FAQ

Q. What is a Modular Home?
A. A modular home by SICA Industries, Inc., is quite simply, a traditional home that is constructed in sections inside a factory, then delivered by truck to your building site. We then "set" these sections together and finish the construction from there.

Q. How much of my home is finished before if is delivered?
A. Most homes are delivered and set 65% to 90% complete (depending on your selection).

Q. Is it better to have my house built in a factory controlled environment?
A. Yes, absolutely. Building homes inside a factory has many distinct advantages over a "on site" built home. The most obvious is the fact that material is not subject to adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow, ice and heat. This allows homes to be built year round with a stable work force.
Working inside a production facility; in a controlled environment, means no delays or lost days due to weather. The quality modular home manufacturer protects all building materials from the weather;otherwise, materials would be too warped or bent to fit into their precise jigs for wall panels or trusses. "On site" materials are not protected from the weather; as a result, the homeowner inherits problems long after the building is finished.

Also, in-plant construction quality is invariably superior to what can be done on a job site. Parts cut with a hand saw or a hand-held power saw at a job site cannot possibly be as precise as those cut with a $10,000 radial saw or $100,000 component cutter in a factory. Factory fastening methods are also demonstrably superior because they use pneumatic tools, which drive fasteners to precise depths - no under-driving and no shiners.

Q. So the quality of a modular home is the same as a "on site" built home?
A. Actually modular homes are of much better quality. Most manufacturers have continuous, on line, quality control inspections. Third party inspectors monitor the home, on the line, to assure that each phase of each home meets building code compliance standards. The typical modular home utilizes 33% to 40% more lumber than a site built home. More lumber means more structural strength in order to ship the home over the open road and to lift and set the home upon the foundation. Modular homes are also highly wind and hurricane resistant structures. Many modular home manufacturers build their homes from the inside out. This enables the factory crew to caulk, foam and insulate the home in ways that cannot be done in the field by site builders.

Q. What does a modular home look like?
A. Today's modular home looks like any other house on the street. In fact, you can't tell them apart. SICA Industries can build almost any style home from a simple ranch to a highly customized contemporary.

Q. Are "Mobile Homes" and "Modular homes" the same thing?
A. No. They are two entirely different types of building systems. Mobile homes or "trailers", are generally built on metal frames. Often wheels or dollies are used to transport the home from the factory, or site to site, and are designed to be moved as often as necessary. Mobile homes are also constructed to a different building standard.

Modular Homes and "on-site" built homes on the other hand, are constructed to the same building codes required by your state, or county. Modular homes are also designed to be permanently installed on a basement or foundation, and are financed and appreciate in value the same as a conventional home.

Q.Can I change the floor plan? Or even design the house myself?
A. Of course! At SICA Industries we have over 2000 floor plans to choose from. If you cannot find what you are looking for we encourage you to customize your own.

Q. Can I get a basement?
A. Yes, basements are optional.

Q. What do the terms "Ship & Set" and "Turn-Key" mean?
A. "Ship A, Set" means, you purchase your modular home wholesale, and you are the builder or general contractor. This means you assume all the responsibility and liability associated with having your name on the building permit as contractor. We, SICA Industries, and any other construction trade would be subcontractor to you. This is a complicated process, which sometimes can be oversimplified by some home dealers or distributors. It is a bit more complicated than just getting a mason for the foundation, a plumber, electrician and a HVAC contractor. This process takes work, time and knowledge on your part in order to get your home successfully completed.

"Turn-Key" means SICA Industries handles the complete job, from foundation to finish. You don't need to hassle with any contractors, sub-contractors or tradesmen. You deal with only one company ... SICA. All you have to do is select your new home and we will handle all the details from that point. SICA would obtain all the necessary building permits and inspections; provides a Certificate of Occupancy and a comprehensive 10 Year Homeowner's Warranty, as well as providing you with a " lump sum" contract. And yes, SICA would be the general contractor for the project and would take full responsibility for the job.

Q. Can I really save money by choosing modular construction?
A. When you add up labor, material and time savings inherent in the modular building process, the money you save by choosing modular construction over "on-site" can be substantial. Modular building facilities buy in bulk, which can really hold the price of materials down. The construction time of a modular home is substantially shorter than "on-site" built homes; no delays due to weather
or subcontractors. Shorter construction time saves you money! Also, the construction loan, which typically has a higher interest rate, will be converted into a final mortgage in a period of weeks rather
than months. This can end up saving you a large amount of money, sometimes into the thousands.
Finally, modular homes are built to be extremely energy efficient. This energy efficiency reduces heating and cooling cost, therefore reducing the long term cost of the home.