4 Question to Ask Before Buying Your Modular Home in PA

When you’re shopping for your first modular home in PA, you’ll almost certainly visit several modular home builders before making your decision. Think of this time as if you were speed-dating. Not that you should rush into buying a home, but you have certain questions you need answers to before choosing the person you would like to go on a “real” date with. The following 5 questions should be on your list of must-have-answers before choosing a modular home builder in PA.

1.    Do you offer turnkey construction?

Turnkey construction takes the stress out of the building process. Most customers don’t have the time or in-depth knowledge required to act as a General Contractor. Unless you work in the construction trade, chances are, you’re not aware of the building code requirements or whether or not your sub-contractors are completing the job properly for a fair price. When meeting with potential modular home builders, ask them if they offer turnkey construction services. A true turnkey job should include coordination of permits, inspections, and all on site construction to meet code requirements.

At RidgeCrest Home Sales, we coordinate the entire project including applying for the building permit and coordinating all required inspections, excavation, foundation, installation and connection of utilities, steps & decks, and additional on-site projects by request such as garages, covered porches, and finished basements or walk-up attics. We’ll finish the job with a professional cleaning prior to key turnover. Customers are kept informed as work progresses throughout the project with weekly and sometimes daily emails and/or phone calls. In the event they have a question or concern, buyers have the convenience of making one phone call to our office rather than contacting all of their sub-contractors.

2.    What is included in the base price of the home?

Prior to beginning your search for a modular home builder, it’s important to understand that all sales centers price their homes differently. While everyone will quote you a base price, they’re not all including the same things. Many will only include the home without delivery or set up, while others just include the freight cost. Another factor to keep in mind is the base price does not include any optional features shown in the model homes or brochure photos. Be sure you know what the standard features are and what items cost extra. Your builder should provide you with a spec sheet or list detailing the standard and optional features you want in your home, as well as what they include as part of their base price. Be sure you have all of this information in writing or don’t assume it’s included.

RidgeCrest Home Sales includes normal delivery to your site and setup of the home as part of our base price. Any additional equipment needed to spot the home for the day of set will be an extra charge. Our set up includes merge of both halves on your prepared foundation, completion of siding and shingles to a weather-tight finish, and interior & exterior finish and trim work. Upon choosing a floor plan, our sales consultants will review the standards and available options specific to the home. Your list of selected options will be sent to the factory where pricing is confirmed and you’ll be provided with a spec sheet of all included features. The base price of the home will be listed with your chosen options shown as a separate line item.

3.    Do you have “firm pricing?” Or allowances that may change for full completion?

Be sure you have everything in writing AND you read the fine print. Many builders will give you an allowance for home options or construction to assist you in getting a mortgage pre-approval. Until you have a contract in hand that states all numbers are “firm pricing”, don’t assume everything is included.

RidgeCrest Home Sales will provide customers with a home and construction budget worksheet prior to visiting the site where the home is to be located. These numbers are based on similar jobs of previous sized homes, and dependent on information provided to us by the buyer. We’ll work in estimates until the customer is ready to commit with their $500 down payment. Upon signing the contract, Curt Willar, co-owner and Civil Engineer, will meet the buyer at their site and begin gathering firm bids from contractors. Upon receipt of all pricing, final numbers will be reviewed and approved by the buyer.

4.    Do you offer a warranty? What is included in the warranty?

Although manufacturer warranties may vary slightly in their length and coverage, all new homes should come with a warranty. Ask your modular builder what is covered by their warranty and who will service any issues after key turnover.

New homes purchased through RidgeCrest Home Sales come with a one year warranty covering structural issues, material defects, or systems issues. RidgeCrest Home Sales in house service crew will service your home for the first year. After your initial warranty has expired, individual extended warranties on appliances, siding, shingles, furnace, etc. will remain. For homes with drywall, we’ll return one time within your warranty period for drywall repair. Due to the nature of drywall, we ask that you wait until your home has completed a heating and cooling cycle to allow the material to properly settle. Normal wear and tear will not be covered under any manufacturer warranties.