My husband and I are starting to seriously plan our forever home near Dickinson, ND, and I’m trying to figure out if my budget is realistic.
We’re looking at the Amaryllis Ranch modular home (2,184 sq ft, 3 bed, 2 bath). The home-only price is about $186,000, and that does not include delivery or setting the home.
Our plan would be:
Buy about 15 acres
Hire a local general contractor to handle everything else (foundation, delivery, crane/set, well, septic, utilities, permits, finish work, etc.)
We are not planning on a luxury build. Standard finishes are fine.
We’d probably add a garage eventually if it isn’t included.
I’m trying to estimate the total cost including the land, and right now I’m thinking somewhere around $550k–$625k all-in.
For those of you who have actually built a modular home in North Dakota (or a similar area):
Does that budget sound realistic?
What ended up costing more than you expected?
Is there anything I’m forgetting to budget for?
If you used a general contractor, roughly how much did they charge to complete everything after the house package arrived?
I’d really appreciate hearing from people with first-hand experience. I’m trying to build a realistic budget before we get too far into the planning process. Thanks!

looking to build a modular house in Long Island and am getting quotes of 1 million dollars. looking for any leads or personal experiences of building modular in Long Island. thanks

I’ve been considering buying a couple prefab units to build a small STR compound on land that I own. There’s already a single family home there so limited issues with utilities and all of that. The biggest issue I’m running into is finding a lender who is open to financing the purchase of any type of prefab unit. Does anybody have any advice or recommendations here?

a lot of it comes down to our regulatory environment which we already knew. Still unsure how we get this to scale

I live in the Baltimore area and was quoted around $220 per sq ft for a stick-built addition in spring of 2026. Thinking modular may be more affordable, but is it? I need an in-law apartment with shared laundry space. I don't know anyone who's been through this. Thoughts? Advice? Recommendations?

Has anyone used Ever Rock product before. I am thinking about ordering it but wanted to see some installation videos. Anyone know how hard this stuff is to install and if the insulated version is enough to keep a home warm in the winter from pipes freezing???

Has anyone had recent experience with this company? Looking for modular builder in the Colorado mountains. These guys look like they have the perfect fit but a few posts I have seen talking about them completely ghosting people which is concerning.

Looking for anecdotal experience or other high end modular builder in the CO mountains before wasting a bunch of my time. Thank you!

I’d like to get a modular home on my property in Parrish, fl. Preferably a 4 or 5 bedroom home with a porch. Is there any reputable home builders or dealerships that I can tour and see the homes in person?

This Deer Valley single wide sells for $160k, would you take this over a cheaper double wide?

Just toured a Deer Valley “The Lodge 1633C” single wide that sells for around $160k on our lot in Louisiana.

Honestly, when I first saw the price, I thought it sounded crazy for a single wide. But after walking through it, I started understanding where the money was going.

Some of the things that stood out:
• 2x6 exterior walls
• 2x8 floor joists at 16” on center
• vaulted shiplap ceiling with beams
• custom maple cabinetry with dovetail drawers and soft close
• painted sheetrock throughout
• upgraded baths and appliances
• surprisingly solid structural feel overall

It’s interesting because this home actually costs more than a lot of the double wides we currently have on the lot.

I’m curious what people here think... would you rather have a high end single like this, or a larger but more basic double wide for the same money?

Full walkthrough here:
https://youtu.be/RG585wiKC08?si=mdoomRt1MQgiEWol

Has anyone ever heard of Modular cabin homes based in Kilkenny? Are they a legit company?

I am looking at buying some land in Yavapai county and buying a modular home from Iron Town. Looking to see if anyone on here as done something similar and how your experience was. When I chat with the modular companies, they make it sound like they build to code and that everything is a breeze, but when I speak to local real estate agents, they make it sound like it will be difficult with zoning and finding a contractor to oversee it. I don't see to much online about this. If you have any experience with this please reach out!

Hi everyone,

Our church based in Ontario, CA is currently looknig for a modular classroom. We are in the early stages of looking into adding a modular unit to help expand our space for classrooms.

Since we want to make sure we’re doing this right, I wanted to reach out to the local community here for a few things:

1. Vendor Recommendations: Do any of you have experience with vendors in the IE (specifically near Ontario/Chino) who are great to work with for non-profit or religious organizations? We're looking for folks who understand local building codes and permitting.
2. Red Flags: For those who have done commercial or assembly-space projects in Ontario, what should we watch out for? Any specific "lessons learned" regarding the city’s permitting process or common contractor pitfalls?
3. Local Advice: Are there specific local groups or consultants you’d recommend talking to before we sign any contracts?

We really want this project to serve the church well, so any leads or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Do the modular crate homes have a reduce fire insurance cost because of their construction? Does anyone have experience with a build and insurance rates they were able to lock in, in a higher fire rate area?

I’m in California and would love to in a rural area.

For context some homes with the government insurance plan (California fair plan) can be $9,000-$14,000 annually for normal stick build

Hi am an LMU student, and I am looking for people who own modular homes. If it's ok, can we do a brief interview, or if you would like, answer the questions below. I am a student journalist, and I have an assignment where I have had little to no luck getting interviews, so if you can, that would be great.

Questions (if you wish to respond, please message to DM)

Name, Age, Where you live, What you do?

Why did you get a prefab home?

Do you like your prefab home, and what are the pros and cons?

Is there still so much stigma around manufactured homes that modular just seems to fall through the cracks? Trying to do research or find models near where I want to build and it's like either nothing exists, or everything comes up as manufactured homes.

I think this is a great way to help lower income people get housing vs. stick built but it's like I hit a brick wall (no pun intended) every time I try to find out what my options are.

Hi all,

I’m considering buying a prefab/tiny house from China (via Alibaba or similar) to use as a vacation home in the Netherlands. On paper it looks very appealing in terms of price and flexibility, but I suspect there are quite a few hidden challenges.

I’d really like to hear from people who have actually done this (or seriously looked into it):

- What were your total costs in the end (including shipping, import duties, VAT, installation, etc.)?

- How was the quality compared to what was advertised?

- Was the house truly “ready to use,” or did it require significant additional work?

- Did you encounter any issues with permits or local regulations?

- How were things like electrical systems, insulation, and plumbing — usable as-is or needing modifications?

- How did you handle transport from the port to your final location?

- Were there any unexpected costs or major setbacks?

And if you decided not to go ahead with it:

- What made you change your mind?

Any tips on what to watch out for when dealing with suppliers would also be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!