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Avalon Building Systems Blog


What you need to budget when building a new home

26 June 2010

The development of a household budget is a must activity both before you build a home as well as during your ownership of that home. By preparing a budget you can better focus on mortgage payment goals and how the new house will affect your total expenses. Maintaining a budget during the time you own the home can help to prevent potential financial disasters as well as point you in a money saving direction so you have more funds available for those things that you need or want.

You will need a little time to develop your budget but it should not take longer than a few hours if you gather the necessary information first. Get everyone who will be involved in spending involved in developing the budget.

Some of the items and information you will need to develop your budget are:

  • All current monthly loan payments.
  • All other monthly expenses (such as child care, dues, etc.).
  • Records of variable expenses (for example, utilities, food and car repair) from the last 12 months. This will give you an estimate of your monthly expenditures.
  • Records of annual or semi-annual expenses (such as insurance and taxes).
  • An estimate of what your new mortgage payment will be.
  • Records of other non-fixed expenses (for example, medical expenditures) for the last year. This will give you an estimate of average expenses of this type.
  • Records or an estimate of personal expenses (entertainment, travel, etc.)
  • Having a current copy of your credit report can be very helpful. Not only will it reveal any inaccuracies in your credit history, it will also give you a clear picture your monthly obligations. You can get a free copy of your Credit Report.
Be realistic in your budget assessment. Make provisions for possible increases in some items (for example, school tuitions, insurance and taxes). Then, look for ways to get (and maintain) control over your budget.

Most People Spend 10% More Than They Make! You probably know how much money you made last month, but do you know how much money you spent? Or do you know how much money you have left to spend this month? If you don't you're not alone, most people have no idea. The fact is most of us spend 10% more per month than we make.


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Avalon Builds Modular Garages too

16 June 2010

Avalon Building Systems is a full service garage builder.  We offer different models to choose from and each can be built as either a stand alone or integrated into your home via a breezeway or an open walkway.  Most importantly our garages can be customized to meet your needs and requirements.  

Our designs are for a standard 24’x 24” but can be built to any size you desire.  We can also design and build your garage to accommodate larger vehicles, boats or even a car lift. As with our modular homes, our garages are built with our same total solution approach.  From engineering and plan design to permitting, excavation, concrete work we do it all for you.  That coupled with our panelized construction techniques ensures you have a high quality product in less time than traditional stick building.

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On Site Modular Home Costs

11 June 2010

“On-Site” Modular Home Costs

The costs of a modular home are considered off site construction costs since up-to 90% of the home is completed at the factory.  These other costs you will/may incur are the on site costs which include but may not be limited to the following:

  • Building Lot
  • Financing and Closing Costs
  • Legal Fees
  • Building Permits
  • Utility Connections
  • Water and Sewer/Septic
  • Site Preparation
  • Excavation
  • Foundation
  • Crane
  • Porches, Decks and Garages (if not included with your modular home package)
  • Exterior Completion—siding, gutters, etc
  • Plumbing Tie–Ins
  • HVAC
  • Electrical
  • Interior Completion
  • Temporary Housing


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Can You Identify The Custom Modular Home?

8 June 2010

Look carefully at the two photos below and identify which one is stick built, and which one is a custom modular home.  Don't cheat.  The answer is provided below.   






The home on the left is an Avalon custom modular home.  The home on the right, is also an Avalon custom modular home.  We pulled this stunt simply to make a point.  You can't distinguish custom modular homes from stick-built homes from casual observation.  Now if you were to carefully inspect the attic and crawl space, there you could observe the structural superiority of the custom modular homes.  And we'd be glad to personally demonstrate the differences. 

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We Build Dream Vacation Homes

1 June 2010

One of our most professionally rewarding acts is to build dream vacation homes for our clients.  Land across the Northeast is being offered at value pricing we haven't seen in decades.  With more land available in more places and all at valued cost, people are taking full advantage of the situation and building their vacation homes.  

With vacation home plans as small as 800 square feet, we can quickly deliver an affordable vacation getaway.  Let's discuss how to turn your dream into reality. View our "Vacation Style" floor plans and give us a call today!  

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Yes....Yes We Build Custom Homes

22 May 2010

Here is our second most frequently asked question:  "Can you build our customized dream home"?  The most frequently asked question...."Why Modular"? The latter is easily answered and then the conversation quickly turns to the former.  

It is a common perception that modular home buyers are restricted to choosing from a menu with few options.  Nothing can be farther from the truth.  In fact our staff includes professional designers with many years of experience in both residential and commercial design.  If you have an architectural plan in any stage of development, we can execute it.  

Your dream home's look and feel framed by the unmatched strength and quality of modular design.  Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?

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Avalon Modular Home Roofs vs Stick-Built Roofs

17 May 2010

Roofing material and roof guarantees are critical to quality home construction, however, they are often overlooked by the consumer.  Many building contractors cut their costs by using cheap roofing products that offer little in terms of guarantee and longevity of product.  We are proud to  offer roofs constructed with 30-year guaranteed architectural self-sealing fiberglass shingles.

It is very important to discuss the subject of roofing options with your builder.  We welcome detailed discussions about our choice of building material specifications because across the board they meet or exceed stick-builder's quality standards.       


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Small Business Owners Turn Increasingly to Modular Construction

10 May 2010

One of the fastest growing markets for modular home construction is small to mid-size companies.  Business owners are turning to modular construction for all the same reasons that families do.  But for business owners who all understand that “time is money”, the rapid delivery of finished modular construction translates directly to a more efficient path to revenue generation.  The lengthy construction process (and typical delays) of traditional stick-built construction directly translates  to “opportunity lost” for the business owner.

Avalon Building Systems offers Commercial General Office Buildings  are perfectly suited for company headquarters, production facilities, and/or both. 

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Financing and Insuring for Modular Homes vs Stick Built Homes

6 May 2010

Financing and Insuring for Modular Homes vs Stick Built Homes

We want you to know that we’ve inquired of multiple banks and insurance companies about the differences in financing and insuring modular home construction.  Their response is universally consistent…..There is no difference in terms of both availability and cost.

Financiers and insurers are well aware that modular home construction strength and building standards exceed that of traditional “stick built” homes.  In fact, some insurers predict that the cost of insuring modular construction will become more affordable in time as actuaries continue to compile statistical evidence of the modular home’s structural superiority.  This is yet another reason the new home construction pendulum continues to swing in favor of modular home construction.


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Modular Homes Floor Plans have many options

28 April 2010

Modular Homes Floor Plans have many options

Depending on the style of home (ranch, cape, colonial, etc.) you are looking for there are many options available to choose from regarding Avalon Building Systems' floor plans.  Options can be broken down into the following broad categories:
  • Ceiling Structures
  • Bath & Plumbing
  • Appliances
  • Doors
  • Electrical
  • Flooring
  • Heating & Cooling
  • Insulation
  • Interior Trim
  • Kitchen
  • Roofing
  • siding
  • Stairs
  • Walls
  • Windows
For example, options under kitchen category could include cabinets, trim, hardware, countertops, faucets, sinks and more.  So even though there are standard floor plans for each home style there is a lot of room for customization thereby allowing you to build your dream home. Contact us today to discuss personalizing one of our standard floor plans.

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