Introduction

Modular homes are fast becoming a popular housing option in Canada, as buyers look to beat high prices and lack of supply. These types of houses are built in central yards or factories, then shipped to a prepared site and set onto a foundation.
Quick Note: Modular homes are not the same as mini-homes. Where a modular home can be shipped in multiple sections and connected on-site, mini-homes are a single unit. However, the information in this articles applies to both types.
The benefits of modular homes include affordability, quality, aesthetic appeal, and faster construction compared to traditional buildings. Here in Moncton, people are looking to modular and ready-to-move houses as an economical way to secure a place of their own.
But, like any structure, a modular home needs to sit on a firm foundation in order to deliver decades of safe and comfortable living. However, this choice can feel complicated when you realize the wide range of options available to you. 
Plus, your choice of foundation affects the types of financing you can qualify for.
So, what are your foundation options for modular homes in Moncton and area? How do they affect your financing? And which of them perform the best in our unique and challenging conditions?
Find the answers to those questions and more in this comprehensive guide to modular home foundations. We're looking at six options for modular homes and uncovering the critical information you need to know about:

By the end you'll have a clear understanding of how they work, their pros and cons, and even what they could cost.
Let's get into it! 

How To Start On The Right Foundation

Having a solid foundation for your modular home is, unsurprisingly, pretty darn important.
That's because modular homes are built off-site, then moved to their final location. This makes them less likely to have a permanent foundation compared to a site-built home, which needs support in-place before it can be constructed.
(We'll explain what we mean by "permanent foundation" in a moment!)
When considering purchasing a modular home, you need to know what kind of support you'll place it on. 
Before you can do that however, we need to highlight the crucial differences between permanent and non-permanent foundations. 
This is critical to understand, as it can affect the type of mortgage you can qualify for.
A 'non-permanent' foundation is one that, as the name suggests, isn't a permanent solution. Concrete blocks that rest on the ground surface, for example, would be considered non-permanent.
On the other side of the coin are permanent foundations, significantly stronger and more durable. Examples of permanent foundations would be helical piles, concrete piers, or basements.
Banks or lenders prefer permanent foundations as they offer better protection for their investment. So, it can be difficult (if not impossible) to secure traditional financing on a home that has a non-permanent foundation. 
While non-permanent foundations are uncommon for modular homes in New Brunswick, we wanted you to be aware of the impact your foundation has on the terms and interest rates you could secure.

Common Foundation Options for Modular Homes

When it comes to hunting-down the "best" foundation option for your modular home dreams, we have to make something clear first...
There is no single option that's the "best".
The right foundation for you depends on a variety of factors, some of which are:
● Location of your land● Terrain features and geography● Soil composition and conditions● Proximity to bodies of water● Size of the home● Your own needs/preferences/desires
Because we aren't able to tell those factors from a blog post, there's no way for us to point at a particular foundation technology and say "USE THIS!"
What we can do is give you an overview of the different solutions that are available. We'll cover five foundation options and discuss how they work, their pros and cons, and where they fall in terms of overall costs. 

Concrete Slab (Permanent)

Concrete slab foundations consist of a flat layer of concrete that's poured directly onto the ground. Code in New Brunswick requires the slab is at least 4" thick, however it's highly recommended to go with a 6" slab at minimum for greater strength.

Slabs are a popular foundation for modular homes, as they can be poured with a relatively low amount of effort and cost. However, the tradeoff is that concrete slabs may not have the greatest durability or longevity in our tough winters. 
They also typically demand a significant amount of ground disturbance to install, in the form of removing and leveling dirt.

Concrete Slab Construction Process

Advantages of Concrete Slabs

Disadvantages of Concrete Slabs

Cost of a Concrete Slab

As mentioned, concrete slabs can be one of the less expensive solutions for a modular home foundation. The exact cost of your slab depends on factors like ground conditions, location, and desired thickness.

Here's the assumptions we're making about the modular home:
● Size 1200 sq. ft. (16' x 75')● Soil conditions are good, solid bearing capacity● Location is easily accessible

Roughly speaking a 6" thick concrete slab could cost anywhere from $5 to $10 per square foot. Our example house is 16' x 75', however a slab should typically be a little larger than the footprint of the home.

With that in mind, let's pretend you'll need to build an 18' x 80' concrete slab. At $5 to $10 per square foot, it could cost between $7,200 to $14,400.

Concrete Pier (Permanent)

An ubiquitous foundation, concrete piers are installed by pouring concrete into pre-dug holes in the ground. Cylindrical forms are placed in the holes to create a column of concrete. Adapters are set into each of the piers which then connect to the modular home.

Concrete piers can be found supporting everything from small decks to large buildings, and there's no denying they're a common foundation. Under a large, relatively heavy, and heated structure like a modular home, they can offer good performance.

