What Does a Modular Home Budget Look Like?
When building a new prefab house and analyzing the project budget, we typically see modular home costs break down into 4 sections.
Modular Home Budget Categories
Design + Engineering + Permitting Cost
Modular home
Typically, companies communicate and bill this price as one line item. In general, this includes:
Framing
Internal systems (plumbing, HVAC, electric, sprinkler, fire sprinklers, etc)
Insulation
Windows, doors
Finishing materials
Painting
Transportation & Set
Crane
Transportation Company
Site Work
Decks
Foundation
Driveway
Seismic connections
Crossover connections (this covers connecting utilities and systems between modules and to the power, water, and sewage system)
Siding & Painting (this is typically completed on-site for multi-modular projects and off-site for single modular projects)
Solar
Garage construction [which is most frequently site built]
Modular Home Budget Examples
Here are a few budgets for single-family homes in different parts of the country we’ve seen recently:
Budget 1 - High-End Custom Modular Home in California
| Items | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Design + Engineering + Permits | $150,000 | Permits ran $100k+ |
| Modular Construction | $800,000 | |
| Transport + Crane | $50,000 | |
| Site Work | $600,000 | Somewhat sloped site in challenging area. Otherwise - foundation cost would have been lower |
| Total | $1,600,000 |
Budget 2 - Good Quality Non-Custom ADU in California
| Items | Amount |
|---|---|
| Design + Engineering + Permits | $40,000 |
| Modular Construction | $200,000 |
| Transport + Crane | $20,000 |
| Site Work | $150,000 |
| Total | $390,000 |
If you want us to add the budget for your recent modular project, then email us and we’ll review it and add it to our examples above.
