So much depends on the Builder...

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We can't assume everyone knows the lingo, the process, or anything about building homes and we want to make this as clear as we can.

Some definitions first:

 - Manufacturer:  The company that constructs the modules in their factory (e.g. Supreme Homes).

 - Retailer or Builder:  The company that buys the modular units from the manufacturer and completes the home for the client (e.g. Leisco).

 - Customer:  Person or family researching or shopping their options knowing they need or want a new home.

 - Client:  Person or family that has signed a contract with a retailer to have a new home built. 

 - Boxes:   Refers to the modules produced by the manufacturer.  A mini-home is usually one box, modulars are two or more.

 - Stick Builder:   Constructs a house on site from the ground up, the traditional method, stick by stick.

 - CSA (Canadian Standards Association):  The organization that determines standards by which modular homes are constructed to either meet or surpass national and provincial building codes.  The first step in the 'chain of trust' designed to protect you, the client.

Some insight into where this industry is today:

There is a lot going on in this industry these days.  The Federal Government released a report in 2024 through the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA) along with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to study the trends affecting Canadians when it comes to housing construction and meeting the targets set for new home construction across Canada.   Manufactured housing (AKA: modular homes, 'factory built' and/or 'off-site' construction systems) is where new home construction needs to transition to in order for Canada to have a chance at reaching these targets.  Luckily, in Atlantic Canada we have a deep seeded history of manufacturers that have been building these homes for over 65 years with newer manufacturers showing up... some specialize in modular buildings, some target very small custom builds, while others offer a full range of products.  

What also seems to be happening in the rural parts of Atlantic Canada is the traditional stick builder cannot complete a home as fast as modular homes or at the same frequency.  They cannot give customers accurate quotes if they have one or two homes on the go and two to three on the waiting list.  Many of these stick builders are looking at smaller renovation jobs instead of building a complete home.  Building a home for a client or family today requires a level of communication and accountability that was not present even five years ago.  With a rise in modular home retailers servicing Atlantic Canada, coupled with advances in design, finishes, and layout possabilities, retailers like Leisco are able to complete more homes per year with the same amount of labor as a stick builder... for comparably less cost to the client, compliant with building codes and at a fixed price.

We know the customer has also changed recently.  Back 'in the day', one's reputation only reached as far as he/she was willing to travel for a build.  Social Media, immediacy, online reviews, response times and reputational backlash are just a few factors that the older trades people never had to consider.  If only people these days were as quick to applaud a job well done as they are to complain about an issue.  At Leisco, we believe that the problem does not define the company but how that company handles the problem is what defines it.   

Just like carpenters and trades people try to keep up with today's client... manufacturers of modular homes had to do the same thing. Covid-19 and the construction chaos that ensued into 2022 made all the manufacturers take a hard look in the mirror.  Most manufacturers chose a cautious and zero risk approach by focusing on cutting costs or simplifying their designs.  Some manufacturers saw this period of chaos as an opportunity to further differentiate themselves by investing in their people and processes... like Supreme Homes.  Pros and cons for both directions but it is not hard to see what manufacturers chose what path... and why Leisco paired so well with Supreme.

Things Leisco assumes about every customer that walks through our doors:

 - This is the biggest purchase a person or family will ever make.

 - Most customers are not comfortable with salespeople and dislike getting 'sold'.

 - You are considering all your options including other retailers, stick builders, and existing properties. 

 - This is your first time considering a modular home and you need to feel comfortable with the process.

 - This is scary, intimidating and can get overwhelming at times... especially if unwanted sales pressure is applied. 

 - You need to trust the builder you are going to work with and feel they will have your best interest at heart.

 - You have an idea where you want to build/live, what you need in a home, and a basic budget in mind.

We'll invite you to sit down, to tell us your vision, ask your questions, ask them again, maybe one more time and eventually we'll both get on the same page.  We'll put a plan together for next steps, connect you with people or services you might need for land, financing, or regulatory requirements and make sure your bases are covered.  We'll get you the information you are looking for and do our best to show you everything you need to make the best decision you possibly can.  We'll get a feel for your pace and what is important for you and we'll respect that.  Budget is a huge factor, as we can all appreciate, and it will need to be addressed at some point to gauge where or what type of home will work best for you... but why give that to a 'salesperson' you do not trust yet?

Are you buying a home or choosing a builder?

Designing, finishing, and building a home is nothing like going to a car dealership and picking out a vehicle.  Pitting two car dealerships against each other to see who will dig the deepest is a common car buying tactic.  It also happens in this industry but that approach does not translate the same.  It is human nature to protect your financial position when you put yourself out there and start your research.  With Modular homes, two different retailers representing the same manufacturer can have drastically different finished products for the same home.  Even though the manufacturer builds the exact same box and charges the same price to both retailers, how it is finished can vary greatly between.  The manufacturer can only control what happens in their plant, but after that... the finished product is all on the retailer.    

Modular home retailers play the largest role in finishing a home and managing the project.  Like the vehicle purchase comparison, you can go to several car dealership that sells the same make or model of car and there is no difference in the finished product between the dealerships.  Not the case for modular home builders.  Finishing the home is where the different retailers can find cost savings to offer a better deal when they choose cheaper materials, less materials, cheaper labor, and/or cheaper trades.  Also unlike buying a vehicle, you can only go to the retailer you chose to get the warranty work completed.  You can't ask any retailer that sells for the same manufacturer to come and fix your warranty claim like you can drop your car off to any dealer that sells your make.