On the other hand, certain soil compositions can create problems for a concrete pier - especially during winter. If your soil is "expansive", meaning it swells when saturated and shrinks when dry, it can exert a lot of pressure on a concrete pier. This could, in turn, lead to the foundation experiencing heaving or sinking.

Similar to concrete slabs, piers are fairly straightforward to install and can be affordable if you have good soil conditions. That said, the installation process could also be time-consuming and create a considerable amount of ground disturbance.

Concrete Pier Construction Process

Advantages of Concrete Piers

Disadvantages of Concrete Piers

Cost of a Concrete Pier

It's difficult to give an estimate of what it would cost for a concrete pier foundation under a modular home here in Moncton. Your soil composition and condition will have a big impact on the price, not to mention the size of the home.

Remember that to keep cost comparisons roughly equal, we're assuming:
● Size is 1200 sq. ft. (16' x 75')● Soil conditions are good, solid bearing capacity● Location is easily accessible

The website homeguide.com has estimated that concrete pier foundations can cost anywhere from $7 to $11 per square foot of house to support. As HomeGuide is an American website, we need to adjust that price for the current exchange to Canadian dollars which makes costs between $9 to $15.

Based on those figures, a hypothetical concrete pier foundation for our example home may fall between $10,800 to $18,000.

Full Basement (Permanent)

A full basement is the most expensive foundation we'll cover in this article, and for good reason. While it does add extra living and storage space to a modular home, building a basement is time-consuming and requires a lot of material.

Of course, you may find the cost worthwhile if you're seeking extra square footage or want to increase the value of the home!

You also have various options in terms of how your basement is constructed. Poured concrete, cinder blocks, insulated concrete forms (ICF), and pre-cast panels, tend to be the most common. 
The exact installation process and cost will depend on the type of basement, along with factors like soil conditions and ease of access.

One thing to keep in mind when considering a full basement is they can run into moisture issues, especially in our damp climate. It's crucial the basement is properly built to ensure a water-tight structure and avoid future problems with mold or water intrusion.

Full Basement Construction Process

Advantages of Full Basements

Disadvantages of Full Basements

Cost of a Full Basement Foundation

The cost of a full basement depends on the materials used to build it, ground conditions, size, and whether it's finished or unfinished.

Because of this, it can be difficult to pin-down reliable figures for the cost of a basement foundation under a modular home. However, the website Home Advisor estimates an unfinished basement could cost $20 to $37 per square foot.

Those are American prices, so converted to Canadian it comes in at $27 to $50 per square foot of unfinished basement.

If we calculate based on our example modular house:
● 1200 sq. ft. in size (16' x 75')● Good soil conditions, solid bearing capacity● Easily accessible site location● Poured concrete for basement

A full basement foundation for a modular home of that size could cost between $32,400 to $60,000. 

Crawlspace (Permanent)

A crawlspace is, essentially, a cousin to the full basement. Instead of the full-height of a basement a crawlspace only has enough room for an adult to, well, crawl through!

Because a crawlspace requires less work and materials, they can be a "middle of the road" option in terms of price. It can provide the finished look of a basement under your home without the high costs of actually building one.

Crawlspaces also elevate your modular home off the ground, which can be great for controlling and preventing moisture damage. The space underneath also allows for utilities like air conditioning or electrical wiring to be run. You might even be able to sneak some storage space in, however it likely won't be the easiest to access.

The most common materials used to build crawlspaces are poured concrete, cinder blocks, or ICF blocks. 

Crawlspace Construction Process

Advantages of Crawlspaces

Disadvantages of Crawlspaces

Cost of a Crawlspace Foundation

Cheaper than a full basement, crawlspaces can be a tempting foundation solution that seem to deliver some of the same benefits. When compared to other foundation solutions, however, they still tend to fall on the higher end of the price spectrum.

Once again, it was a little challenging to uncover reasonable price ranges for crawlspace foundations. Thankfully the people at Angi.com have worked out some average costs, so we'll use their numbers.

Their research suggests that the cost of a crawlspace can fall between $6 and $18 per square foot. Adjusting for Canadian dollars, we get an estimated cost of $8 to $24 per square foot.

Remember our example house?
● 1200 sq. ft. in size (16' x 75')● Good soil conditions, solid bearing capacity● Easily accessible site location

For a modular home of that size, it could cost you $9,600 to $28,800 for a crawlspace foundation.

