Frequently asked questions
Your Wolf home questions, answered
Answers about modular homes, ADUs (accessory dwelling units), and tiny homes: cost, permitting, timelines, construction, and ownership. If your question depends on the property, send us the address or call (360) 912-9519.
At a glance
What a project costs
Home starting prices begin at $67,500 for Model B (City of Portland only).
Starting prices cover the home itself. Your property proposal covers the work needed around it.
Site work, foundation, utility connections, delivery, and installation are quoted for your property. Your written proposal defines the scope, taxes, appliances, and any additional work.
| Part of your project | How it is priced |
|---|---|
| Starting price for the home | $67,500 (Model B, City of Portland only) |
| Appliances and selected upgrades | Priced separately in your proposal |
| Permitting and local fees | Confirmed for your jurisdiction and project |
| Delivery and installation | Quoted for your address, access, and placement needs |
| Foundation, site work, and utilities | Quoted after reviewing the property |
Your proposal shows the home price and site work separately. Trench length, septic or sewer work, electrical upgrades, access, foundation, ramps, and delivery distance are reviewed for your property. Taxes, appliances, and work outside the agreed scope are priced separately.
Getting started & eligibility
What kinds of homes does Wolf build?
Wolf builds modular homes, ADUs (accessory dwelling units), and tiny homes in our Battle Ground, Washington factory. Our homes are installed on permanent foundations. They can serve as primary residences or additional homes for family, guests, or rental income, depending on the property and local requirements. Explore our home models and floor plans.
What’s the difference between an ADU, a tiny home, and a modular home?
An ADU (accessory dwelling unit) is a legal second dwelling on a lot that already has a house — people also call it a granny flat, backyard apartment, or backyard cottage. “Tiny home” usually describes size. Wolf’s smallest widely available plan is the 432-square-foot Model K; the 307-square-foot Model B is limited to the City of Portland. “Modular” describes the construction method: Wolf homes are built to IRC/IBC (International Residential Code / International Building Code) residential code, inspected by Washington L&I or Oregon BCD, and installed on a permanent foundation. They are not HUD (the federal standard for manufactured homes) manufactured homes.
Is my property eligible for an ADU?
It depends on your jurisdiction’s zoning, municipal code, setbacks, building regulations, and any HOA (homeowners association) rules. The fastest way to know is a free property evaluation — send us the address and what you want to build, and we’ll check zoning, setbacks, utilities, and access and give you a straight feasibility read.
Do I need to own the land first?
Yes. Wolf builds and installs your home, but you need to own (or be buying) the property first — our homes do not include land.
Can I put two or more ADUs on one property?
Possibly. Your local jurisdiction determines whether you can add more than one home on a single parcel. We’ll confirm what your zoning allows during the evaluation.
Do I have to live on the property?
Washington no longer requires owner-occupancy for ADUs, so you don’t have to live in the main house or the ADU. Rules still vary by city and county — see our state and county guides for the specifics in your area.
Where do you currently serve?
In Washington and Oregon, Wolf employees handle the full turn-key process: evaluation, design, permits, factory construction, site work, delivery, and installation. Some projects require third-party services, such as surveys or septic design and installation, depending on the property and jurisdiction. Idaho needs special plan approval, which adds time and cost, and a local contractor does the site work. California is quoted per project: Title 24 adds energy paperwork, each home’s drawings need their own HCD approval because we don’t have a standing HCD-approved model, and the site work needs a qualified local contractor. We have delivered homes to Santa Rosa, Petaluma, and St. Helena. We have also completed projects in Alaska and review select deliveries up to about 1,000 miles from the factory when local modular rules allow.
Do you build in California?
Wolf builds and delivers modular homes for select California projects, and they take more work than a Washington or Oregon job. Title 24 adds its own energy review, and the Title 24 filing must list an outside contractor. We don’t have a standing HCD-approved model, so the drawings for each California home go through HCD approval on their own. You also need a qualified local contractor for the site work, and lining one up is part of planning the project. We price and schedule each California home on its own. We have delivered homes to Santa Rosa and Petaluma in Sonoma County and to St. Helena in Napa County.
What does “turn-key ready” mean?
