ModularbuildingsaresectionalprefabricatedbuildingsthataremanufacturedinaplantanddeliveredtothecustomerinoneormorecompletemodularsectionsModularbuildingsareconsiderablydifferentfrommobilehomes ModularbuildingshaveawidevarietyofusesTheywilleitherbeusedforlongtermtemporaryorpermanentfacilitiesSuchusesincludeconstructioncampsschoolsandclassroomscivilianandmilitaryhousingneedsandindustrialfacilitiesModularbuildingsareaperfectsolutioninremoteandruralareaswhereconventionalconstructionmaynotbereasonableorevenpossibleOneexamplewouldbethehousingfacilitiesusedbyBPintheoilfieldsoftheAlaskaNorthSlopeOtheruseshavealsobeenfoundformodularbuildingsincludingfastfoodrestaurantsandcruiseshipconstruction1 DifferencesincludethebuildingcodesthatgoverntheconstructiontypesofmaterialusedandhowtheyareappraisedbybanksforlendingpurposesThecodesthatgoverntheconstructionofmodularhomesaretheexactsamecodesthatgoverntheconstructionofanysiteconstructedhomeIntheUnitedStatesallmodularhomesareconstructedaccordingtheUniformBuildingCodeUBCIRCBOCAorthecodethathasbeenadoptedbythelocaljurisdictionMobilehomemanufacturedhomesareconstructedaccordingtotheHUDCodeandaregenerallyconsideredlesserqualityThematerialsarethesameassiteconstructedhomesWoodframefloorswallsandroofisthemosttypicalSomemodularsevenincludedbrickorstoneexteriorsgranitecountersandsteeplypitchedroofsAllmodularsaredesignedtositonaperimeterfoundationorbasementMobilehomesareconstructedwithasteelchassisthatisintegraltotheintegrityofthefloorsystemLendinginstitutionsandappraisersconsideramodularhomethesameastheyconsiderasitebuilthomewiththesamelifeexpectancyandvalueMobilehomesoftenrequirespeciallendersMostcompanieshavestandardplansHoweverallmodularbuildingscanbecustombuilttoaclientsspecificationsTodaysdesignsincludemultistoryunitsmultifamilyunitsandentireapartmentcomplexesThenegativestereotypecommonlyassociatedwithmobilehomesandhaspromptedsomemanufacturerstostartusingthetermOffSiteConstruction2 ModularbuildingsareveryaffordablebecauseofthefactoryconstructionofthesebuildingsTheyareaverycosteffectivecomparedtoconventionalconstructionTheseunitsaretypicallyconstructedinanenclosedfacilitythereforeweatherisnotafactorintheconstructiontimelineMaterialdeliveryfeesarealsooutoftheequationbecauseanampleamountofmaterialwillalwaysbeavailableatthefacilityasopposedtobeingdeliveredinlimitedquantitiestothejobsitenearlyeliminatingconstructiondelaysandtheftofbuildingmaterialsfromthesite