As we age, it only makes sense to eventually downsize. Though you certainly want enough room in your house for when kids, grandkids, or family come to visit, you really don’t need that space year-round. That’s where a modular home can come into the picture.

Modular homes are more affordable and manageable than traditional homes. While they’re often smaller than other homes, they’re certainly not too small for you in your retirement years — and they’re bigger than you may think.

Here at Cannon Homes Inc., we feature modular homes that suit the needs of any homeowner. We’re also experts in custom options if you can’t find a modular home floor plan that meets your needs and expectations. Read below for tips on downsizing to a modular home, and then contact Cannon Homes Inc. today to get started with building or finding your own! We serve clients throughout...

With the current housing market, buying a house these days in hard — but that doesn’t mean you don’t want a good place for your family to call home. Here at Cannon Homes Inc., we don’t believe buying a home should be inaccessible or that you should have to settle.

Because of this, we offer modular homes to clients throughout Marion, Salem, Mount Vernon, and Southern Illinois in general. Modular homes can fit your budget and lifestyle while still being just as beautiful and personalized as you would like.

In today’s blog, we’re going to discuss four tips for living in a modular home with your family. If you’re in Marion and are interested in modular homes, then contact our home builders today. Here at Cannon Homes Inc., we’re here for your questions about modular home floor plans, modular home designs, and more.

Get The Right Size

If you’re moving into a modular home with three kids, a dog, and a turtle, then a two-bedroom option may not be the...

In our previous blog post, we discussed some of the misconceptions around modular homes and loan options. In that post, we briefly went over the difference between manufactured homes and modular homes. We went over why, unlike manufactured homes, modular homes remain a safe option for lenders and are held up to the standards of on-site stick-built homes. To better understand the differences, it’s now time to do a dive into the history of the modular home.

What is a Modular Home?

Modular homes are called such because they are made of sections, or “modules” which are built away from the construction zone and then transported to where they need to be. How these modules are transported impact whether or not they technically qualify as modular homes (but more on that in a minute). Once on site, the installation can begin. As mentioned in previous posts, modular homes can offer a range of benefits, from...

Whether you’ve owned your modular home for years or just invested in the modular home of your dreams, there’s always a good excuse to decorate your space.

Modular home technology has improved ten-fold in the past decade, but it’s important to keep in mind that modular home spaces can still feel small — that’s where home decor comes into play. The more you can keep your modular home layout and space in mind, the better your home will look and feel.

Check out these modular home decor tips today from Cannon Homes Inc.! If you’re in the market for a new modular home in Southern Illinois, be sure to visit us and check out our online gallery.

USE LIGHTER WALL COLORS

In general, the darker the walls, the smaller the space. When you choose a lighter, warmer color, on the other hand, you effectively make the space feel bigger.

If you have a tight hallway or a smaller kitchen, brighter colors can be the difference between a cramped space...

When it comes to buying modular homes, one of the biggest obstacles people perceive is home financing. How can I get a lender who will approve of my modular home purchase?

To understand why this thinking is fallacious, it’s necessary to understand the difference between a modular and manufactured home.

MODULAR VS. MANUFACTURED HOMES

When you think of a mobile home or trailer, you’re thinking of a manufactured home. These can indeed be harder to secure financing because they generally do not appreciate in value over time. The last thing banks want to is back a property that won’t rise in value — this generally means a riskier investment for them.

The thing about modular homes is that they’re in an entirely different category. When it comes to securing lending, they’re thought of like traditional stick-built homes.

Indeed, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA), which offers zero-down loans for military families, modular homes are a much safer option for lending purposes.

The...

The first step toward building the home of your dreams is finding the right modular home builder for the job.

It might seem that all modular home builders provide the same array of construction services, but there are a few crucial qualities that set the best modular home builders apart.

You’re already investing in a home — make sure you’re investing in the right people to build it for you.

Find An Exclusive Dealer

In the world of modular homes, and important distinction exists between modular home manufacturers versus modular home builders.

Manufacturers, as the name suggests, supply the modular home components. Modular home builders actually assemble these components into a modular home.

If a modular home builder is supplied a low-quality product, they’re going to build a low-quality home. Instead, you want to make sure you look for modular home builders who have an exclusive relationship with certain high-quality brands, such as Redman Homes.

When you work with an exclusive dealer, it’s like going to a Lexus dealership...

In our Benefits of Modular Homes blog series, we’ve already covered the main benefits of buying a modular home — the quick building times, the property appreciation, the opportunities for customization, and the pre-inspections.

Today, we want to shift gears to talk about modular homes and energy efficiency.

MODULAR HOMES ARE ENERGY EFFICIENT

Because modular homes of old were unfairly labeled as lower quality homes, we tend to think of them as flimsy, thin constructions that could tip over with a gust of wind. Thin walls mean poor insulation, and so we also have this misunderstanding that heating and air flow go in one wall and out the other.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Modern modular homes actually have more capacity than stick-built homes to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

Here’s how.

Building Modular Homes Involves Less Waste

Because modular homes are built in a standardized factory setting, they do not produce the same waste as...

Being stuck without a home is one of the more inconvenient situations your family can face.

If you’re lucky, you might have family closeby who will support you while you wait for your home to be ready. This usually means free rent, but it also means living with the in-laws who keep the thermostat at 78 degrees in the summer; or, it might mean sharing a bedroom with your three children for a few months. In terms of your furniture, you probably have to find a storage unit to house all of your items while you stay with someone else.

If you don’t have a family or friend’s home as an option, you might be relegated to paying for a temporary rental property. You have to move in all of your stuff and pay someone else’s mortgage, only to move out again in a few months.

So, what’s a solution to this all-too-common issue? Buying a modular home.

Learn more today from Cannon Homes Inc. about the speed-related benefits of building a modular home.

