Thinking about making an addition to your home? One option for doing so quickly and affordably is to choose a prefab home addition. In this guide, we will explain modular addition costs to you in detail, including estimates and factors that can push costs up or down. But first, we will go over a couple of basics. What is a Modular Home Addition? A modular addition is simply an addition that is prefabricated and preassembled before being delivered to your property. Modular structures are less expensive than those that are built on-site, so simply choosing a modular addition will save you money over a traditional stick-built home addition. What Can You Do With a Modular Home Addition? The use you plan for your modular addition will have an impact on how much it costs since it will determine what features you need. Some possible uses for modular home additions include: Extra bedroom Extra bathroom Suite for a relative Studio Study or home office Guest room Sunroom Granny Suite ADU (accessory dwelling unit) Also, note that you can get a modular addition for a traditional stick-built home, or for some existing modular homes. Normally, they are not used for adding to traditional mobile home or trailers. Whether or not you can expand a modular home with additions depends on its construction. What is the Cost of Modular Home Additions? Now that we have discussed some basics, let’s talk numbers. How much does it cost to build a modular addition for your home? BobVilla.com reports, “If you own a modular home, be aware that adding on is not always possible if the foundation can’t support it. But it’s possible to have a room addition prefabricated and added for a cost of $20,000 to $30,000. Speak with a contractor to learn which option is feasible for you.” Checking other sources, you will find about the same price range. We have also seen an estimate of approximately $25 per square foot. Now, you might be wondering how that compares to general costs for home additions. Bob Villa’s website offers some information on that as well. It lists a typical range starting out at around $20,835 and going as high as $72,552. In other words, the cost for a modular addition at the lower end actually is below the lower end for a typical home addition altogether. Not only that, but the upper end of the price range for modular home additions is nowhere near the upper end of the typical range for home additions in general. The website also lists a national average for home addition costs of $46,498. That means that the national average cost for home additions in general is far above the upper threshold of expected costs for a typical modular home addition. The bottom line is that compared to additions built using traditional construction methods, modular home additions are very inexpensive. What Factors Impact Modular Home Addition Costs? While $20,000 to $30,000 is not too wide a price range, $10,000 is still a lot of money. What accounts for that difference? Here are some of the factors that might cause one modular home addition to be more or less expensive than another: The site: Before you can install a modular home addition, you will need to prep the site. Depending on the ground as well as the existing foundation, that cost could range up or down. You will also need to prepare the existing structure itself. Indeed, connecting the same addition could be more expensive if you add it to one part of your home and less expensive if you add it to another. Size: The size of your addition will have an impact on its cost. The larger your addition, the more money it will cost you, because all of those square feet will add up. That being said, if the most expensive features in the addition will be present either way, you might get more bang for your buck with a larger room. The utilities involved with installing an extra bathroom will be expensive, for example. So, adding on a few extra square feet might be worthwhile for a more luxurious space. Overall layout and design: A simple, one-story, box-shaped addition will not be as expensive as a complex, multi-story, unusually shaped addition. Materials: You may have a wide range of options with respect to the materials you choose for a modular home addition. Some materials may be quite a bit pricier than others. Keep in mind, however, that the long-term costs for maintaining the addition may be less if you choose higher-quality, stronger materials for construction. So, even if the addition costs more upfront, over time, it could save you money. Insulation: The type of insulation and its thickness will have a significant impact on how expensive your home addition is. This is another area where you may be tempted to skimp to save costs in the short term. But unless your climate is very temperate, in the long run, you will be grateful that you decided to pay more for better insulation. You will feel more comfortable in the addition, and you will probably save on HVAC costs. Utilities: Speaking of HVAC, you are going to need some basic utilities for your addition. At the very least, you will require electrical wiring and outlets. You probably also are going to want to connect the unit to your central HVAC. And if the addition will feature a kitchen or bathroom, plumbing will be necessary as well. You probably will not need to wire into cable, as you can use a router elsewhere in your home to transmit WiFi to your addition. Finishing: The finishing options you choose for your addition can alter the cost per square foot. Also, if you handle some of the finishing yourself, you might be able to save money (that said, it will cost you in terms of time, so be sure to account for that). Custom features: Any number of customization features may be possible for an addition. Perhaps you want a special type of bathtub or a particular type of window. Maybe there is some other special feature you desire, like built-in configurable furnishings. Depending on what you opt for, your cost could increase. But it can all be worth it if the result is the home addition of your dreams. Your location: Finally, the modular unit will need to be delivered to your site. Depending on how far you are from the factory and whether there are any challenges in reaching your estate (i.e. you live up in the mountains), the transportation costs associated with your add-on could be higher or lower. With an average cost in the range of $20,000 to $3,000, modular additions are likely to be significantly less expensive than a traditional home addition. Are you ready to make an affordable addition to your home now? We can help you compare prices with recommended builders in your state with one quick and easy form.
