Efficient modular homes offer great alternative for home buyers

There are a lot of conversations being held around the housing crisis at all levels of government, but very few concrete solutions being offered to families looking to secure affordable housing. However, there are options for those potential buyers looking for viable alternatives to traditionally built homes.

One shining example is the new Russell Ridge Estates at Marionville now being built and sold by Guildcrest Homes, a proud member of the Pro-Fab Group, a leading modular home builder across Quebec, Ontario and the Maritimes.

Unlike a traditional build, where waves of tradespeople show up to a job site to provide framing, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC services over an extended period, modular homes are built to order indoors in a controlled factory environment. That process offers a lot of advantages in terms of energy efficiency and quality control, this according to Sean Kelly, Senior Ontario Sales Director for Guildcrest Homes.

“I like to use the analogy that compares the home build to building a car,” said Kelly. “If your automobile manufacturer was building your $50,000 car outside in a field, tarping it every Friday as the build progresses, there are factors like weather that affect the build. The same goes for a traditional home build. Rain and moisture can seep in as the build progresses. We deliver a complete home build constructed in a closed environment that ensures all aspects of the home are protected.”

According to Kelly, while traditional home building still has its merits, modular home building is really the crest of the wave when it comes to the future of home construction in Ontario.

“There is nothing wrong with that fashion of building, it’s just outdated,” he said. “It’s really about evolution. Europeans have been using the modular format for decades now. Ontario is slow behind the wheel. In Ontario, modular home building represents less than 2 percent of the new home builds. In comparison, it represents 18 to 25 percent of new home building in Quebec. It’s also popular in the Western provinces and in the U.S.”

Part of hesitation potential buyers might have is an incorrect perception of modular homes, often confusing them with mobile homes and expecting there to be wheels in the basement. In truth, Guildcrest modular homes are built to standards that exceed the Ontario building code. They can also be built faster than a traditional home and can be easily “personalized” to suit a buyer’s personal preference.

“We build over the base line of the Ontario building code,” said Kelly, whose company builds approximately 600 homes a year. “Our homes offer R70 insulation in the attic, R31 on the exterior walls above the current acceptance of the OBC., so you’re getting a really good seal within the house. Our homes come complete. The kitchen’s in, the tiling would be completed within the factory, certain areas of the flooring. The walls are primed and ready for paint, the fixtures are in. Our roof is actually a hinged truss system that allows it to fold for transportation.”

Guildcrest modular homes are installed on poured concrete foundations and come complete with all the requisite HVAC systems expected. They are constructed in much the same fashion as a Lego house would get built, installing the individually constructed component blocks in a variety of unique and personalized configurations that meet the home buyers needs and expectations.

While Guildcrest has traditionally dealt with buyers who had a piece of property on which they wanted a structure built, the Russell Ridge developed is the company’s first self-directed subdivision build.

“We have 17 lots in there we’ve purchased,” explained Kelly. “The homes have City of Ottawa water service, with three-quarter acre lots. We’ve built three different models we have for sale. The balance of the lots we’ll personalize the build. A small deposit can trigger the build and we can have you in your modular home in half the time it would take to get you into that traditional build.”

To learn more about Russell Ridge and the benefits of modular homes, visit Guildcrest Homes online here.