Sometimes your property is just right, but the home needs to be replaced. That was what Mike and Jessica Schwinghammer were dealing with. They liked their location in the country but wanted to replace the old farmhouse they were living in with a home to fit their growing family’s needs. There are options to consider when replacing an old farmhouse, we’re sharing their story.
Deciding on a Modular Home
Mike and Jessica explored all their options for updating their old farmhouse. The price of remodeling seemed really high compared to building new. The idea of a modular home was mentioned and they decided it was worth looking into. They liked the concept. It would allow them to keep their same property and country acreage. They also loved the idea that they could get a new basement and that the home was built indoors. They had previous personal experience having a home built during the winter and dealing with mold issues that they didn’t want to go through again.
Having a local business like Excelsior Homes close by made them their first choice. Mike and Jessica learned more about Excelsior Homes and the home options available by doing their research on the Excelsior Homes website. They specifically liked looking through all the floor plans and gaining a better understanding of the differences between modular and manufactured homes. They connected with Excelsior Homes and then toured home models on their lot. The Schwinghammers loved the home models!
After finding a layout they wanted, a meeting was scheduled. Mike and Jessica shared their wants and details of their building situation. At that point, they came up with a cost estimate.
“We were very happy with the process and chose to stick with Excelsior Homes.” – Jessica Schwinghammer
The Schwinghammer’s decided on a Highland modular home. This home fit their floor plan requests, timeline, and pricing which they found in the current economic housing situation could be challenging. They found a home plan they loved and had fantastic modern features.
Excelsior Homes manages all the building contractors. Mike and Jessica liked that because then they didn’t have to worry about scheduling any of that. Mike and Jessica had one particular contractor that they knew they wanted to work with, it is a contractor Excelsior Homes was familiar with and they were more than willing to work with their contractor of choice. They liked working with the Excelsior Homes staff and appreciated how Beau and Jason, Excelsior Homes Owners, visited the site personally.
Work in Progress – Replacing an Old Farmhouse
Watching the progress of the home all coming together was the best part of the experience according to Jessica. Watching the old home being torn down, a new basement dug and the foundation created, the home delivery and placement, and then putting all the pieces together!
“It was so neat to see how things are done, especially moving the house pieces onto the new foundation.” – Jessica Schwinghammer
They enjoyed the level of options available. Mike and Jessica were able to customize certain aspects of the house. With the modular house though, they didn’t have to pick out every single detail as they would have with another building route. They were able to pick out just enough items without getting overwhelmed with decisions. “We are happy with how it all turned out!”
“Of course living in our new house is the best! I still can’t get over how amazing it turned out.” – Jessica Schwinghammer
With every big project, there are some challenges. The Schwinghammers found the financing process was the most difficult. New construction loans work differently than financing to purchase a new house/property. Mike and Jessica ended up going through a bank that Excelsior Homes works with on a regular basis. They are familiar with their process and did a wonderful job explaining the steps and everything that needed to happen.
The whole process from start to finish, once demolition started, was less than 3 months which went much quicker than the other routes the Schwinghammers considered. They were able to tear down the old farmhouse, dig the new basement, and prep while the modular house was being built off-site. This helps consolidate the time and helped them move into their home sooner than some other options. This made it easier on their family.
“Perfect match of using our own property and having the perfect house for our growing family.”-Jessica Schwinghammer
Interested in replacing your home with a new home like the Schwinghammers? Take a look at our model homes to see what we have to offer.
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