Modular home construction has been around for a few decades now, but the technologies and designs continue to improve. Particularly in the last decade, the explosion of designs and the increase in availability of modular homes have rapidly increased the modular home as a wise choice of new home construction. But what is on the horizon? Anything is possible as global markets increase, national recession looms, and streamlining within the factory advances. Here are just a few possibilities to consider.

For almost 2 years, the U.S. real estate market in many areas has been experiencing a readjustment with home prices dropping and foreclosures rising. However, the population continues to increase and new home construction will rebound after market settling occurs. Given the recent experience of the homeowner and a national recession, attention to costs and investment potential will be at an all-time high. Since modular homes cost on average 20 percent less than site-built homes, surpass them in overall quality, and maintain a strong investment potential, you can anticipate seeing the percentage of new home construction awarded to modular home building to rise.

Factories that build modular homes continue to find ways to improve quality and design while lowering costs and waste. This drive for efficiency has created a secure spot for modular homes in the new home construction industry. As sub-specialists who make products that are attractive to these factories increase, a potential for outsourcing some components of the factory construction process may even improve their ability to save costs further. For instance, prefabricated wall panels are already being used by some modular home factories to reduce labor demands for wall assembly. These panelized wall distributors can provide these at a lower cost than the expense it takes a factory to supply materials and labor for wall assembly. Expect further streamlining within the factory setting through outsourcing measures.

Remember when Japanese cars overtook the American car industry a few decades ago globally? Be cautious of a similar trend in modular home construction. If labor costs (which are the most costly expenses for modular home factories) can be markedly reduced by placing factories in China or South America, this could offset shipping costs of modules and importation fees. It may well be that your new modular home could be assembled half way across the world before it ends up on your lot. The end result is that the market share of modular homes in new construction is predicted to rise, and there are potential avenues where costs for new homes could drop even further by paying attention to the above areas and others. In addition, the capacity for recycling efforts and the attention being given to designing "green" modular homes will drive those that are environmentally conscious to strongly consider this as the best option. Combining these aspects in the industry with the ability of modular homes to meet the high design demands of the consumer, it seems obvious that this industry has a stronghold for the future.