So how did the company managed get the prices so low? By taking a different tact than it usually does. Excel offers a few variations with the plans, but customer decisions are limited mainly to finish selections.
“By limiting options and the ability to modify the plans and elevations, we have streamlined the entire process—from ordering to production and even the set,” Saffell explained. “In addition, we have bundled options and programs, so that these homes can be ordered in much the same way one buys a new car. This too has allowed us to offer a great home at a very low cost.”
A smaller house results in lower prices, but it also means that the manufacturer can deliver the houses in a shorter amount of time. Excel says modular homes can be manufactured, delivered, and constructed fewer than six weeks. Many of the homes in the Starting Lineup series can be shipped on a single truck and finished in as little as one day.
The significance of this new series of homes is twofold, according to Excel. “The first is a high quality home designed to meet the needs of individuals or small families at a great price,” Saffell said. “The second is a green home with a smaller footprint to meet the needs of green-conscious individuals…. We believe there will always be a market for quality homes that deliver great value. And we believe green just makes sense now and into the future, and a growing segment of the market will see energy savings and green as a requirement versus an option.”
Nigel Maynard is senior editor, products, at BUILDER magazine. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/products_hound.