Modular Homes Are Built Quickly

Modular homes require about one-third of the time that...

In a previous article, we discussed the biggest misconceptions that plague modular homes. Chief among these misconceptions involves the notion that modular homes lose value over time. As we discussed in “Misconceptions About Modular Homes,” this couldn’t be further from the truth.

If anything, modular homes have more of an opportunity to appreciate than traditional, stick-built homes.

We wanted to delve further into this topic as part of our “Benefits of Modular Homes” series.

If you’re looking for a modular home in Marion, call us today at Cannon Homes Inc.!

MODULAR HOMES ARE NOT MANUFACTURED HOMES

To understand why modular homes don’t lose value, it’s important to make the distinction between modular homes and manufactured homes. Modular homes are constructed in a factory, but they’re assembled in a plot of land just like a stick-built home. The only difference is that components of the home are...

As a part of our “Benefits of Modular Home” blog series, we’re exploring the factors that make modular home buying so popular — and practical.

We’ve already covered the diverse floor plan options from which you can choose if you build a modular home, and now we want to focus on inspection and housing regulations.

TRADITIONAL HOME INSPECTIONS

If you’ve ever bought a traditional home, you know first-hand the headache of home inspection.

The scenario usually follows this plot: you find a house that’s in your price range and immediately want to put an offer on it. You negotiate a price, and then you go under contract on the home. All that’s left is for the home to pass inspection. You cover the cost of the inspection, only to find out that the home’s foundation is sinking; that black mold has found a home in the basement; or, that the home requires a laundry list of repairs for it to be move-in-ready.

Thousands of dollars and hours later, you might have a home....

In one of our first blog posts, we covered the primary benefits of owning a modular home. While that blog provided a great overview of the advantages of modular homes, we wanted to delve into more detail about each of the benefits we listed.

We’ll begin by detailing perhaps the most beneficial aspect of a modular home: customizable options.

TRADITIONAL CUSTOM-BUILT HOMES ARE EXPENSIVE

When you think about a custom-built home, you probably also think about the sticker-shocking price tag associated. Indeed, a traditional custom-built home in the Southern Illinois area will cost you between $1.50 and $2.50 per square foot. Factor in the design professionals and architects, which might cost 15 percent of your construction costs, and you’re looking at a price ranging from $350,000 to 1.5 million just to build the home.

Keep in mind that this price is just for designing and building the home. You also have to worry about furnishing, landscaping, and decorating the home to...

Some of the first questions people have about modular homes involve the septic systems. While modular home septic systems are not too different from the plumbing systems of site-built homes, they do have a few particularities that you want to keep in mind.

At the end of the day, modular homes are built to even higher quality specifications and regulations than site-built homes. So, while it’s important to educate yourself about the differences between home types, always keep in mind that manufactured homes are excellent homes.

What are the main differences between modular home vs. site-build home septic systems?

In general, the septic systems for modular vs. traditional homes are consistent. They involve: piping systems, waste disposal systems, pipe venting, a water heater, and water valves.

In terms of differences, however, manufactured homes must follow these protocols:

• Water heater is held to federal manufactured home building standards
• Plumbing lines run under the floor as opposed to in the...

In the age of tiny homes, there’s a lot of momentum around the minimalist home movement.

Every single nook and cranny of a tiny home features storage options and multi-purpose functions. After all, when your home is less than 1,000 square feet, you have to get creative.

While modular homes have bigger floor plans and thankfully don’t require a bedroom that also functions as a kitchen and bathroom, they can still benefit from the tiny home mentality.

Space-Saving Tips For Modular Homes

At Cannon Homes Inc., we’ve seen some innovative and effective ways to save space over the years. We’ve compiled our favorite tips for creating a spacious modular home.

If you’re looking for a modular home in Illinois, call our Top Rated Local® modular homes manufacturer in Marion.

1. Get a modular home with a basement

This suggestion might seem like a cop-out — save space by adding more space to a modular home? We know this isn’t totally helpful if you’ve already purchased a modular home, but certainly take note of this tip...

When you hear the phrase, “modular home” what words come to mind?

Unless you own a modular home or have expertise in the housing industry, your mind might be plagued by misconception.

If you think of modular homes as cheap, unsafe, or sterile, chances are you’ve been exposed to the commons misconceptions floating around about modular homes.

Unfortunately, our human tendency when we learn about anything non-traditional is to assume that it comes with red flags.

Luckily, dispelling common misconceptions about modular homes is easy because the statistics continually prove the benefits of these homes.

Modular homes have become increasingly popular in recent years as an alternative to traditional, stick-built homes.

Modular, or manufactured homes, differ from traditional ones because they are constructed off-site instead of in the ground. This type of construction yields tremendous benefits, as we outlined in our “The Benefits of Modular Homes” blog.

While anyone can benefit from living in a modular home, the reality is that these types of homes lend themselves to certain lifestyles more than others.

If you are in the market for a new home, assess whether buying a modular home could be a surprisingly good option for you.

Modular homes are prefabricated houses that consist of multiple modules, or sections. This method of building by section requires a different type of construction referred to as modular building. Constructing a home in “modules” might sound like the opposite of traditional home construction — and it is!

Top 5 Benefits of Modular Homes

Just because a modular home isn’t built from the ground up doesn’t mean it’s any less of a home. This innovative form of home building comes with a host of distinct benefits.

1. Customizable options:

Perhaps the best benefit of modular homes is that they come with thousands of different possibilities for home configuration. Usually getting the “custom home” of your dreams comes with a million-dollar price tag, but not with modular homes. You can browse floor plan options before you buy or design your own floor plan with the help f a builder. Additionally, you can choose exterior features like siding and window style to suit your taste. Perhaps the best part of modular homes is that you can...