ARTICLE

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• Media Relations

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FARM/BUSINESS

NEW ERA IN HOUSING COMING TO JAY PEAK AREA

THE NEWPORT DAILY EXPRESS, MARCH 29, 1994

By Georgia Zaveson, Special to The Express

JAY – A new era in housing may be coming to the area. Svein Kruse, owner of Inglenook Lodge in Jay, and contractor Gary Taylor have joined forces to present a new form of house building for the do-it-yourselfer.

Kruse, looking to expand into chalets, was looking for alternative styles of housing. Originally form Norway, Kruse was looking for something that would endure this climate, but still be easy to build and be well insulated. He had heard about Modulex Inc., a Quebec City-based company and went to Montreal do see a model of one of their houses. "I was convinced on the spot that this was the way to go," he related. "I was very impressed by the product."

To that end, Kruse decided to try one of the houses. He contacted local contractor Gary Taylor to see if he would be interested in working with him to market the houses. Taylor agreed to put up the first model (which is just below Inglenook Logde), but said, "I didn’t want to jump in without knowing that it worked." The house arrives on a flatbed truck with all the lumber, nails, flooring and windows for the exterior. "It took four days to put it together," Taylor told about the two-story structure.

But the best part of the house is the fixed cost, according to Kruse. "I knew right down to the penny what I’d be spending on the unit." When you buy a house kit, your price is guaranteed along with the quantities, at the time you sign your contract. Both Kruse and Taylor are quick to point out that this is not a modular or prefabricated home. "It’s basically a lumber kit," Taylor noted. He said that the best points about the Modulex system is that it’s easy to assemble and comes with a book with step-by-step directions. "It’s all top quality lumber and materials. This is a home like I would build myself," Taylor concluded.

Similar to the old Sears and Roebuck homes that used to arrive by train ready to be assembled, it seems as if the Modulex house is a new form of that Sears home for the ‘90’s. A homeowner can choose from 27 different designs ranging from contemporary to rustic to suburban. Building designs ca be adapted for commercial or public use. Homeowners can also design their own house and have Modulex come up with a guaranteed price for the exterior and interior kits. There are two packages : the exterior package includes roofing, siding, windows, doors, insulation, stairways and wall panels. Homebuyers cans opt to buy and interior package that includes everything to finish off a house, including interior doors, drywall, bathroom vanities and kitchen cupboard. All windows are low E argon gas filled.

The costs do not include paint, carpeting and light fixtures. The homeowner is also responsible for electrical, plumbing and concrete foundation work. The advantages, according to Kruse and Taylor, come with the guaranteed pricing of the product. With lumber prices fluctuating in the pas couple of years because of Hurricane Andrew and flooding in the Midwest, anyone planning to build a home faces constantly changing prices for lumber and supplies. With Modulex, there is a guaranteed price fixed for all of 1994. Besides that, the material list is guaranteed.

A thermal-plus gasket system assures good insulation, Kruse explained. There’s full R-20 plus insulation from the foundation up. It’s a completely sealed wall and floor system. But the biggest savings, according to both Kruse and Taylor, is in construction. Because a homeowner can choose his/her package and be guaranteed a price on materials, the homeowner can better predict his labor costs. "Because all materials are precut, you don’t need to know anything to put these up," Kruse said. "The only time we needed a saw was for the floor." Taylor added, "The panels weren’t even a sixteenth of an inch off. It’s better than what you could build yourself."

The service the pair is offering is not to build the home for prospective buyers, but to help them with consulting and putting the project together. For a prospective Modulex owner, that would mean that Kruse/Taylor would make arrangements for the kit, help the homeowner organize the kit once it arrives, and consult with them as to how to go about putting the structure together. "We’ll help them and guide them through it."

The stressed that one of the most important steps is organizing the material once it arrives on the truck. It’s critical that everything is organized correctly. Taylor reiterated that the instructions that come with the house are clear and easy to follow. Kruse added that all of the houses can be modified or changes to suit prospective customers, including the design-your-own option. "In 15 or 20 minutes we can guarantee the price and the delivery date." Prices range from small cottage at $13,000 up to $100,000. As an incentive, the pair is offering to pay the first year property taxes (on the building only) for the first five houses sold.

All the lumber and materials meet U.S. market standards, Taylor said. In fact, Modulex is writing a new set of specs for houses sold in the U.S. Right now, Modulex housing is in California in the U.S., but is also in other countries such as Germany, Argentina and Spain. Pricing for houses is in Canadian funds, so U.S. buyers can benefit from a favorable exchange. Prices of kits will be fixed on the day of closing the contract. For those people who have waited to build their own home, and want to know exactly how much they’re going to spend, this is an option that hasn’t been available before. For anyone wanting more information, phone 988-2600.