Frequently Asked Questions

Here you’ll find the most frequently asked questions about construction, pricing, zoning laws and covenants, buying a property, and other general questions.

Construction Questions

What does "turnkey" mean?

Turnkey means that we handle every part of the construction process. Once you have approved the design, specifications, and selected colors, we take over and manage the process from pulling building permits all the way through to handing you the keys to your completed new home within our General Contractor service area.

Can I find out if the production of my home is on track?

Yes, your Northstar Homes sales associate will be in regular contact with the Build Center before and while it is in production in regards to the building schedule. For work done on-site, Northstar’s Project Management team can provide you with regular updates regarding work that has been completed and the schedule for the remaining work.

Does my land need to have electrical service on it to have you build my home?

In order to receive a Certificate of Occupancy from your local building department, you will have to have electrical service to the house, unless there is a variance for an “off-grid” electrical system. In most cases, temporary electrical service will be needed.

What kind of cabinets can I get in my home?

Our homes come with a wide variety of cabinet finishes, styles, and configurations (such as pots-pans drawers and lazy susans).

What brand of appliances can you supply?

We offer various appliance packages through our build centers. You can also choose to bring in your own appliances

What does “over-built” mean?

Overbuilt refers to the extra engineering, materials, adhesives, fasteners, and attention to structural detail that goes into a factory-built home so that it can be transported to the site and set on the foundation with a crane.

Can these houses go on a foundation or basement? Can we have a basement?

Our homes are designed for permanent placement on the same foundation as a site-built home, be it a basement, crawl space, garden level, or walkout basement.

Can we make changes to any of your plans? Can we bring you our floor plans for our dream home to have you build it for us? What if I want to move a window or a wall in a house plan?

Yes. That’s what we do; we are a custom home builder and pride ourselves in turning your dreams into reality.

What type of insulation is in your houses?

Fiberglass batts with vapor barriers are used in the walls; R-21 is standard in most houses and R-26 is available. Attics have blow-in insulation; R-38 is standard and R-50 is available.

Where can you do site work?

Before deciding to offer site work, we review each potential building site to determine if we have reliable, prove sub-contractors in that area, if it is in an area that allows our team to monitor the progress and quality of the work being done, and if it makes economic sense for the customer for us to do the job.

As the nation’s largest modular homes manufacturer, it’s no surprise that we have over 100 Modular Homes to choose from. Browse our floor plans and property specs to find the home that is right for you.

 

We have five different categories of custom-modular homes: Ranch-Style Modular Homes, Cabin Homes, Cape Cod Homes, Two-Story Homes, and Multi-family Homes. Within each category, you can choose from three different levels: Everyday Homes, Enhanced Homes, and Extraordinary Homes. With so many options to choose from, we know that we have your dream home! 

 

Unsure about a specific part? No worries, all homes are entirely customizable!