First step will be to find a modular manufacturer as geographically close to the site as possible. Transportation costs are expensive. The Manufactured Housing Institute has a national directory of modular manufacturers on their website, see Maplebrook | MHI | Manufactured Housing Institute
Next, talk with a builder/dealer associated with the mfg. Since you haven’t done a modular project you must have someone experienced with the product or any and all cost savings will evaporate.
Then all parties can look at your project and run the cost numbers to check feasibility.
One note, depending on the size and layout of the project you may also want to consider panelized construction. This is a step between site-built and modular, essentially the wall panels, floor system and roof built in components in the factory for assembly on site.
Has anyone here built modular multifamily? I thinking about buying some land and putting up an 8 unit rental, either 2 beds or a combo of 1s and 2s.
If anyone knows, assuming there is municipal water and sewer and no out of the ordinary foundation issues, how quickly can these go up from the decision to go with the construction? How much is the approximate cost/sqft, assuming standard, rental grade finishing? What are the gotchas I need to look out for?
Also, is there a better place to look for info on this?
When I saw this thread I knew I had written extensively here in the past about modulars because of my years as builder. But I hadn’t had a chance to search my files for the articles or the search engine here. Thank you so much for catching the link for this one!
That article is a condensation of a three-part article series I wrote years ago and published in a now-defunct building trade magazine. Other than a sharp editing pen (the writer’s curse of never feeling anything is good enough), the information is as true today as it was then.
Also, I have to be grateful for basically answering your own question! I really am trying to get back into the habit of posting more often, but my world has not been cooperative lately. We are so busy with multiple acquisitions, a redevelopment project, improvements for new medical tenants, etc. that it’s hard to keep up the daily events. Good problems to have, but I need two of me to get it all done.
If you still have questions about your project, post them here and I promise a speedy response!
Thanks for getting back to me. That article was very informative. If you have the original articles anywhere, I’d love to read them.
It’s not a project yet so much as an idea. I went to an area I don’t usually get to. A friend was looking to pick up a SF house as an investment, and I got to talking to the broker he was working with. I got the feeling the area was over SF housed, but under apartmented. It came up in conversation that he knew someone who put up some modular apartment. I looked at what two beds were gong for in the area, and, depending on what I can get land for, and how much it would cost to get the complex built, I could do a 4-8 unit project with cash I have on hand, get it done quickley, get it rented out, then get it mortgaged to get my cash back out.
It would be nice to get a ballpark figure on price/sqft on getting something like this built.