Frequently Asked

How much does an Orbit Home cost?

The price of our homes are listed under the “our models” section of our website. Prices can change over time due to material and labor price fluctuations.

The following costs all vary per project:

Pre construction (permitting, etc.)
Delivery
Installation
Upgrades (such as a deck, awning, solar, or stucco)

Delivery of your home is $15 per mile per section, from our factory in Riverside, CA. Installation of your home will vary between $50-$100 per Sq. Ft.

For wind zone 3, due to additional engineering, a reinforced structure, thicker windows and termite resistant wood, the base price of homes is 10-12% higher.

Are Orbit Homes similar in price to other housing options?

Orbit Homes are very affordable and in most cases are 20-30% lower than other homes (traditional stick-built and modular) of equivalent quality and standards. We keep our prices reasonable because we believe that everyone should have access to a new contemporary home that is customizable to your taste at an affordable price.

Is financing available?

Yes! Whether you are purchasing an Orbit Home for use as a main residence, accessory dwelling (ADU) or a luxury park model, we have financing solutions. With good credit and/or equity in an existing property, our financing partners can offer no-money-down in most situations.

Give us a call to learn about the multiple financing options we offer.

How will my home be appraised?

Homes built in a factory are just as valuable as other real estate investments. Our homes, installed on a permanent foundation, are appraised based on the real estate and comps in your neighborhood.

Why should I purchase a prefabricated home?

Our homes are:

Faster to build: Construction in a factory can take place any day, rain or shine, so once permits are complete and it’s ordered, your home can be ready as fast as 6 weeks.

Cost effective: Building in a controlled environment makes the construction process efficient and creates significant (20-30%) savings. Additionally, once a home is ordered there are no costly change orders or hidden fees.

Less waste: All materials are cut and fabricated to exact measurements from the plans, creating little waste. In the factory environment extra materials are usually reused on the next project.

Are Orbit Homes as durable as “stick built” homes?

Our team has over a decade of experience building “stick built” construction. We took this experience to create a highly engineered prefabricated model that is durable, easily meets most zoning parameters and can be instated in any orientation. Our homes are built on top of steel chassis with reinforced framing and can withstand all of the most challenging environments including: earthquakes, high winds, and fires (all of our units meet WUI code).

Our homes are strong enough to travel easily from the factory to your land, and be installed with a crane or helicopter in difficult to reach places. Additionally, our homes are durable enough to be relocated.

What is an ADU?

An ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) is a stand alone unit on a residential lot.

As of January 2017, a new state law took effect that encourages homeowners in the state of California to build Accessory Dwelling Units, also commonly referred to as granny flats, in-law units, back houses, guest houses, or secondary units. The law is a major step toward solving our housing crisis.

Does it make financial sense to add an ADU?

There is no question that with today’s rental prices, homeowners who build ADUs have the potential to generate substantial income. While vacation rentals provide the opportunity for increased profitability, they are also subject to some inconsistency due to seasonality and changing local regulations. Planning to lease your ADU as a long-term market rate rental will generate strong returns that are predictable.

California needs housing more than ever before and ADUs arguably provide the clearest path to add housing in cities across the state. With over 11,500,000 single family households throughout the state, ADUs present Californians with the opportunity to collectively build millions of homes within our existing neighborhoods.

The new laws supporting ADU development on single family properties present homeowners with an opportunity to maximize the income potential of their properties and contribute to the housing supply at the same time.

Financing is available as a traditional mortgage or as a cash out refinance on your existing home.

If you are going to use your ADU as a rental unit, it’s best to set it up as an LLC. This will limit your liability as well as allow you to take any business expenses as deductions. Please consult your tax advisor before opening an LLC.

What are the steps to ordering an Orbit Home and how long does it take?

Orbit Homes takes care of the entire process from start to finish.

  • Pre-construction:  1-4 months

This phase includes a site survey, permitting and, in some cases, a soil and septic check.

  • Ordering your home: 1-2 weeks

During this phase you choose all of the finishes and design details.

  • Building: 1-3 months

Depending on the factory’s workload, your home can be built in 1-3 months.

  • Transportation and set up: 1-2 weeks

Rarely does transportation and set up take longer than 2 weeks, since homes leave the factory completely assembled. However, in some complex cases it can take up to one month to deliver, install and finalize all of the details of your home. Once your home is installed, a local building inspector will tour the home in order to obtain a Certificate Of Occupancy and then Orbit Homes will hand you the keys!

Overall time frame: 3-9 months, depending on local zoning and the complexity of your site.

What materials do you build with?

We build with the same materials that contractors use to build new “stick built” construction.

Our homes are built on top of steel chassis with reinforced framing and can withstand all of the most challenging environments including: earthquakes, high winds, and fires (all of our units meet WUI code).

Can you build for Wind Zone 3?

Yes, we ship to Hawaii where special materials and engineering are required to meet Wind Zone 3 building code.

The cost of our homes is about 10-12% higher for Wind Zone 3 because of the need for additional engineering, a reinforced structure, thicker windows, and termite resistant wood.

Do I need to own land and what should I look for when purchasing land?

Yes, you need to own land in order to install an Orbit Home. If you purchase a luxury park model, you will need to own or lease a space in a park.

If you are looking for a piece of land with the intention of putting an Orbit Home on it, please contact us. In general, you want to look for land that has an easy access road, that has a large enough building envelope to fit the home you are interested in building, you want to check setbacks and zoning and, if you are in a rural area, you want to check soil reports and the capacity of the current septic system.

What geographical area does Orbit Homes service?

We install homes currently in Southern California.

Does an Orbit Home come with a warranty?

All of our homes come with a minimum seven year factory warranty, with the option to purchase longer and/or more extensive coverage.

Do I need to worry about permitting?

No, Orbit Homes will work with you to secure the permits that you need.

Can I relocate my Orbit Home?

Orbit Homes are built on a chassis and delivered on their own set of wheels to your preferred location. The majority of our homes are installed on a permanent foundation and are unlikely to be moved. However, some customers purchase our homes for use on a temporary foundation: on agricultural land, in a disaster situation, or as a park model. These homes can be relocated.

Design Disclaimer

All artist’s renderings are conceptual for representational purposes only and subject to variances which may include but are not limited to views and exposure to light, finishes for the final product, as well as layout and included features in the finished product. All features, specifications and plans are subject to change without notice. Not all amenities, features and finishes depicted herein may be constructed in accordance with the artist renderings. Renderings are not to scale. Interior photos depict model units with designer elements, options and upgrades that may or may not be available for purchase by a prospective buyer. All fixtures, furniture, art and items of finish and decoration of the units are for illustrative purposes only, and will not be included in the unit unless otherwise provided by the seller in the purchase and sale documents.