BUILDING THE FUTURE: REFLECTING ON 38 YEARS OF INNOVATION AND GROWTH

Guest Blog by Gary Fleisher, Offsite Innovators

Gary Fleisher is the Leading Observer of the Offsite Housing Construction Industries with over a decade of experience covering modular construction trends. As a recognized expert and consultant in the field, Gary recently spoke with Quality Homes’ management team about their 38-year journey of innovation, growth, and leadership in Ontario’s modular housing market

If you’ve ever talked to someone who built a modular home in Ontario, chances are you’ve heard you’ve ever talked to someone who built a modular home in Ontario, chances are you’ve heard the name Quality Homes. For decades, Quality Homes has been leading the charge, helping people rethink what’s possible when it comes to building faster, better, and smarter. While the world around us has undergone significant changes over the past two decades, Quality Homes has managed to grow, evolve, and stay ahead of the curve without losing the personal touch that first put it on the map.

Quality Homes’ journey hasn’t just been about building houses — it’s been about building trust. From the early days to today’s demand for greener, more affordable, and more customized homes, The factory’s team has kept its finger on the pulse of what homebuyers really want. Programs like their Homebuyer’s Ultimate Guarantee (HUG™) and a growing focus on ADUs show that Quality Homes isn’t just keeping up — they’re setting new standards for what modular homebuilding can be.

I recently talked with the Quality Homes’ management team on just how things have changed over the years, and what exciting plans they have for the future. Their insights are a reminder that with the right vision — and the right leadership — modular construction’s best days are still ahead.

Looking back on the past 38 years of Quality Homes, what are the biggest changes you’ve seen in modular housing—whether it’s design, tech, or what buyers expect these days?

Honestly, modular design has changed a ton—kind of like the rest of the housing industry. Today, our home plans cover everything from trending styles to smart layouts and affordability. People expect more now, and they should.

We’ve always tried to stay ahead of the curve in Ontario. We’re constantly looking for better ways to build stronger, more efficient homes. Our customers now come in already expecting things like tighter quality control, better energy efficiency, and faster build times compared to site-built homes.

One game-changer has been our automated saws. They cut every board with crazy precision, which means our crews down the line don’t have to compensate for errors—everything lines up perfectly.

And it’s not just the customers. Once local officials see our homes going up in their communities, they’re usually impressed too. We actually get a lot of building inspectors and municipal leaders touring our factory. There’s been more buzz about modular homes in the past few years than we’ve ever seen.

Plus, people are way more informed now. They realize that modular doesn’t mean cookie-cutter. We can include all kinds of custom features in the factory, and when we deliver a home, it’s already 80–85% finished.

How has Quality Homes adjusted to meet Ontario’s growing population, especially with over 463,000 new residents arriving just between 2022 and 2023?

We’ve rolled out a new line called The Suite Collection, which is made up of smaller homes—perfect as Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). These are between 500 and 750 square feet and are designed to go right into someone’s backyard.

They’ve been a hit with families looking to house aging parents, give grown-up kids a place of their own, or even earn some extra income by renting it out. They work great in farming communities too, where housing for workers is tough to find. And because they’re modular, we can install them with very little disruption to the neighbourhood.

What surprised us is that even folks who weren’t thinking about an ADU are now considering downsizing after seeing how much you can do in a smaller footprint.

How has the management team managed to grow the company over the years while still keeping customers happy and maintaining build quality?

When we first took over the company, it was focused on mobile homes. We knew we had to change the narrative. So we built the Maitland Model Home—a big, beautiful 2,850-square-foot, two-story house—to prove that modular homes could be large, stylish, and well-built.

We wanted people to see that modular isn’t some cheap workaround. Our homes use better-quality lumber and avoid weather damage entirely. Over the years, we’ve worked hard to shift people’s mindset—from thinking about park models to realizing we can build anything from cozy 500-square-foot cottages to sprawling 5,000-square-foot dream homes.

One of the things we’re proud of is introducing shrink-wrapped modules for transport—an idea we borrowed from shipbuilding. Before that, it was all loose tarps, which wasn’t great in bad weather.

And then there’s our HUG Program—short for Homebuyer’s Ultimate Guarantee. It’s our promise to deliver the price, quality, and completion date we quoted. No bait-and-switch. That’s really helped people feel confident, especially since modular lets us sidestep a lot of the delays that plague site-built homes.

