Modular Chalet Homes in New York: Design Details to Plan Before You Build

Modular chalet homes are some of the most requested designs we build. Specifically, the steep roof, the wall of glass and the open vaulted living room fit lake lots, ski country and wooded land across New York, from Chautauqua and Ellicottville to Lake George and the Hudson Valley. However, they are also more involved than a ranch, because the parts that make a chalet special, the vault, the big windows and the second-floor loft, all have to work with sections that travel by road and are set by crane.

For example, we recently set a six-box chalet in Falconer, New York, just outside Jamestown. In fact, it is a good example of what a modular chalet looks like on set day and what still happens on site afterward:

Why build a chalet as a modular home?

To begin with, a chalet built on site means framing a tall, steep roof and a two-story window wall outdoors, often on a remote or sloped lot. Building it in sections indoors, however, avoids most of that weather exposure, and the home is built while your foundation and site work are underway. As a result, modular construction can be 2 to 3 times faster than traditional site-built construction and often costs 20 to 40% less, and every section is framed to handle the trip and the lift, with up to 30% more lumber than a similar site-built house.

What a six-box chalet set looks like

The Falconer home started from our Payton plan, which the owners customized with us. (If you want to see where set day fits in the overall schedule, read how long it takes to build a modular home.) Here is what stood out on set day:

• Six sections, two days. Four boxes make up the first floor and two make up the finished second floor. The crew set all six and the roof structure on day one, then came back on day two to finish shingling and the ridge vent so the house was weather tight.
• 2,600 square feet total. The first floor alone is about 1,800 square feet. The Payton plan also includes a second wing, which the owners chose to leave for a possible future addition.
• Much of the interior arrives finished. The kitchen cabinets, range hood, pantry cabinets, bathrooms and vinyl plank flooring in many rooms were installed in the factory. Stone countertops are templated and installed on site.
• Siding shipped loose. The owners chose vertical board and batten vinyl siding. Vertical siding has to be installed on site, so it shipped with the house for their siding contractor.

Five chalet design details to plan early

1. The vault and the windows

First of all, the vaulted great room is the reason most people want a chalet. In a modular chalet, the vault is built across sections, and temporary framing holds things in place for shipping. On set day the crew installs panels for the upper trapezoid windows, and after the set the temporary shipping walls in the vault are removed. How the vault meets the flat ceiling sections and the window layout should be settled in design, because it shapes the whole room.

2. Roof pitch

Above all, pitch drives both the look and the room upstairs. For instance, a steeper roof creates more height in the vault and a more dramatic gable. Recent chalets we have built use a 9/12 pitch, which has become a popular middle ground between headroom and proportion.

3. Finished upstairs or not

Finishing the second floor in the factory adds boxes, which adds cost but saves a lot of on-site work. On the other hand, leaving it unfinished keeps the initial price down and lets you finish it later. It is one of the first decisions that shapes your budget.

4. Structure you will see

Of course, large window walls and open vaults need engineering. For example, on the Falconer home, a wind column runs from the peak of the gable down to the basement. Its size comes from the engineering calculations, and it is usually wrapped in drywall so it blends into the wall. In addition, between the first and second floor sections, the crew spray foams the gap to get a tight, continuous seal with good insulation value.

5. Stairs, flooring and module breaks

A few finish details depend on where the sections meet:

• Stairs ship inside the house but cannot sit in their final position until the second floor is set, so they are installed on site.
• Vinyl plank flooring runs in one direction, so continuing it across a module break means either finishing it on site or planning transition strips at doorways. The Falconer owners chose doorway transitions so more flooring could be installed in the factory.
• Drywall touch-ups at door and window corners are normal after shipping and craning. Plan for them in your finish work.

Where chalets fit in New York

In general, chalets suit lots with a view: lakefront land, hillsides with a walkout basement and ski country around Ellicottville and the Adirondacks. Moreover, the steep roof sheds snow well, and a walkout basement adds daylight living space below the main floor. If you are building a lake house, our guides to modular homes in the Finger Lakes and building a vacation home in the Hudson Valley cover the lot planning side.

Modular chalet floor plans to start from

Our modular chalet floor plans range from small cabins to large family homes. A few to look at:

• The Bayshore Chalet: about 1,093 sq ft, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths
• Austin Nordic Modular Chalet: about 1,228 sq ft, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths
• Bayview Modular Chalet: about 1,312 sq ft, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths
• Lake Winnipesaukee Modular Chalet: about 1,580 sq ft, 3 bedrooms, 2 baths
• Lake George Modular Chalet: about 2,186 sq ft, 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths
• Payton Family Home: about 2,383 sq ft as listed, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths

In short, treat any plan as a starting point. The Falconer home shows how far a plan can be adapted, and our article on modifying a standard modular floor plan explains what is easy to change and what takes more engineering.

Frequently asked questions about modular chalets

How Turnkey Together works on a chalet

In short, with Turnkey Together, you get a factory-built chalet plus personal guidance through design, planning and on-site completion. You coordinate the local contractors for the foundation, siding, countertops and finish work, and we guide you through each step so the pieces come together in the right order. To see how the budget comes together, visit our modular home pricing page, or call (877) 290-1846 to talk about your chalet.