Quality Building 'Going Green'

Although the majority of our builders specialize in traditional, on-site "stick-built" homes, some of the builders in our builder network are experienced in modular new home construction.

The Discovery Channel

A few years ago Custom Homes of Virginia built a modular style new construction home that was filmed by the Discovery Channel for an episode featuring Green Building.

SimonHouses.com and our network of builders typically build homes “on site” but we do have options available for those homebuyers looking for a modular home option. Contact us today to discuss all of your new home construction options.

Green Building

A growing trend in new home construction is an increased awareness and use of green and sustainable building techniques. Green building refers to the use of construction processes that reduce the environmental impact of new homes and buildings and are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle. Although new technologies are constantly being developed to complement current practices in creating greener structures, the common objective is that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by:

  • Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources
  • Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity
  • Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation

Some of the fundamental principles that persist in green construction include: Siting and Structure Design Efficiency, Energy Efficiency, Water Efficiency, Materials Efficiency, Indoor Environmental Quality Enhancement, Operations and Maintenance Optimization, and Waste and Toxics Reduction. While not all of these principles may be utilized in each construction project, builders and contractors aim to optimize one or more of these principles. There are several key steps in designing sustainable buildings: specify 'green' building materials from local sources, reduce loads, optimize systems, and generate on-site renewable energy.

Although an initial downfall of green building might be that upfront costs might be higher in constructing environmentally friendly homes, the savings in money that energy effiecient homes offer from reduced energy bills grants homeowners great savings of the life-cycle cost of their new home. Overall, the benefits of green building far outweigh the negatives both in cost and in its contribution to protecting and preserving the environment.

Here at SimonHouses.com, we want to do our part in protecting our future by "going green" in our building products and processes, and we are strongly committed to building homes that are energy efficient and environmentally friendly. That is why we are an Energy Star partner and take advantage of the many "green building" techniques currently available. These are an important part of our quality style of new construction.

Modular Homes

Modular homes are an efficient and quick alternative for homebuyers who want to purchase a newly constructed home in a shorter amount of time as an “on site” construction project. These factory built homes are built indoors, in sections, where they are not subject to adverse weather conditions, thus eliminating the risk of missed work days due to poor weather conditions. They are then transported to the building site on truck beds and joined together on a pre-made foundation by local contractors. Choosing to build a modular home is a time efficient alternative for potential homebuyers as they can sometimes be completed in the factory in as little as 1-2 weeks. It usually takes another 2-4 weeks for the local builder to complete the assembly and construction of the home once it's delivered on site. In addition to the benefits of a shortened construction process, modular homes are very cost effective compared to conventional construction and are built to be very energy efficient, further reducing your heating and cooling costs. Manufacturers cite the following reasons for the typically lower cost/price of these homes:

  • Speed of Construction/Faster Return on Investment. Modular construction allows for the building AND the site work to be completed simultaneously, reducing the overall completion schedule by as much as 50%.
  • Indoor construction. Construction of large sections of the home is independent of weather which increases work efficiency and avoids damaged building material.
  • Favorable pricing from suppliers. Large-scale manufacturers can effectively bargain with suppliers for discounts on materials.
  • Low waste. With the same plans being constantly built, the manufacturer has records of exactly what quantity of materials are needed for a given job. While waste from a site-built dwelling may typically fill several large dumpsters, construction of a modular dwelling generates much less waste.
  • More environmentally friendly construction process. Modular construction generates less materials waste and less site disturbances than comparable site built structures.

Some common misconceptions about modular homes are that they are the same as mobile homes and that they all look alike. Purchasing a modular home however, offers homebuyers a unique opportunity to build a home to your specifications or to modify a standard plan to suit your needs. While some modular homes are very basic and may resemble double wide manufactured homes, these two types of structures are built in very different ways, with modular homes conforming to specific building codes for the location where it will be delivered, and in many cases, construction exceeds these required codes.