In Washington and Oregon, Wolf employees handle the full process: property evaluation, design, permitting, factory construction, site work, delivery, and installation. Our own permit specialists, factory trades, and field crews do the work, with Wolf warranty service after move-in. Some projects require third-party services, such as surveys or septic design and installation, depending on the property and jurisdiction. Outside Washington and Oregon, local contractors handle site work and utility connections. California is quoted per project — see California projects.
Who does the work on a Wolf home?
In Washington and Oregon, Wolf employees handle your project from property review and permits through construction, site work, delivery, and installation. Some projects require third-party services, such as surveys or septic design and installation, depending on the property and jurisdiction. Beyond Washington and Oregon, local contractors complete site work and utility connections. Our permit specialists, factory trades, field crews, and warranty staff are Wolf employees. See how the process works and meet the team. Your written proposal defines the work included for your property.
What can I use a Wolf home for?
Owners use Wolf homes as backyard ADUs and guest houses, parent or in-law dwellings, vacation cabins, long-term rentals, single-level homes for aging in place, and cottage or senior-living communities. Each one is a code-built residence designed for year-round use as a primary home or getaway.
Cost & budget
The starting price covers the home itself. A complete project also includes permitting, delivery, setup, site work, and utilities. Appliances are separate, and you can purchase our appliance package or provide your own. Your proposal lists each cost clearly; the final total depends on your property and selections.
How much does a Wolf home cost?
Prices for the homes themselves start at $67,500 for our most compact one-bedroom (Model B, City of Portland only) and rise with size and finishes. Appliances are separate; you can purchase our appliance package or provide your own. Compare current models and starting prices. Your complete project is quoted after reviewing the property and confirming the scope. Taxes, appliances, and additional property-specific work are separate. Installation responsibility depends on the service area. Free property evaluation for a price based on your lot.
Are appliances included in the starting price?
No. The starting price covers the factory-built house — structure, windows, siding, roof, water heater, mini-split, and ERV (energy recovery ventilator). Kitchen and laundry appliances are separate. You can purchase our appliance package or provide your own. Delivery, installation, permitting, site work, and utilities are priced for your property. See models and starting prices, or Free property evaluation for a complete proposal.
What does permitting cost?
Permitting service and local fees are confirmed in your agreement. Utility-connection charges depend on the jurisdiction. Free property evaluation if you want those lines estimated for your lot.
What does delivery and setup cost, and what’s included?
Installation is quoted for your property. More complex sites — extra trenching, a new well or septic, or remote delivery — cost more, and we quote those up front. Free property evaluation for a site-specific setup number.
Does a wider model cost more to deliver?
No. The wider models (E, F, J, and I) carry the same delivery cost as the narrower single-section homes. Delivery is still a separate line from the home price, and distance is what moves it — the farther the site from our factory, the higher the delivery fee.
Will an ADU change my property value or taxes?
Adding an ADU typically increases a property’s value. Because assessed value affects property taxes, it’s worth asking your county assessor how a new dwelling is treated locally.
How do I pay for it?
Payments line up with the stages: a free property evaluation, then permitting, then factory production (25% deposit, 75% at completion), then delivery and setup (50% deposit, 50% at completion). Many owners finance the project — our financing page covers common ADU and renovation loan paths and how lenders handle modular draw timing.
Timeline
How long does the whole process take?
Permitting typically takes 1 to 9 months, factory construction 2 to 3 weeks once your production slot begins, and delivery and setup 12 to 16 weeks for the wider site-work and closeout phase. These allowances can overlap. Queue time, utilities, inspections, and required occupancy approval affect move-in; your proposal sets the expected sequence.
Why is the factory so much faster than site-built?
Your home is built indoors by the same crew on a known production sequence, so rain doesn’t hold up the factory build. Site work on your lot, like excavation and the foundation, still depends on the weather. We produce a new home about every three days, and homes leave the factory ~92% complete before our field team sets and finishes them on site.
The home itself
What’s the difference between modular, manufactured, prefab, and mobile homes?
