Everything You Need To Know About Cottage Modular Home

• Modular homes are not mobile homes; once placed, they can’t be moved again.

• Modular cottage homes are affordable and quite the budget-friendly alternative to traditional-build homes.

• Modular homes can last up to 80 years depending on the materials used in the construction.
• Cottage modular homes are increasingly trending as affordable vacation homes and rental properties.

Cottage modular homes — how much do we really know about this trending housing style? Is it stable? Does the cost of cottage modular homes go through the roof? Is it a solid investment?

If you’re considering going modular, there’s much to factor in before making a purchase. First, there’s the nuance of modular vs mobile vs manufactured. Then, there is the legal process involved in building such a home that involves collecting all required permits and abiding by building codes on a state vs federal level.

In this article, we share all you need to know about cottage modular homes, including the benefits, where to buy one, and the issues you might encounter!

What Is A Modular Home?

A modular home is made up of building blocks that are designed off-site in a controlled setting. You can think of each building block as a piece of the puzzle that later joins together into a functional house. Japan’s been doing it for decades as a cost-effective alternative to traditional homes.

The basic features of modular cottage homes, also known as factory-built cottages, include customization and flexibility in layout and design. Now that we’ve mentioned flexibility, modular homes can be made into modular vacation homes, conference areas, commercial spaces, and so on.

Small modular cottages are not mobile homes or rec vehicles, but actual living spaces for families, individuals, and groups. A modular home is a house made of sections (modules) constructed in an off-site facility, assembled, and then transported to the designated location.

Yet, modular homes aren’t exactly manufactured homes. This is because manufactured homes aren’t established on a set foundation or a permanent location. The main attribute of a modular home is that once placed, it can’t be moved any further, as opposed to mobile home cottages, for example.

What Do You Mean By Cottage Modular Home?

Have you made a checklist for buying a house? Great! Now, you want to consider house-hunting for a cottage modular home, too. In fact, that’s the third housing option in play as of a few years ago.

Cottage-style modular homes are amassing a huge following in the U.S.. Everyone that feels like they know the right time to buy a house is probably considering small cottage-style modular homes due to several reasons, like cost-effectiveness, compactness, and versatility.

More and more soon-to-be homeowners are choosing manufactured cottages for their neat features, like gable roofs, small porches, and most of all, consolidated floor plans that favor comfort and functional living before anything else.

Any cottage that’s built by prefabricated construction methods is called a prefab cottage. Cottage kit homes are also prefab cottages constructed by either modular construction techniques, panelized housing building, or manufactured construction.

Just as smart houses with low energy consumption will be a top consideration for eco-friendly homeowners, manufactured small cottages are the ultimate choice for families focusing on versatility, budget, and compactness.

In essence, modular cottages fall into the category of prefab construction where differently-sized modules (elements and parts resembling a box) are built at an off-site location. When the manufacturing is done, the modules are packed and shipped to a preferred location where they are assembled.

5 Best Platforms To Find Cottage Modular Homes For Sale

Since modular homes are trending, there are a lot of companies you can find that will build, ship, and assemble a modular home for you. Whether you want this type of home for your growing family or are looking for rentable properties to serve as vacation homes, the solution is simple — modular vacation cottages.

You can find a bunch of modular cottages for sale that you can turn into your own cozy cabins to enjoy your retirement in, or even gift one to your son or daughter as a gift they can enjoy for decades.

Now more than ever, finding your dream modular home cottage is super easy. You can go online and search for cottage-style modular homes near me and see how many hits you get.

Or, save yourself the trouble and check out our top 5 modular home sites and make your pick. Plus, you can refer to this shortlist to look for renovation tips and check out the mistakes to avoid during renovation.

ManufacturedHomes

ManufacturedHomes.com is basically a directory of all dealers, manufacturers, and lenders of modular homes. Whether you’re looking for manufactured cottage homes or are already a homeowner looking for a switch of housings, you’ll find everything you need at ManufacturedHomes. Simply enter your query in the search bar and scan through the results.

ModularHomes

Search what you need at ModularHomes.com and discover, tweak, and get a unique price quote on the modular home model that appeals to you the most. Use the search bar to enter search information and browse through the results. You can choose from one of the prefab floor plans or contact a manufacturer to come up with your own design.

BluHomes

BluHomes manufactures modular homes that can be assembled on your property in under three months. Being in the business for over ten years, BluHomes understand the appeal of modular homes and offer customizable and ready-made housing solutions. You can find some of the best modular cabins at BluHomes and consult the experts about possible alterations of the existing floor plans. You can also come up with a custom design.

LivingHomes

PlantPrefab is the company behind LivingHomes, an award-winning design portfolio you can tweak to your preferences. You can choose your own textures, finishes, appliances, smart home tech, and everything else you wish to make art of your new prefab home. PlantPrefab also offers some amazing cottage style manufactured homes — just keep an open mind and choose wisely.

Amazon

You can find anything at Amazon, from A to Z, and that includes modular homes! Use the platform to search for prefab homes and see what results you’re given. In essence, you can find tiny houses, cottage trailer homes, modular home plans, or even bigger modular cabins you can have delivered in three months or so.

