MOST FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CELTIC HOMES AND MODULAR HOMES.... 

 In the modular home construction industry, modular builders usually base their construction costs on a cost per square footage much like site builders do. However, in the modular industry, this basic cost normally includes an easily transportable rectangular shaped one-storey house with flat ceilings, a basic gabled roof, a maximum 4/12 roof pitch, 14’ wide modules with 2’ overhangs, vinyl siding, basic cabinetry, standard sized kitchens and baths, standard floor coverings, woodwork, 2 egress doors, windows as per code requirements, plumbing fixtures, and a lighting allowance. Some even include transportation within a certain area and free home set-up but in many cases, all site work is the responsibility of the new homeowner. Modular builder’s build a home “from the floor joists up” in a factory environment to help reduce costs. Normally, their responsibility ends when the home leaves the factory. Once the home has left the factory, the new owner takes charge and finishes the home. It is up to the new homeowner to determine what the modular builder is responsible for and what they are responsible for, as every modular builder is different.

 A modular homebuilder’s price per square foot is usually similar in the same regions but they will include different standards in their building products and building techniques. It is often difficult to compare modular builders on a price per square footage basis because of the fact that they may all use different products and include different elements in their base price. This base cost per square foot, in most cases, does not include the land, foundation, utility trenching, installation and hook-ups, plumbing groundwork, hot water tank, furnace and ductwork, basement staircases or exterior stairs, eavestroughs and downspouts, decks, porches, garages or anything else that must be built or put together on site or is determined by final grading and other site conditions. Again, each modular builder is different so it is very important to determine what is not included with each individual builder.

 Options in the modular home industry that often cost more to include or build would be items such as cantilevered areas, roof gables, vaulting the ceilings, adding extra windows and doors, upgrading cabinet choices and floor coverings, changing exterior siding, covered verandahs, upgrading plumbing fixtures, appliances, extra plumbing or electrical rough-ins, fireplaces, kitchen islands, stairwells etc…The list is endless.  

 The majority of modular homes are placed on conventional full basements or walk-out basements. Modular homes have also been placed on heated crawlspaces (4’ foundation walls) and concrete or steel piling systems. We usually recommend placing a modular home on full basements or crawlspaces because they offer more stability and less movement than piles. 

 Celtic Homes has a Standard Construction Specifications sheet that lists all the high quality products and construction materials that we use and include in all our homes. It is a very detailed and specific list to give you as much information up front about our standard home construction. Our standard homes include several extras that are normally considered upgrades that we feel help make the home more comfortable and aesthetically appealing. As an example, rather than use industry-standard 2 1/2” baseboards we use the 3 1/2” colonial style-baseboard. We also use the more elegant California knockdown ceiling texture rather than a regular stipple and rounded corners are standard in all our homes. Celtic Homes also uses the best floor system in the construction industry, open web steel floor joists. There are numerous special features in our homes that make them special.

 Superior craftsmanship underlies all Celtic Homes designs. It is an uncompromised level of quality that is hard to find in today’s homes. The benefits of fine craftsmanship make Celtic Homes easy to maintain and provide comfortable living. Today, and many years later. 

 No. All drafting and design services are provided on-site at no extra charge. Additionally, we also offer an interior design consultation at no charge to help you in selecting the colours and materials for your new home. We also provide all typical concrete foundation plans for your home and as many copies of the blueprints as you require. 

 No. All our modular homes are financed through regular mortgages from a qualified financial institution just like a conventional site-built home. 

 Celtic Homes constructs their modular homes in a 40,000 square foot clear span building. The building is protected by security measures which helps prevent theft and vandalism of construction materials that plagues many other builders! Celtic Homes is the only modular builder that completes all stages of construction of your home in the factory. All of our construction is done completely indoors to prevent any kind of damage or warpage of materials, especially to unprotected floor joists due to the lack of a foundation. The only time the house is outdoors is when it is on the truck on the way to your site!   

 Celtic Homes is capable of building any size home as long as we can get it through our overhead door! Our modules normally span 16’ including the 24” soffit/eave overhang. We have the ability to construct modules up to approximately nineteen feet wide. We build homes from 800 square feet to over 3000 square feet as well as multi-family units and commercial/industrial offices and buildings of varying sizes. 

 Celtic Homes can transport your house anywhere in North America. We can also ship a packaged home overseas. Different provinces and states have varying transportation regulations that determine how large a home we can ship. This will play a large factor in determining the widths and size of your home so it is important that we know the final destination of your home from the very start of the construction process. Celtic Homes is well versed with all Canadian and U.S. building codes and shipping regulations as we regularly transport homes out of province and to the United States. 

 Celtic Homes offers a five year structural warranty and a one year builder warranty through the National Home Warranty Program. A walk-through is done by the new owner a few days prior to the home being transported to the site. This gives us the opportunity to correct any apparent deficiencies in the plant immediately. Upon the possession date, a final walk through is done with the client and any deficiencies or damage due to transportation are noted prior to the home being removed from the truck. Celtic Homes then schedules the finishing work and deficiencies as soon as possible.  

 Since Celtic Homes is an entirely custom builder we must first complete a final set of working drawings, blueprints and construction specifications list before we can begin construction and give you a final price on the construction cost of your new home. To begin this stage of the construction process, Celtic Homes requires a non-refundable design deposit that will be taken off the price of your home once construction has commenced. At this stage there is no contractual agreement so if you are unable to continue for whatever reason you may simply walk away without the fear of breaking a contract. After the drawings and specifications are complete then a final price and contract will be drawn up. When the contract is signed we require the first downpayment at that time. Once the initial downpayment is approved and finalized then you are put on the construction list to commence the ordering of materials for your new home. Construction will start as soon as we can begin building it in our plant.

 Often we can begin immediately, however, in peak building periods (late spring and early summer) we can get backed up as we can only build so fast without compromising quality and excellent workmanship and we only have a limited space in our plant. This may stall the commencement of construction of your new home for up to several weeks. We often start one to two new homes a week. We try to keep you as up to date as possible during these peak periods as when we will be able to start your new home. We often recommend that you begin your planning late in the summer if you want to build the next spring so that we have all your plans and financing complete by the time you want to build.  

 There are many factors involved in home construction that determine the length of the construction period. With modular homes, we do not have to worry about weather or theft like site builders do but we do have to worry about other problems. The main problems we encounter are available space in the plant and availability of our shipping company. A normal, relatively simple home (meaning that it is using most of our standard specifications and not much is special order) can take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks, but many take 6 to 8 weeks or longer due to customization and detailing. Also, larger homes also take a little more time as more work is required to construct and finish them. However, the time period is very short compared to the four to six months it takes to build a traditional site-built home. 

 Moving into your new home also depends on numerous factors and is different in every home. It depends on the amount of site work required by the modular builder and the hooking up of utilities by the owner and their utility companies.  After a house is set, the joints must be taped, sanded and painted, the siding must be finished at the sides, the flooring tacked down at the joints, some shingling finished and any applicable repairs required from the transportation. This is for a normal house and can be done in usually 5 days to two weeks depending on the availability of the trades to travel to your site. If there are more custom touches that must be installed or finished on site such as ceramic tile flooring, hardwood flooring, verandahs etc… then the finishing period after the set could be substantially longer. For example, the house must be heated and the basement floor must already be poured before the hardwood flooring can be installed or the flooring will warp. Generally speaking, most clients move in one to four weeks after the set.