Piece by piece, segment by segment, Anna Scipione’s home is coming to life.

Seven modular home components, each 14×40 feet, will eventually comprise Scipione’s 3,000 square-foot, $1 million home on East Harbor Road. The modules were recently set on a foundation by Seattle-based Method Homes, Acc-U-Set of Washougal and Freeland’s Jade Craftsman Builders.

Modular homes are prefabricated in factories and are later grouted, vacuumed and delivered to a site shrink-wrapped. Each module pertains to a specific element of the house, most of which are outfitted with necessary components a house needs, such as flooring, dry wall and electric fixtures. With inclement weather out of the equation, the process is streamlined without any surprises.

There are currently less than half a dozen modular homes either in the process of being permitted or under construction in Island County. Island County Planning officials Hiller West and Andy Griffin felt there were positives to the unconventional form of home building, though both were unsure whether or not it’s a superior form of building.

“There are people that say it could be a form of more affordable housing for those folks who are looking for an alternative to standard housing,” said West, director of current-use planning and community development.

According to Griffin, a building official, the county’s permit and building fees are based on the building’s value. Modular homes are assigned less value than traditional builds, meaning modular homeowners will pay less in building and permit fees.

Scipione said she was intrigued by Method Home’s style of work and its convenience. Those who utilize Method Homes are given the opportunity to hand pick almost every single element that comes in the home at the beginning of the process.

“It’s way better than having contractors come out and build stuff for you,” Scipione said. “They know what they’re doing, they’ve done it before.”

“Here, they give you a lot of choices — what goes on the ceiling, what kind of lights do you want.”

It’s also a much more reliable time frame from start to finish, said Dan Neumeyer of Jade Craftsman Builders, the general contractor for the project.

“Normally, a house like this would take eight to 10 months,” Neumeyer said. “This will be about four.”

“The construction in a controlled facility is a lot better working conditions, so it’s really high-quality construction,” he added.

About a dozen workers from Method Homes and Acc-U-Set busily buzzed around the construction site on a hot and dry day in early June while they installed the back entry to the home. Around an hour before, a large truck hauled in several modules down a narrow dirt road.

A living room and kitchen were already in place by the early afternoon of June 6. A basement was built onsite in the months leading up to the installation, while a bedroom, laundry room and main entry are on the docket to be installed. Plumbing lines and electrical wiring will also be connected at a later time.

Darren Dickinson, construction operations manager for Method Homes, said Scipione’s “Method Cabin” will be the 20th he’s built. Though it’s not as easy as piecing together LEGOs, Dickinson said the process has become relatively straightforward.

“We’ve got it dialed now — we’ve been doing it since 2008,” Dickinson said. “We want it tight and all on the same level. We want to line up all the levels and openings and make sure it fits as it should in the factory. We build it in the factory, take it apart, now we’re trying to put it back together and make sure it fits right.”

Construction on Scipione’s home began in February. The home previously located on the property was torn down in April. Scipione said she encountered some issues from Island County due to its close proximity to a cliff, though all the headaches have since been resolved.

Having lived in San Diego for the past several years, Scipione will be new to the area once the home is complete. She recently retired.

“We like waterfront and this was a really nice property,” Scipione said. “I had never been to Whidbey Island before I bought this place.”

An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated Island County’s home permitting fees.