“Prefab” simply means built off-site — it’s an umbrella term. Manufactured and mobile homes are built to the federal HUD code and ride on a permanent steel chassis. Wolf builds modular homes to the same IRC/IBC residential building codes as site-built houses: assembled indoors, then delivered and set on a permanent concrete foundation. So a Wolf home is not a mobile home and not a trailer — it permits, appraises, finances, and lives like a conventional house. Framing, snow load, and insulation are compared in modular vs manufactured.
Are Wolf homes accessible and good for aging in place?
Single-level layouts make Wolf homes a good fit for aging in place. The Options Book includes lever door handles, grab bars, a lower-step tile shower, a ramp off the entry landing, and covered porches, and we can talk through doorway clearance and other changes for your layout. Tell us the mobility and safety needs early so the entry and ramp get planned with the site work. Accessibility features don’t make a home ADA compliant by themselves; see accessibility and ADA planning. Many families use a Wolf home to keep a parent close in a private home of their own.
Are the homes all-electric, or is there gas?
Wolf homes are all-electric, with a ductless mini-split heat pump for heating and cooling, an electric range, and an electric water heater. We coordinate the permit-required utilities — water, sewer or septic, and electrical — for your site.
How do I insure an ADU?
Wolf homes are typically added to your existing homeowner’s insurance policy. Check with your insurer on how they’d like the additional dwelling listed.
Can I customize the floor plan and finishes?
Yes, within the pre-engineered models. You choose exterior, roof, cabinet, counter, flooring, appliance, and porch options, plus model-specific layout choices. Appliances are not in the base price — pick our appliance package or provide your own. Working from proven models is what keeps a small home affordable to permit and fast to build — the Options Book walks you through the choices that matter.
Are Wolf homes on wheels, and can I move one later?
No. Wolf homes are modular dwellings set on a permanent foundation. They are not tiny homes on wheels, RVs, or HUD manufactured homes. A home can be relocated later if your situation changes, but it isn’t rated to tow like an RV or tiny home. Moving one is a construction project, like the original placement: it takes a CDL (commercial driver’s license) driver, a larger tow vehicle, road permits, and pilot car(s). You can re-hire Wolf for the site work and transport to the new location.
Do you sell unfinished shell homes?
No. Homes leave the factory about 92% complete. We do not sell unfinished shells.
How much does each model weigh?
Roughly: Model B about 16,500 lb, Model E and Model F about 28,500 lb each, Model J about 35,600 lb, and Model I about 57,000 lb. Weight is one of the inputs to the crane and transport plan we put together for your site.
Can I choose a gable or a shed roof, and does it cost more?
Either roof style can be chosen on any single-section model and on the Model J, and there is no cost difference — it comes down to the look you want. The Model I and Model L are built with a gable roof only.
What is the standard eave overhang?
The standard eave overhang is 9 inches. Soffit lights are an optional add-on if you want the eaves lit.
What roofing material do you use, and what colors are available?
Composite shingles are the standard roofing included in the home price and come in black, gray, or brown. You can upgrade to a 26-gauge standing-seam metal roof in 15 colors, though we don’t recommend metal within about 2,000 feet of the ocean. The choice comes down to look and budget, and we can walk through shingles versus metal with you at the design center.
Where are the utilities located in a Wolf home?
To save interior space, the mini-split condenser and the electrical panel are mounted on the outside of the home. Most models keep the electric water heater in a closet; the larger Model I and Model J have a small dedicated utility closet for it. For the building permit we connect water, sewer or septic, and electrical. The homes are not set up for a gas connection, but a plumber can add one after final occupancy if you want it.
What foundation do Wolf homes sit on, and what is a stem wall?
Almost every Wolf home is set on a perimeter stem-wall foundation with a crawl space for utility access — the same foundation the vast majority of site-built houses use. The stem wall is the short concrete wall that joins the footing to the walls of the house above it; it carries the structure’s load down to the footing, which spreads that weight over a wider area. On delivery day the home is either backed in on its trailer and slid onto the stem wall, or lifted onto it by crane. Which one we use depends on your site, and we plan it during the property evaluation. Then we anchor the home so it becomes a permanent structure.
What’s the difference between a porch and a deck?