Oh, and let’s not forget about safety. Factory construction is way safer than traditional job sites, and we’ve built a great safety culture here.

Tell me more about the HUG Program—how has that changed things for your customers?

It’s been a game-changer. Basically, HUG gives customers peace of mind. Since we build indoors and control our own materials and labor, we don’t run into the usual hiccups from weather or scheduling. That means we can actually guarantee the completion date—and if we miss it, we pay up.

That kind of promise really sticks with people. About a third of our business comes from word of mouth, and the HUG Program is a big reason why. People love knowing exactly what they’re getting: fixed pricing, high quality, and no delays.

Modular building is often talked about as being efficient and eco-friendly. How has the team put that into practice at Quality Homes?

A big advantage for us is building indoors. It means we can buy materials in bulk, store them safely, and never get slowed down by supply chain issues. Each department in our factory has its own space to work efficiently, and everything—from tools to materials—is right where it needs to be.

Our automated saws are wired directly to our design team. So as soon as they send over a cut list, the saws know what to do. And here’s the cool part: if there’s leftover lumber, the system figures out if those scraps can be used for something else, like blocking or trusses. We waste way less that way.

All our homes are CSA-certified, and we’ve got a great track record with Tarion, which handles new home warranties in Ontario.

ADUs are getting a lot of attention lately. How is Quality Homes jumping into that market, and what makes it a good option for homeowners?

We’ve built a whole lineup of ADUs called The Suite Collection. There are three main designs—Laurel, Foxboro, and Bluewater—and each one comes with both a traditional and a modern look, depending on what fits your lot and style. Sizes range from 504 to 716 square feet, and you can go with one or two bedrooms.

These are true four-season homes, so they’re just as durable and comfortable as our larger builds. They’re perfect for anyone looking to create space for family, add a little rental income, or just simplify their lifestyle.

We see this as a growing part of our mission—to give people more housing options and help address Ontario’s housing crunch with smart, affordable modular solutions.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing modular home builders right now, and how is Quality Homes dealing with them?

One of the biggest hurdles? Just getting people to really understand what modular homes are. A lot of folks still picture trailers or think “modular” means low quality—which couldn’t be further from the truth. So we spend a lot of time on education and marketing, showing off the benefits and helping people see what modular really is: well-built, stylish homes with solid advantages.

Our reputation helps. We’ve been doing this for over 38 years, and consistency has always been our thing. That’s how we can offer something like our HUG Program—it’s not just a gimmick. When we say we’ll deliver on time, for a fixed price, and with top-tier quality, we mean it. And customers see that.

Another huge part of our success is our people. We’ve got an experienced, loyal team—most of our staff have been with us for over a decade. They know modular inside and out, and that kind of know-how makes a big difference when you’re trying to build the same high-quality home every time.

And speaking of quality—one of the best parts of modular is how precise everything is. Walls are straight, outlets are where they should be, and there’s no risk of rain damage during framing. Like our CEO, Stan Newman likes to say, “You Wouldn’t Build Your Car In Your Driveway—So Why Build Your House Outside?” Building indoors keeps everything clean, dry, and controlled.

Here in Canada, that really matters. Site-built crews might get 8 or 9 months of work a year before the snow and ice hit. But us? We’re building year-round, thanks to our climate-controlled facility. That’s a huge advantage.

Where do you see modular fitting into Canada’s bigger housing picture, especially with all the talk around affordability and housing supply?

Modular has a huge role to play. We’re not saying we can fix the housing crisis all on our own, but we can definitely help. Even if we’re building 200 homes a year—not 2,000—it still moves the needle in the right direction.

What makes modular powerful is the ability to build at scale with consistent quality and faster timelines. That kind of efficiency is exactly what the housing market needs right now.

As for automation—yeah, it’s useful, and we use it where it makes sense. But it’s not the end-all solution. You can’t replace every step of homebuilding with machines. Good people are still the backbone of what we do. Automation helps us grow, but it doesn’t replace the skill and care that go into each home.

My Final Thoughts

After more than a quarter century leading Quality Homes passion for modular building is just as strong as ever. Their commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, and smart growth has helped shape not just the company, but the modular housing landscape across Ontario. As Quality Homes looks ahead to new opportunities and fresh ideas, one thing is clear — with leaders like Stan Newman at the forefront, the future of modular homebuilding is in very good hands.

Click here to read the full story from Gary Fleisher on Offsite Innovators!

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