As you might imagine, building a home of any type in any major U.S. city is quite a project in more ways than one. First, you've got to find a place to build, which is not an easy task in many cases. Next, you've got to find the right crew and contractor to do the work. After about a zillion other things you'll have to deal with comes the real whammy: staying within your budget. Building a new house costs money, and in southern California you can easily describe the bottom line figure as "insane". There are many ways to decrease the overall cost of building a home in or around San Diego; modular homes are one of the ideas the home improvement industry has come up with to keep quality high, while reducing costs at the same time.
Mobile vs. Modular Homes in San Diego
In the same way that there's a big difference between a truck full of bicycles and a truck carrying luxury automobiles, there's a difference between a mobile or manufactured home and a modular home. San Diego residents looking for a high quality, customizable house would probably stay away from a mobile home, but could be surprised at the versatility and exciting structural capabilities of a modular home. Sure, they both travel to their final destination on the back of a rig, but there's a few major differences between the two that makes one a much more appealing residence for those in the market.
Modular homes are constructed using many of the same materials that would be found in any other home, and are built by skilled workers, as well. As long as you don't need turrets and a drawbridge, it is very likely that any design of your liking can be built and assembled modularly.
San Diego Modular Home Builders
The biggest difference between a manufactured home and a modular home is that the former is built to a federal standard that allows for little variation (and increased mobility, as well). A modular home is built according to the building codes of the area where it is going to be erected, which gives the homeowner about the same amount of options as any conventionally built home in the area.
Modular homes are constructed piece by piece indoors; once the pieces are complete, they are transported to the job site for assembly. After the house is finished, it will be very difficult to tell that it was made any differently than the surrounding houses. San Diego modular home builders have the added advantage of being able to work constantly to finish the structure. Unlike homes that are built on site, modular home construction doesn't have to stop for poor weather or nightfall (though shift change might halt the work for a half hour or so a few times a day). This creates a much faster work pace and a speedier move in date for you!
Prices and Duration of Modular Home Construction
Nationwide, it is estimated that buyers save an average of 10 to 15 percent by building a modular home instead of building a house on site. These savings can easily be turned into luxury accents for your new residence like a hot tub or specialty windows. When it comes to duration, it is likely that a modular home will require about eight weeks of work indoors, and another eight weeks of on-site finishing.

Jon Nunan is a freelance writer who draws on his experience in construction, ranging from landscaping to log home building, for his articles on home improvement.