homes, click the button below to download our FREE eBook!
*From FEMA report: "Building Performance: Hurricane Andrew in Florida." You may obtain a copy of this publication at the FEMA site, FEMA publication file FIA-22.
