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When shopping for a factory-built home, you’ll often coordinate your purchase through a licensed retailer or builder, so choosing the right manufacturer is an important step. The majority of the home’s construction will be completed inside the manufacturer’s facility—typically 80% to 90%—before the home shows up at your building site.
New-school modular homes have tons of curbside appeal and companies offer a variety of plans to choose from. Many use sustainable materials and processes and will customize options to suit your situation. Quality building materials and workmanship are important factors to consider, as well, when choosing who to go with. So, to get you started, we've compiled a list of the best modular home manufacturers.
Best Modular Home Manufacturers of 2023
- Best Overall: Champion Homes
- Best Custom: Impresa Modular
- Best Budget: Commodore Homes
- Best High-End: Method Homes
- Best Energy-Efficient: Deer Valley
Best Overall : Champion Homes
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Champion Homes
- Available Regions: Nationwide (all 50 states)
- Virtual Design Tool? No
- Home Styles: Ranch, two-story, Cape Cod, multifamily, tiny homes, and more
Champion Homes offers plenty of plans to choose from and has a large network of retailers and builders who will help you complete the buying process.
Advanced search feature filters design plans
Virtual tours
Over 60 years of experience
Limited selection in certain regions
Must work with local retailers on pricing
Since 1953, Champion Home Builders has been a national leader in factory-built housing. This modular home manufacturer offers many different floor plans and an array of features that will make your house feel like a custom home. Choose from options like expanded primary suites, gourmet kitchens, custom architectural details, and vaulted ceilings.
An advanced search feature on the company's website lets potential buyers filter homes by style, square footage, and must-have features. The specifications of state and local building codes will impact which modular home plans are available to you. Still, you’ll have the option to customize your home’s features and finishes to match your preferences and budget.
Champion offers a wide spectrum of options, including ranch, two-story, Cape Cod, and multi-family home plans.
Many real estate associations, including the National Association of Home Builders, have classified the term "master bedroom" (or "master suite") as discriminatory. "Primary bedroom" is the name now widely used among the real estate community and better reflects the purpose of the room.
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Best Custom : Impresa Modular
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Impresa Modular
- Available Regions: Nationwide (all 50 states)
- Virtual Design Tool? Yes
- Home Styles: Traditional, log homes, cabins, chalets, coastal, contemporary, and tiny homes
Impresa offers nearly 1,000 floor plans that can be modified to fit your dream design. Plus, innovative online shopping tools, like an instant project cost estimator, make it easy to view options within your budget.
Interactive online design and estimate tools
Over 1,000 floor plans available
Discount for factory-direct buyers
Online floor plans already include upgrades or add-ons
Impresa is the only nationwide custom modular home manufacturer with factory partners in all 50 states. The company also offers a multitude of floor plans with plenty of home styles and elevations to choose from.
Simply input your building zip code to browse the options available in your desired location. The website's user-friendly tools, like the Express Project Estimator, give you instant access to transparent pricing. It also provides estimates for other common costs, such as site and foundation work, installation and finishing work, utility connections, and permitting. Impresa's Project Homestyler software will guide you through developing your own custom modular house plan.
Then, bring your building plans directly to Impresa for a $500 price reduction for ordering factory direct. From start to finish, your custom Impresa home will be built, delivered, and finished in just three to five months.
Best Budget : Commodore Homes
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Commodore Homes
- Available Regions: Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic
- Virtual Design Tool? Yes
- Home Styles: Ranch, Cape Cod, two-story, and more
With Commodore Homes, you can manage how much you spend on your home purchase by selecting the company's "value-first home plans" (available in 31 states).
Offers a variety of home plans from 600 to 2,000 square feet
Visual design tool allows for optional finishes and features
Can add basements, garages, and decks
Limited virtual tours and photos available
If you’re shopping for an economical home but don’t want to sacrifice options, consider Commodore Corporation. This manufacturing conglomerate operates a network of factories that build and deliver homes in 31 states. You can shop for a basic bungalow (600 square feet) or choose a larger home for a growing family (up to 2,000 square feet).
Commodore's brands—including Manorwood Homes, Pennwest Homes, R-Anell Homes, MidCountry Homes, and Commodore of Pennsylvania—provide value-focused designs. The website's central search tool allows you to browse and select the floor plan that works for you.
Quality building materials and processes come standard, but you can upgrade your home by choosing optional finishes with the website's virtual design tool. Savvy shoppers can use this tool to see which options give them the best bang for their buck.
Best High-End : Method Homes
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Method Homes
- Available Regions: West and Pacific (shipping available in more locations)
- Virtual Design Tool? No
- Home Styles: Modern
Method Homes offers a portfolio of modern dwellings that can be expanded to suit your lifestyle needs, complete with sustainable elements.