Modular Homes Vs Mobile Homes Vs Manufactured Homes

Mobile, manufactured, and modular homes are all types of prefabricated homes, built off-site and then delivered to a designated location for assembling. However, while modular, mobile, and manufactured homes do sound similar, in theory, they are different.

• As opposed to mobile homes, contemporary manufactured homes and modular homes are more versatile in design and levels of efficiency.
• Modular homes are founded on permanent ground, whereas manufactured homes can be moved.
• Cost-wise, manufactured and modular homes are more affordable than typical homes built on-site.

If you’re looking for signs to buy a house that’s pre-built, consider how much you’re willing to invest in a sturdy cottage modular home to take advantage of its efficiency.

How To Assemble A Modular Cottage Home

As we said, modular homes are not a design-and-build option like traditional houses. Alternatively, they are produced in a factory, coming with almost-ready modules that only need to be assembled on-site. In fact, cottage manufactured homes and modular cottage homes come with almost 80% of the construction done before they are up for assembling.

Remember that while modular homes are pre-built, that doesn’t mean you won’t have to spend a portion of the investment on workforce. You need all the professionals involved in your typical building process to ensure the house follows all building codes and adheres to building permits.

Here’s how the assembling of a modular cottage home looks in a few steps:

Step 1: Determine set-outs and piers

Step 2: The modules arrive

Step 3: Set verandahs and stairs

Step 4: Prep the inside

Step 5: Paint the modules (you can go industrial and leave them as they are)

Step 6: Clean, inspect, and pay attention to detail.

10 Amazing Tips To Set Up A Cottage Modular House

Once you purchase a modular cottage house, there are a number of things you can do to really wrap up the whole project and give it your own feel. From finding the most budget-friendly physical location to knowing which interior design style compliments modular homes, here are some useful tips to make modular homes cottages a joy to be in:

• Go for interior designs that are energy-efficient
• Hire developers to take care of the permits
• Choose a location away from the city (these lots are more affordable)
• Minimalistic decor enlarges the living space of modular homes
• Choose natural materials
• The furniture you choose isn’t more important than the space you’re working with
• Focus on the convenience of the kitchen
• Choose complementary color palettes and do accents
• Finishes are what frame your entire modular home
• Find a location that can easily expand in the future.

10 Benefits Of A Cottage Modular Home

Besides being a trending construction strategy for years now, cottage modular homes come with many awesome benefits:

• Modular homes are eco-friendly
• Cottage modular homes don’t take much to be created
• They are the ultimate made-to-measure housing option
• Cottage modular homes are versatile
• Modular homes are not expensive, compared to traditional on-site building houses
• Cottage modular homes are versatile and can be used in many ways, for many purposes
• Cottage modular and prefab homes are long-lasting
• Cottage modular homes are energy-efficient
• They go through more quality inspections
• They generate less construction waste.

Key Challenges While Installing A Modular Home

Granted, not everything is perfect with modular homes, as it is not with other types of housing units. However, in a head-to-head comparison of the challenges and perks of choosing a modular home, manufactured cottage, or even a mobile home cottage style, you’ll see that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

Let’s have a closer look at some of the most important challenges you might face during the installation phase of your modular home:

The Options Might Be Limited

One of the major turn-offs about modular homes is the perception that all of them look alike. That’s a stigma that is hard to shatter unless you’re familiar with the basics of small mobile home cottages or modular homes in general.

Even though the design options are rather limited, they can also be tweaked to suit your preferences.

The Approval Process Might Not Be Very Straightforward

The installation of a modular home, a cottage style mobile home, or a prefab home cannot begin unless all the paperwork is in order. Now, the approval process can be a bit of a pain in the neck, but not necessarily; at least not if you hire contractors to handle the matter for you.

Regardless of how your dream home is constructed, it must abide by local, state, and federal codes and regulations. The laws and regulations are different — some states are more open-minded about modular homes, and even favor them over traditional homes.

Transportation Risks

The cost and transportation are potential risk factors, too. Due to the fact that modules are pre-made at off-site locations that might be miles away from the final destination, transportation becomes a challenge.

The people handling the transportation must be extra careful with every single module so as to not risk repairs and replacements. In such a scenario, the entire assembling process can be put on hold, translating to more costs.

Conclusion

Owning a home is high up on the list of many. Some dream of finding an already-built home they’ll fall in love with at first sight, while others wish to participate in the construction process and truly turn a house into a home.

Whether you’re looking to find a peaceful life outside the city without it costing millions or are looking for an eco-friendly housing option, modular cottage homes are your best pick.

FAQs

1) Do cottage modular homes last longer?

Cottage modular homes can last for 80 years or longer, depending on the materials used and the importance placed on maintenance.

2) How much do you need to invest in a modular cottage home? 

From beginning to end, you can pay anywhere from $120,000 to $270,000.

3) Which is the best website to find modular cottage homes in the US?

BluHomes and ModularHomes are amongst the top websites for modular cottage homes.

4) What things do I need to consider while choosing a cottage modular home?

You need to consider the total space of the house, the location, the availability for customization, and so on.