How Long Do Prefab Homes Last? All About Modular Home Lifespan
In this article, we’ll walk through the lifespan of prefab homes.
You will learn how long modular homes last, including how to check if your house’s lifespan is coming to an end and how to maintain your prefab home for better durability.
Let’s dive right in and explore what makes a prefabricated home last.
Do Modular Homes Last Long?
Although no specific research has been conducted to measure an average modular home’s lifespan, they are considered to last for at least 100 to 150 years.
Modular homes are built by using the same high-quality building materials as traditional site-built homes that will not deteriorate over a short time.
So you don’t have to worry about the cost of repairs and replacements for the structure itself.
With routine maintenance and regular inspections, you can expect your modular home to last for more than a century easily.
What Does a Modular Home Lifespan Depend On?
The lifespan of a modular home depends on the builder’s workmanship, where it’s located, and the way it’s maintained.
Let’s discuss these factors in detail.
1. Material Used and Product Quality
The most commonly used material in modular homes are:
- concrete
- wood
- metal
- glass
These materials are primarily used for the exterior and interior walls.
Each material has its advantages and disadvantages.
For instance, wood is more durable than steel but less fire-resistant. Steel is more robust than wood but more prone to corrosion. Concrete is exceptionally durable but expensive to install.
The quality of these components can vary greatly depending on the manufacturer and where the product was made.
Most modular homes manufactured today in the USA follow strict quality control procedures for all aspects of production from start to finish.
Each component is inspected by a third party before leaving the factory floor.
All of the materials used in the production of modular homes go through strict quality control protocols and satisfy all local, state, and national building codes.
So, we can safely say that modular homes hold the same lifespan and are as safe as houses built on-site.
2. Home Location and Climate
Modular home lifespans vary depending on the climate where they are located.
Suppose a modular home is located in an area with extreme weather conditions like high winds or heavy rainfall.
In that case, it may need more frequent repairs over its lifetime compared to a home in an area with milder weather conditions.
3. Maintenance, Upkeep, and Inspection
The most significant factor in determining the lifespan of your modular home is regular maintenance and upkeep.
Maintenance includes cleaning, repairing, replacing damaged parts, and periodically painting your house.
Schedule an inspection every year or two with a professional home inspector.
They can look for signs of wear and tear in your home that need to be addressed before they become more significant problems down the road.
This is especially important if you live in an area where tornadoes or other natural disasters could damage your home significantly enough to affect its longevity.
These inspections can help identify potential problems before they become big ones that your home insurance might not cover.
Basic Regular Maintenance Tips
Regular cleaning of dust, dirt, and debris from all home parts, including roofs, gutters, and exterior walls, will prevent water damage and mold growth.
Mold can cause serious health problems for you and your loved ones, while water damage can lead to structural problems.
You should always clean your gutters and drain pipes because clogged gutters can cause water damage when rainwater overflows them during heavy rains or storms.
Ensure to take care of all of the issues concerning ‘water’ as it can seriously shorten the lifespan of your modular home.
Keep looking closely for leaking roofs/windows, water intrusion through the foundation, and moisture.
More information on regular inspections, including seasonal checklists, is available at the InterNACHI website.
Is a Lifespan of a Modular Home Protected by Any Warranty?
Most states have laws requiring that modular homes be covered by a home builder’s or general contractor’s warranty for at least a few years (depending on the state) after they’re installed.
States also require that all subcontractors working on the home be bonded and insured, which protects buyers from any financial loss due to faulty materials or workmanship.
As an example, my company, Next Modular, provides a minimum of 10-year structural warranty.
Warranties like these cover component failures in your:
- Floor
- Roof
- Wall Framing
So, when building a modular home, having a warranty like this at your disposal gives you the peace of mind that your new home will not fall apart or require expensive repairs in the longer run.
And even in cases like a structural failure, you’ll be covered.
Home builders also offer an industry-standard 1-year Builder’s warranty on their homes.
The Builder’s warranty covers areas like:
- Superficial drywall cracking due to settling (minor settling cracks are normal in any home).
- Premature or abnormal wearing of carpets, trim, doors, and the like.
In addition to the above two mentioned warranties, several individual components in your home will carry their specific manufacturer’s warranty that extends beyond.
For instance, the roof shingle brand that we use on our homes carries individual warranties of 30 years, and one of the brands we use even carries a limited lifetime warranty.
What warranty and insurance you are getting on your new modular home is one of the most important questions to ask a home builder before hiring.
How Does Modular Home Life Expectancy Compare to Other Home Types?
Since a modular home is built to the same residential building code as a traditional site-built home and uses the same building materials, the useful lifespan will also be the same.
However, some would even argue that a modular home should last longer than a traditional site-built home because the home is typically built with a lot more lumber and fasteners to withstand the rigors of transportation and setting.
Theoretically, this extra material could mean the house lasts longer than its site-built counterparts.
Mobile homes, on the other hand, are not built to the same building code as modular and site-built homes, and they typically use much cheaper and less robust materials.
As a result, mobile homes have an average lifespan of about 40 years.
How to Prolong the Life Expectancy of a Modular Home?
First, ensure that you have an experienced builder who knows what they’re doing when constructing modular homes.
If you don’t have experience building these types of structures yourself, it’s vital that your builder has been building them for years and knows what works and what doesn’t to ensure that your house lasts for a while.
Next, ensure that you take good care of your house after it has been built.
This means cleaning regularly and keeping pests out, so they don’t chew through any wood or other materials inside the home.
Also, be sure not to throw anything away inside the walls or under furniture because this can cause damage over time if left unchecked (such as mice nesting!).
Lastly, don’t let water sit around on your roof or any other part of your house, especially during rainy seasons.
During rains, it might run down into windows or doors and cause damage from rot or mold growth inside walls or ceilings.
Any home, sooner or later, will eventually face some water issues.
If water-related problems are left unresolved, significant damage is sure to occur. So, fix these water issues promptly and make your home last for generations.
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About the Author
Joel is the CEO & Founder of Next Modular. He ensures that Next Modular provides an affordable, full turn-key solution for residential customers looking to build a new home. He has been involved in various aspects of construction since he was 16. As a graduate of entrepreneurial and small business operations, Joel decided to explore the idea of modular buildings. He began his professional career as a transport coordinator at Evergreen Manufactured Homes where he developed into a renowned prefab home builder. These days Joel spends time working on Big Cedar, a 50-pad mobile home park, what he refers to as his multi-family project.