Preliminary Modular Design

There are many design professionals out there who can design a home for you.  Here is the process and the things that make us different from hiring someone outside of the modular field.  

First off, California Modular Houses, Inc., is a company that specifically is design based.  After all of the years that we have been working in this field, we have learned that most clients require or want some changes to the plan before purchasing their home.  Sometimes it can be just adding in an island, moving a couple of windows, or changing a tub to a shower.  Other times it can be more complex like moving rooms around or even starting a design from scratch whether it’s because of your property size, the local requirements, or there just isn’t a stock plan that meets your needs.  We can handle all of these services.  

Typically, there is a design fee for this service, unless we are just tweaking a couple of things.  The best thing to do is to provide us with a mark-up of either one of our plans or a sketch of what you would like your house to be.  It doesn’t have to be to scale or artwork, it just needs to show the approximate dimensions, have clearly labeled rooms, and a list of anything that needs further explanation.  

Before any design work is done, we do reach out to the Planning Department to determine any basic requirements there are and see if there is anything we need to watch out for, this saves time later on.  

What makes us different is that we fully understand the modular process:

• We are able to design something for you that is buildable as a Factory Built Home.  Designing a modular home starts with the system itself, then everything is worked around that to meet your specific needs.  

• Other designers work the other way, then you incur the cost of having to convert it to a modular design.

• Since we work with the factory on a daily basis, we know what they expect and what they will build so there won’t be surprises later on.  

• Other designers incorporate things into a modular plan that can’t be built the way they are drawn and makes the design non-viable.

• We know what materials can be obtained and installed in the factory so you can have your home more completed in the factory to minimize your on-site work.

• Other designers draw up what they want to and a lot of times that adds more on-site work which ultimately costs you more money.  

• While the customization of a modular home may increase the cost a little, we know how to do it to keep costs from spiraling out of control.

• Other designers can easily say “Oh, you will just have to do this, and this other thing, etc.” and not be concerned with the cost.  

• Everybody that we design a home for has something that is very important to them.   We can counsel you if this is going to add significantly to your budget and then you can make an informed decision.   This is your house and your money; you should know this before making a determination on how important something is to you.  

• Other designers just draw up what they are told, regardless of cost and that is how a lot of homes are drawn up and then the clients have to come to us to redraw it, basically going back to the drawing board to come up with something that fits their budget.  

Once you provide to us what you would like to change or design, we can provide you with a contract for Design Services, if that service is required.  

After the initial Design is completed, we can provide that to the factory and then provide you with a formal preliminary estimate of the home delivered to you, including tax and transportation.  

Drafting & Modular Plan Set

While design and drafting may seem to be similar, they are very different skill sets and it’s rare to be able to get both of those things done in one place.  With California Modular Houses, Inc. we will take the preliminary modular design, and turn it into formal drafting plans which will later on be reviewed by the Building Department which has a completely different set of requirements than the Planning Department.  

After you are satisfied with the preliminary design, we will begin working on the final drafting.  We will provide you with a cost of the Factory Built Home plan set which usually includes the following (unless not required):

Complete Drafting of the Home

Floor plan(s)

Section(s)

Electrical Plan(s)

Plumbing Isometrics

WUI High Fire Specifications (if required)

General Construction Notes

Elevations

Then, with the same contract in place we will also be working with 3rd party consultants to complete the plans for the Factory Built Home, the portion that is being built in the factory.   Here are the standard requirements at this stage:

HVAC Design & Calculations

Structurally Engineered Plans & Calculations

Title-24 Energy Calculations

State CalGreen Form

Fire Sprinkler Plans & Calculations (if required)

From there, then your plans are issued to a 3rd party agency who will review the plans for code compliance on behalf of Housing & Community Development at the state level.  It is typical to get a round of revisions in this process but it’s faster and then for most items we supersede the local jurisdiction at the Building Department level.  

Note: The California Housing and Community Development Department is not to be confused with Housing & Urban Development which is done at the federal level and done only for Manufactured, Mobile & Trailer homes.  We do not build Manufactured, Mobile, or Trailer homes, nor do we sell them.  

These are the California Building Codes (CBC) that our plans are drafted to meet:

STATE: CALIFORNIA

2025 California Building Administrative Code 

2025 California Building Code 

2025 California Residential Code 

2025 California Electrical Code 

2025 California Mechanical Code 

2025 California Plumbing Code 

2025 California Energy Code 

2025 California Fire Code 

2025 California Green Building Standards Code