Helical Piles (Permanent)

The last foundation option we'll look at in this article, helical piles are our shameless favourite. We are a helical pile foundation company serving Moncton, after all!
But, even though we're big fans of helical piles around here, we won't let that get in the way of the facts. 
Helical piles are unique to other solutions on this list, in that they have the speed and convenience of cribbing with the permanence and strength of concrete. Like the concrete piers we looked at earlier, helical piles are designed to install deeper into the ground to find firm support in good soils.
Unlike concrete piers, a helical foundation requires very little site disturbance to install. Beyond clearing organic matter and fixing any high or low spots, there's a minimal amount of preparation needed.
In fact if you compare helical piles to other foundations, they tend to be the fastest to install and use. Oh, and our helical piles are constructed from galvanized steel to protect against corrosion even in areas with high water tables.
Plus, if you are planning on going with a basement, crawlspace, or even a pad, you can still use helical piles. They can replace bulky concrete footings, offering enduring support and protection for the concrete above. 
While this technology may not be as familiar as concrete or cribbing, it does represent a very efficient and sturdy way to support modular homes.

Helical Pile Foundation Construction Process

Advantages of Helical Piles

Disadvantages of Helical Piles

Cost of a Helical Pile Foundation

Like all the other foundations we've examined today, there is no "one answer" for the cost of a helical pile foundation in Moncton. Just like other solutions, the soil and site conditions will be a big part in determining what exactly your final tally will be.
Based on our 13+ years of experience providing helical pile foundations to the region, you may be looking at anywhere from $8 to $12 per square foot in good quality soils. 
If we're calculating based on our pre-established example home:
● 1200 sq. ft. in size (16' x 75')● Good soil conditions, solid bearing capacity● Easily accessible site location
A helical foundation for our hypothetical modular house could cost between $9,600 to $14,400.

Which Modular Home Foundation is Best? (Comparison Chart)

Finally, time for the big question and answer of this article: Which foundation is best for modular homes in New Brunswick?

As you may have realized by this point, there is no single answer!

Each of the foundations we've explored comes with their own set of pros and cons, and which one suits your home depends on a slew of factors.

That's why we wanted to include a comparison chart, so you can quickly see how each of these solutions stacks-up to each other on a range of key aspects.

Note: This chart assumes the dimensions and soil conditions from the example modular home we have used throughout this article.

How To Choose a Modular Home Foundation

With all these different options, how do you go about choosing a foundation for your modular home? The process doesn't have to be daunting! All you need to do is ask the right questions so you can begin to understand which ones may be the solution for you.

As you think about foundations, consider these questions...

Frequently Asked Questions About Modular Home Foundations

How long does it take to install a foundation for a modular home?

Installation time varies widely depending on the type of foundation you choose. A concrete slab might take a few days to pour and a couple weeks to cure. By comparison, a basement or crawlspace will require more time, often several weeks, due to excavation and more complex construction. 
Helical piles can take as little as a single day to install and are ready for immediate use. No matter what foundation you decide on, always factor in extra time for weather delays or complications.

Can I change my foundation after the modular home has been installed?

Some folks wonder if they can go with a cheap foundation at first, then install a better solution later on. However changing the foundation after placing the modular home is a significant job that, in many cases, won't be very practical or economical. You'd have to lift your house and build a new foundation in place of the old one. 
This is a challenging process and is usually only done if there are problems with the existing foundation. It's best to get the foundation you want the first time.

Will my foundation choice affect my financing or insurance for the home?

Yes, your foundation absolutely affects both financing and insurance for your modular home. Lenders and insurance companies often have requirements for the foundation to ensure the home is considered a permanent structure. A permanent foundation, such as helical piles, is almost always required to qualify for a mortgage and to secure the best insurance rates. 
Check with potential lenders and insurance companies before choosing a foundation for your modular home!

Summary & Conclusion

Whew, if you made it all the way to this point you deserve some applause! That was a huge amount of information to cover, and honestly there wasn't even room to include everything we wanted. Perhaps we'll have to do some follow-up posts (let us know if you'd like to see that).

Hopefully you now have a clearer picture of the various foundation systems that exist for modular homes, and how they compare to each other. As we've said a few times, the right foundation for you depends on... well... you.

Do you want the space a basement provides? Or do you prefer the speed and enduring stability of helical piles? Is your home going to be located in a flood-prone area? What kinds of severe weather might you experience? Are there environmental concerns to be aware of?

All these questions, and more, can guide you towards the best foundation solution for your modular home.

So, what should you do now?

For one, you should get in touch with a foundation professional. Because while you can gain a lot of useful information and accomplish a big chunk of the research on your own, you can't beat having a chat with an expert.

(Not to sound self-serving, but our team at Postech Moncton is always happy to have a chat about foundations!)

An experienced, trustworthy foundation contractor will work with you to compare your needs and preferences to the reality of your soil and site conditions. They'll help highlight your choices and give you valuable advice to make the process stress-free.

If you'd like to learn more about modular home foundations, particularly how helical piles can unlock untold speed and economy, give us a call or send an email today. 
Our friendly team would be happy to help you explore your options and ensure your dream-home is placed on the best support possible.