Allows the option to expand floor plans
Environmental home-building certifications available
Created by master craftsmen and women
Expensive
Additional shipping costs outside of the Western states
Method Homes specializes in sustainable designs and meets the demands of customers looking for customization. This Washington-based home manufacturer services Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado, and Utah. They can also ship to other locations in the United States and Canada for an increased trucking fee, however.
The company's stylish prefab designs range from $170 to $350 per square foot, not including costs for necessary engineering and permitting. Transportation and site setup costs (including truck transport, excavation, foundation, utilities, crane, and finishing) can cost another $100 a square foot. And, many of the floor plans are expandable by adding additional modules.
Method Homes also offers the opportunity to build a home that complies with environmental certification standards, including LEED, EnergyStar, or passive house parameters.
Best Energy-Efficient : Deer Valley
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Deer Valley
- Available Regions: South, South Atlantic, and East North Central
- Virtual Design Tool? No
- Home Styles: Ranch, A-frame, Cape Cod, bungalow, and more
Deer Valley builds energy-efficient homes and sources high-quality building materials.
Customizable plans
Energy-efficient building materials and processes
Offers a Nativ Living series designed for outdoor enthusiasts
Limited availability outside the Southeast and Central regions of the U.S.
Deer Valley Homes offers quality, energy-efficient modular homes in three collections that feature attractive elevations and opportunities to customize your design.
This company's homes are well-built and well-insulated, designed to enhance energy efficiency and minimize utility costs. You'll find features like standard 2-inch by 6-inch exterior wall construction, complete with R19 insulation, Low-E thermopane windows, perimeter floor registers, and radiant heat barrier roof decking (standard in all Deer Valley homes).
The distinctive floor plans at Deer Valley attract homeowners looking for a contemporary, yet rustic, appeal, with features like cozy covered porches and modern kitchen islands with handcrafted cabinets.
Final Verdict
Champion Home Builders wins our pick for the best modular home manufacturer due to its offering of diverse floor plans and its partnership with a wide network of retailers. The company provides design plans for ranch, two-story, Cape Cod, and multifamily homes, as well as tiny homes. Its website is easy to use and contains features that allow you to sort homes by style and square footage, as well as view plans that are available in your area (given your state's codes and permits). Champion also boasts 60 years of experience, assuring a top-notch product made by experienced builders.
Compare the Best Modular Home Manufacturers
Company | Available Regions | Virtual Design Tool? | Home Styles |
Best Overall Champion Homes | Nationwide | No | Ranch, two-story, Cape Cod, multifamily, and tiny homes |
Best Custom Impresa Modular | Nationwide | Yes | Traditional, log homes, cabins, chalets, coastal, contemporary, and tiny homes |
Best Budget Commodore Homes | Northeast, Midwest, and Mid-Atlantic | Yes | Ranch, Cape Cod, two-story, and more |
Best High-End Method Homes | West and Pacific (shipping available in more locations) | No | Modern, contemporary |
Best for Energy Efficiency Deer Valley | South, South Atlantic, and East North Central | No | Ranch, A-frame, Cape Cod, and bungalows |
Frequently Asked Questions
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Who Is the Largest Modular Home Builder?
Clayton Homes is regarded as the largest modular home builder in the United States, but many other builders offer homes with more innovative designs and higher-quality building materials. For instance, Champion Homes are also available in major regions of the country, while Impresa Modular offers homes in all 50 U.S. states.
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Who Makes the Most Affordable Modular Homes?
Commodore Homes is our pick for affordability, yet other nationwide budget builders exist. It's best to research both large and small builders in your region to determine the best option for you, as some budget companies do not build homes suited to all climates (think, snow loads) and building specs.
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Which Are Better, Manufactured or Modular Homes?
While manufactured (mobile) and modular homes are both built to federal HUD standards (applicable in all 50 states), modular home manufacturers must build specifically to state and local codes. Both types of homes are considered "factory-built," and some manufacturers produce both modular and mobile homes. Also, manufactured homes sit on a permanent steel chassis, while modular houses are removed from the chassis used for transport, and then rest on a permanent foundation.
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What Is the Life Expectancy of a Modular Home?
Modular homes are built to the same codes, and involve the same processes, as stick-built homes. Therefore, the life expectancy of modular homes is the same as stick-built, which can be 100 years or more, depending on the building's design.
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Are Modular Homes Worth the Money?
Modular homes are a great investment for buyers that want stick-built quality at a more affordable price, or for those looking for a sustainable option. Modular homes are generally more affordable than stick-built homes, but more expensive than manufactured (mobile) homes. However, some modular designs can cost more than a stick-built starter home, depending on features and upgrades.
Methodology
We evaluated leading companies and based our decision for the best modular home manufacturers on factors like service area, floor plan availability, included features, and ability to customize. Some modular home manufacturers sell direct to homeowners, while others work through a network of retailers. We compared each company based on their locations and accessibility, upgrade options, overall build quality, affordability, and home styles, and gave preference to companies with energy-efficient designs and ones that source sustainable building products.
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