The history of modular building is the story of needs met. Homes were brought in pieces on the Mayflower to be rebuilt for the first settlers. When communities were springing up quickly, buildings from homes to schoolhouses could be ordered through catalogs to be delivered by train and assembled. After World War II, the housing shortage was helped by prefab homes transported and installed. These included historic mobile homes. In the past, the needs that were met by modular building were utilitarian. The modular building of the past was not built for beauty and no one was disappointed by its bland boxy appearance. This is no longer true. The modular building of today is being made to answer to a lack of affordable and beautiful housing. With improvements in manufacturing technology and transportation, appearance is no longer difficult to achieve. The modular building has become the home with distinct style. Today’s modular building has to take into account local building codes, ecological demands and the competition of other high-tech building solutions. Modular homes are designed by architects, customizable by computer and assembled in factories. Once the modular building stopped arriving at the site in the form of a do-it-yourself kit, they really took off. Today’s modular usually takes seven to ten days to assemble in the factory and are over 90% complete when shipped. The home includes finished and painted interiors, carpets or hardwood floors, interior plumbing and electrical installations, appliances, lighting and windows. All of the decorations are chosen by the owners and, if necessary, special-ordered by the factory. The modular building is delivered to the prepared site and installed. The framing of the building is never exposed to the elements during the building process. After a long and interesting history, the new modular building is finally making history of its own. NoneNone