Just a cover. A deck is open; a porch is covered. Covered porches are optional on all home models except J and L, which include one. An additional covered porch is optional on J and L. Wolf’s standard deck sizes are 3′ × 3′, 3′ × 6′, and 8′ × 10′, plus a longer end-entry deck on some models (6′ × 14′ on Models E and F, 6′ × 12′ on Model K). Optional covered porches start with an 8′ × 10′ shed or gable cover over the deck. Optional decks and porches are quoted with the house. For a bigger deck, we can add a ledger board so a deck builder can attach one after delivery without cutting into the siding.
How is the home heated and cooled?
A ductless mini-split heat pump plus a supplemental wall heater. Wolf homes are all-electric — no standard natural-gas package. Water, sewer or septic, and electrical laterals are part of the site-work quote.
Are Wolf homes ANSI (American National Standards Institute) certified?
A Wolf home’s certification comes from the state. Each home is built to the residential code and inspected in the factory by Washington L&I or Oregon BCD. That is the same code path as a site-built house, not a HUD manufactured-home label. ANSI A119.5 is the standard for park model RVs, a separate classification; see how tiny and prefab homes are classified.
What wind, snow, and seismic values apply?
Our standard engineering is rated for 145 mph wind (Exposure B), Seismic Design Category D, and a 30 psf (pounds per square foot) roof snow load — a baseline that covers most jurisdictions in Washington and Oregon. The set is still sized for your site under IRC/IBC residential code: local packets publish their own numbers (Walla Walla, for example, lists 30 psf roof snow, 110 mph wind, seismic D, and 24-inch frost depth), and we check elevation and code requirements during contracting and permitting so the home is built to a higher snow rating where your city or county requires it.
Can I visit the factory?
Yes — visitors are welcome. The shop is at 607 SE Eaton Blvd in Battle Ground. Book a weekday factory tour and we will walk the line with you, or preview the shop online first. Once your own home is in production you are welcome to stop by any time: sign in at the front desk, grab a visitor vest, and see it on the floor. Depending on the stage of production you may not be able to go inside the home that day.
Can I supply my own fixtures, appliances, or materials for the factory to install?
No. We do not install customer-supplied items during production; that is how we keep the line efficient and the schedule reliable. After delivery you are welcome to change or add anything — swap a ceiling fan, change the shades on pendant lights, add a backsplash, or bring in your own appliances — because a Wolf home is modified just like any other stick-built house. Note that our one-year warranty does not cover customer-installed or customer-supplied items.
After move-in
What warranty comes with the home?
Your home includes a one-year workmanship warranty from completion. Appliances you purchase through Wolf’s appliance package are covered by Wolf for six months; after that, any remaining manufacturer warranty passes through to you. If you provide your own appliances, those stay on the manufacturer’s warranty and are treated as customer-supplied. Your warranty documents live in your Owner Portal, where you can file and track any claim online instead of digging up an email address or sitting on hold. See the warranty page or Wolf Home Warranty for coverage, exclusions, and how to file a claim.
How do I take care of the home once I move in?
Most of the upkeep is routine: run the mini-split correctly, keep siding, caulk, and gutters maintained, and run your ventilation. The homeowner maintenance guide walks through those systems, and the warranty page covers workmanship claims after move-in. Reach out to your Wolf team any time. The same company that built the home handles the warranty.
Keep reading
Helpful next steps
Compare models
Sizes, plans, starting prices, and what each price includes.
Warranty
One-year workmanship coverage and how to file a claim.
Wolf Home Warranty
Coverage, exclusions, and how to submit a warranty request.
Owner stories
Google reviews and video testimonials from Wolf owners.
Free property evaluation
We review fit, access, utilities, and an all-in range for your lot.
What is an ADU?
The plain-English basics, plus a glossary.
How it works
The four stages, timelines, and costs.
Financing
Loan paths and modular draw timing.
WA ADU cost guide
Washington ranges, site-work caveats, Battle Ground and Vancouver.
OR ADU cost guide
Oregon ranges, SDCs, and Portland’s 800 sq ft cap.
Prefab vs stick-built
Factory modular vs on-site stick vs HUD manufactured.
Compare Wolf with other builders
Compare factory-built and on-site design-build services.
What have you been picturing?
Tell us who the home is for and what you’d enjoy about living there. If you have a property, we can look at the space, access and connections before narrowing down the homes.
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