This is why Leisco is 'Service over Sales'.  We get it!  We understand how important this decision is.  The time, energy and discipline required to position yourself to build a home.  We know that your loved ones will be under that roof.  We take this responsibility very seriously and you should expect that from your builder.  With Leisco and Supreme Homes you will get everything on your needs list, at the budget you have identified, built to the highest standards and quality control in the industry with unmatched service.  We will explore every option for you and make adjustments to suit your budget but we will not sacrifice your investment or our reputation to 'win' a deal.  

If your budget is tight but you are serious about working with Leisco to build your next home then we will be serious about doing whatever we can to make it happen.  If you choose your builder the same way you buy your vehicles... do not expect us to waste a lot of time playing price games or helping you get a 'better deal' somewhere else.  There are too many customers out there that genuinely want the service and security that comes with a Leisco Home.  

We would rather earn your trust to build your home instead of hoping our number is the smallest.  Usually that type of customer has been sold on the belief that there is no fundamental difference in any modular home because the other 'salesperson' told them that all CSA certified modular homes are the same.  These customers are often told that every retailer finishes a home the same.  Some customers are blinded by this need to get the lowest price possible when our belief is to get the best quality home for your budget.  

Being a CSA certified builder does not mean the homes are all built the same... it means they all meet a MINIMUM standard:

A CSA certified manufacturer produces a home that is supposed to comply with the bare minimum required to meet building code.  Local building inspectors consider the CSA certified home as compliant when it comes to everything you can't see behind the walls, in the attic and under the floors.  They inspect everything that was done to the home by the retailer after it was delivered.  Every CSA certified modular home manufacturer has their own way, their own processes, and their own quality standards.  About the only similarity between all the CSA certified manufacturers is just that.  They are CSA certified and are expected to meet minimum building code requirements.

Profit vs. Quality & Service vs. Sales:

You will hear this CSA spiel from sales focused retailers representing profit focused manufacturers.  The quintessential "apples to apples", but is it really?  Your time is money and your home should not be a revolving door for warranty work after it was finished.  You should not have to constantly call about repairs or warranty work because your manufacturer and retailer cared more about selling you a house than building you a home.  You should be kept informed through all stages of the project... not just while they are trying to sell you.  

Leisco Homes is very conscious of the workload capacity for our crews and we schedule accordingly.  We try very hard to set reasonable expectations from day one knowing that your home will land in a few months.  Sales focused retailers and manufacturers have a hard time thinking about next week, let alone a few months away.  They know that timeline promises are very rough estimates and as important as the timeline is, it is also the one thing that changes the most during this process.  We are not saying that those retailers are purposely selling homes with no regard for the build schedules, they don't, but they get so focused on sales that they do not see the problems they create down the road.  

We are not saying that Leisco won't have schedulling challenges, after all this is construction in Nova Scotia and every build has challenges in one form or another.  The difference is that Leisco Homes does not change priorities after 'selling' a home.  Your schedule and timeline is just as important to us on day one as it is the day you take ownership.  Leisco's focus on serving the client is evident in how we communicates with our clients and how Supreme builds their homes.

Supreme Homes never looks back.  When they make an improvement... it stays.  There are manufacturers out there that knowingly retract methods, materials or options solely based on cutting costs and increasing profits.  Still built to code, but if they can use nails for a floor system instead screws, or use 50% less glue, limit design options, or redesign plumbing so the retailer has more to do.  Sure, they produce more boxes and make more profit but at what cost to their retailer or you, the homeowner?  

Every Manufacturer experiences warranty claims, repairs and fixes but when the business model is all about profit and the service policy is reactive... the customer looses.  Not the day they signed the contract... but in the first week, the first month or after the one year manufacturer's warranty has expired.  Quality up front for Leisco and Supreme means a lot less headache down the road for you.  Our pricing is still very competitive compared to the sales focused retailer/manufacturer... how is that?  Simple... we focus on producing the best product possible to minimize warranty claims.  Supreme figured out long ago that building the cheapest home possible will simply cost them more in warranty repairs down the road.  Fixing the issue at the plant costs more upfront but much less over time.  Correct the issue on every home produced before it gets to the client or fix the issue after it landed on  just the homes that make a warranty claim?  Proactive or reactive?  Service over sales?  

Something else Supreme Homes does as part of their quality standard is to build their modular homes as one complete unit in the factory and then disassemble it for delivery.  The other large manufacturers rely on their engineering team to draw modules for production where everything lines up perfectly on the computer screen.  They hope that the allowable variances during construction in the plant do not add up to a poorly matched modular connection on site.  They never really know how the boxes will fit together until they get placed on the foundation where at Supreme, they know that every home that leaves the plant is a match that will fit once landed.  That margin of error can be quite significant when acceptable tolerances for different parts of the home add up through the plant's stages.  One more example of how Supreme and Leisco have built your peace of mind into every home.

In conclusion:

At Leisco Homes, we strive to redefine modular home building in Nova Scotia.  Just like Supreme Homes is the gold standard for manufacturers... Leisco Homes will set the bar for retailers.  We don't just preach serving our clients, you will see it in everything we do.

Thank you for reading this.  We hope it was more helpful than scary.  This is an amazing industry with a lot of amazing retailers and manufacturers but some are motivated differently than others... do your research and choose wisely.  

We look forward to seeing you in our showroom.

Leisco Homes Ltd.

Founder & CEO

Scott Wile

You are not buying a car, or a toaster... this is your home, your life savings, your kids, pets, friends and relatives will be welcomed into your home.  Do your research... find a retailer that will be as proud of your home as you expect to be!  

You won't pay more for a Leisco Home... but what did you give up to get one cheaper?