When a modular home is delivered to the site, the following items will be installed: drywall, electrical switches, ceiling lights, cable jacks and television jacks; kitchen and bathroom cabinetry, bath fixtures - toilets, tubs, showers, soakers and space; vinyl flooring, carpeting; window and door trim. Even though 90 percent of the interior finishes are installed, you will still need an on sight finish carpenter to finish up the following items to make the modular home ready for occupancy.
- Exterior Door Adjustment - After your modular home is set on the foundation there is a possibility the exterior doors will need to be adjusted to close correctly. This is a minor repair that is common as an adjustment that is inherent with modular home construction.
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- Window Adjustment - Windows installed in a modular home often need minor adjustments to operate correctly. This is a standard responsibility of a modular home builder. Using a seasoned modular home builder will minimize under bidding and complaints.
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- Air Sealing - After the modular home is set, the marriage walls and ceilings will need to be air sealed. Smart builders use two part spray polyurethane spray foam or cans of one part spray foam. Never use fiberglass insulation as an air sealing material. Fiberglass can be used to stuff between the modular homes marriage wall as blocking for proper air sealing.
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- Vaulted Ceiling Roof Vents - If your modular home has a vaulted ceiling, you will need to install rafter baffles from the eave to the ridge vent. Once while inspecting a modular home for Haven Homes in Winfield PA, I saw this done for the first time. After the baffles were installed from the eave to the ridge, the entire rafter / truss cavity was insulated and air sealed by the Energy Professionals from Lock Haven PA.
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- Vaulted Ceiling Insulation - If you have selected a vaulted ceiling for your home, you will need to insulate your roof. The two choices to insulate this area include: spray foam insulation and fiberglass batts. Please read the Article: Selecting the Best Insulation for Your Modular Home. If you use spray foam insulation you will not be required to ventilate the roof. The worst selection for your modular home is using fibergalls insulation to insulate your vaulted ceiling. Fiberglass insulation will require ventilation which creates a convective loop.
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- Vaulted Ceiling Drywall - After your roof has been insulated in your modular home you will need to dry wall the ceiling. Most factories will drywall as a ship loose item. When a modular home is shipped, many of the finish pieces will be shipped loose in the modules.
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- Drywall Completion - After your modular home is set on the foundation, there could be areas requiring the installation of drywall. Areas where drywall is usually laid back in a modular home is on areas that are clear spans between boxes or modules. Most modular home factories will lay the drywall off two feet on each side to provide space for a full sheet of drywall to be installed between the modules.
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- Interior Stair Finish - Two story modular homes require the contractor to "pull" the top two or three stairs into place. After the top stair section is in place, the stairs will need to be attached to the stringer by nailing.
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- Stair Railing -Modular homes can be delivered with stair rails installed, shipped loose or omitted from the order. Some prefab factories can install custom railings and some only install the simplest and least expensive stairs in your modular home. Always ask to see the modular home factory's product guide before ordering factory installed stair railing. If the prefab home factory has a two story model, ask the sales rep if the stair railing in their model home offered by the factory.
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- Interior Trim - Most of a modular homes trim is installed in the factory. If you are going to install hardwood flooring on site, the factory can either "tack" the flooring to the wall in precut sections or they can raise the trim to the height required to accomodate your hardwood flooring. One area in your modular home which will require modular home trim to be installed is areas between marriage walls. Included in the module as a ship loose items will be trim paint and putty to cover nail holes.
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- Ceramic Tile - Installing ceramic tile in a modular home factory is now a common occurrence. Under the ceramic tile, the factory will install cement board to stiffen the floor for the installation of ceramic tile. Ceramic tile requires one and a quarter inch thick floor under the ceramic to properly support the tile. After the modular home is delivered and set, grouting factory installed tile will be required. If you decide to install ceramic tile on your own, you will need to inform the factory. The factory can install the cement board in tiled areas. The factory will also need to be told where to position or install your trim and increase door heights to accomodate the tile in your new house.
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- Hardwood flooring - Hardwood flooring in modular homes has become a standard factory installed option. The factory will install as much as possible. But, when an area which has ceramic tile, vinyl or hardwood transverse a marriage wall, the smaller area will not be installed in the module. You will be required to hire a flooring installer to finish the installation.
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- Carpet - Carpet is the standard modular home floor covering. Today, carpet installed in modular homes is same as it is in a site built home. If the carpet covers over a marriage wall, you will need a carpet installer seam the carpet and reinstall the rug. Some modular home factories will install the carpet after the home has been set and all but finishes. The best time to install flooring in a modular home is the day before you plan on moving in for occupancy.
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- Appliances - Appliances such as dishwashers and microwaves will be installed in your modular home at the factory. Gas appliances will be put in place, but most factories will not install the gas lines to any appliances. If your appliance requirers venting, kitchen exhaust hoods, the factory will vent the unit to the exterior of the building.
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