Both options provide you with a beautiful and unique Mandala home. Purchasing a pre-designed Mandala allows you to choose from a range of complete home designs, picking the home that meets your needs, having it delivered in an expedient time frame and within a set budget. Pre-designed Mandla Kits allow for more accurate budget planning from the start. Custom designing opens the door of possibility, allowing clients to be involved with designing the home of their dreams, working closely with the Mandala Design Team.

Cost is determined by a variety of factors. When considering a Pre-Designed Mandala Kit, cost is most influenced by the type of windows chosen (vinyl, wood, fiberglass or metal clad), followed by other available options. Finished cost of your Pre-Designed Mandala Home is also affected by the building site and the cost of local labour for set-up and finishing. Please contact a Mandala Sales Representative for a free estimate for the cost of your chosen Pre-Designed Mandala Plan and Kit.

Cost of a Custom Designed Kit is affected by the same factors as the Pre-Designed Kit, with the added variables of complexity of your design, square footage, size, number and quality of windows, other options chosen, quality of finishing materials (such as flooring and fixtures) and your building site. Please contact a Mandala Sales Representative for a free estimate based on your concept sketch.

We suggest that you engage the services of a General Contractor (GC) who will be responsible for preparing your site, coordinating your Mandala Kit set-up, hiring sub contractors and finishing the interior of your home. Owner/builders may act as their own GC's in most jurisdictions.

To insure a smooth and efficient setup Mandala Custom Homes can refer a Set-up Coordinator to work in collaboration with you or your GC.

Typically 2 to 4 months is required for Pre-designed home kits, while custom kits will need 6 months or more, depending on the size and the complexity of design.  Don't be disappointed! Please contact a Mandala Custom Homes Sales Representive sooner than later for specific information.

Many factors can affect the length of a Mandala setup:

• Site preparation
• Service installation - water, hydro, septic, etc.
• Size and complexity of your building
• Crew experience, expertise and size
• Specifics of each site: location, grade, soil content, accessibility, weather, etc.
  
• Efficient coordination of all factors by your General Contractor

To facilitate a rapid set-up we encourage clients to ask for a referral to a Setup Coordinator who will work in collaboration with your General Contractor to oversee the Mandala Kit set-up process. A Set-Up Coordinator has experience dealing with the variety of unique specifications in constructing a round home. All Set-Up Coordinators are independent contractors.

All Mandala Kits are shipped via carrier truck, rail or shipping container F.O.B. (Freight on Board) from the factory. Clients are responsible for arranging the shipping of their home from the factory to your building site. Mandala Custom Homes can provide a referral to several carriers. The cost of shipping is not included in your Mandala Kit but MCH will load your home on your behalf.

For most homes we recommend the use of Insulated Concrete Forms, for stem walls and full basement foundations. Post and pier and slab-on-grade can be used as well. Visit the Options + Details page for more.

This depends upon your requirements, budget and climate. Anything from geothermal, solar, wood, gas furnace, electric baseboards or in-floor radiant heating can be used. Mandala Custom Homes suggests a Heat Recovery Ventilation System for your home to keep your interior air fresh and free of moisture.

Yes, you have a broad range of colors to choose from for your exterior siding and trim. Your Mandala Custom Homes Representative will provide you with color chips to choose from. All stains are environmentally friendly, non-toxic, water-borne finishes.

Mandala Kits feature multi-facetted walls. Most walls are four feet wide, with larger Mandala Kits featuring six foot wide wall panels. Wing walls may be even wider.

The 4-foot and 6-foot wall panels in a Mandala Kit allow plenty of room to place bookshelves, cabinets or other furniture against the walls. Mandala's clients have found that the open layout of a Mandala home promotes creativity when it comes time to move in.

Mandala homes can be found across North America, including Minnesota, Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and British Columbia. Our Head Office is situated within a Mandala building and is located in Nelson, British Columbia. We encourage potential clients to stop in and view our office any time between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday. If you would like to visit the Mandala Custom Homes factory and tour our Nelson-based show home please call to arrange an appointment. Our toll free line is 1-866-352-5503.