In Orlando, Florida on January 10-12, Professional Builder magazine will sponsor their annual Show Village of Homes. Almost magically, this “village” of modular homes will be assembled behind the Orange County Convention Center just days before the NAHB International Builders Convention (National Association of Home Builders). During the convention, thousands of builders will tour the 2017 Show Village to see the latest innovative construction, remodeling and design materials in use in an artfully displayed series of homes. Then, mere days after the show, these homes will completely disappear almost as magically as they appeared.
For the last 13 years, Palm Harbor Homes and Nationwide Homes – both members of the Cavco Incorporated family of builders – have been chosen to provide many of the beautiful homes featured in Professional Builder’s Show Village. For the 2017 Show Village, they have combined to build, transport and set up a record-setting 5 manufactured and modular homes for the show. This year they will be joined by Cavco Park Models and Cabins, who is providing its own unique and stunning display at the Show Village.
The Millennial Home
The Millennial, a home built by Palm Harbor, is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1,740 square foot home with 300 square feet of built-in porches. For those living in coastal areas, it is also ideally suited for elevating on stilts. Extensive windows provide spectacular views from every area of the interior of the home, while flooding the home with natural light. Open, flowing living areas with clean design make it an ideal candidate for Millennial home buyers favoring a more contemporary, urban feel. However, it gracefully incorporates rustic design features such as aged wood and sliding barn doors. This creates a warm, sophisticated vibe throughout.
The Ultimate Kitchen + Bath
Palm Harbor also built the Ultimate Kitchen + Bath on display at the Show Village. This is actually only part of a home – the kitchen and bath – which allows visitors to see the latest design, cabinetry, appliances, lighting, bath fixtures, counter surfaces and more in place in a home. This is just part of the home, however, and will be united with its missing half after the show.
The Chapman 55+ Boomer Home
The Chapman is designed specifically for the 55+ Boomer homeowner by Nationwide Homes, also a member of the Cavco Industries family. It is a larger 3 bedroom, 2 bath modular home with 1,871 square feet of living space, including a home office. This home includes thoughtful details for aging in place such as wider hallways, lower thresholds, accessible shower compartments and careful attention to limited range of motion and reach distances. It is equipped with several glass walls that slide open, blending the inside with the outside.
The Chapman offers today’s latest wireless technology from home security to audio and video integration and climate control. Like all homes built by Nationwide Homes, this design is extremely energy efficient (tankless water heater, gas range, LED lighting, etc.). In addition, it is a healthy home thanks to the advanced ventilation, HVAC and ERV systems. The home’s exterior is completely maintenance free, with synthetic decking, vinyl railing, rock veneer and vinyl shake siding as well as metal roof shingles. The large front porch and side deck, along with the open concept floor plan and sliding glass walls make this the perfect home for having everyone home for the holidays.
The NEST Thoughtful Technology Home
Nationwide Homes also designed and built the NEST Thoughtful Home, demonstrating the careful integration of today’s finest smart home technologies making this the perfect home for the tech savvy home buyer. This home offers a fully integrated wireless system which includes climate control, fire detection, plumbing leak detection, interior and exterior video surveillance, lighting controls and many others. This 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 784 square feet, contemporary design is a nod toward the “tiny home” craze, but is larger, more comfortable and incorporates the finest technological products on the market. Thanks to these technologies and integrated programmable solar shading installed at all windows, the advanced ductless heating and cooling system and the LED lighting package, this home truly costs pennies a day.
The BASF Display, Nationwide’s third and final home in the show, displays today’s latest and best insulation materials featuring closed cell and open cell polyurethane foam. These materials not only dramatically decreases air leakage within the home, but also provide for a healthier home because they are applied with zero ozone depleting blowing agents and emit no volatile organic compounds. These materials create today’s best air barriers, preventing outdoor allergens and pollutants from entering the home. Due to their high R-value range and air barrier/infiltration characteristics, closed cell SPF have the lowest overall environmental impact in energy use, resource consumption, air emissions and land use.
One final house – or Tree House – at the 2018 Show Village is provided by Cavco Park Models, another member of the Cavco Industries family of builders. Using a basic park model RV as its base, Cavco Park Models and Cabins division teamed with Daniels Wood Land Inc. who extensively themed up the interior and exterior with rustic tree house decor. In the last two years, Cavco and Daniels Wood Land have developed a growing collaboration. They have built a number of these unique tree houses together that are now in use at places such as the Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort in Mill Run, Pa.
Palm Harbor, Nationwide, and Cavco Park Model’s use of factory built construction makes them uniquely qualified to provide homes that can be installed and finished out in a few short days. The quality and beauty they design into every home, as well as their professional craftsmanship, enables them to incorporate the latest in home construction and technology into homes that are such beautiful show places, that even seasoned home builders will be impressed.
