Modulars - Which was the most challenging or easiest to build?

[TheOrcKing]

Here is a builders question for anyone who has put together any of the modular houses. We have a topic for Which is your favorite modular? with its own poll while here I would like to gauge what people have found to be the most challenging or easiest of all the modular houses when being built as well as what you would recommend to someone else as an enjoyable build experience.

Note:

It is not mandatory for the poll or even this thread to have built each modular house set in question. I do not expect anyone or everyone to have done so as it is rather unrealistic. Just share the experience for the ones you have and give your honest opinion on those.

[akohns]

Is it fair to vote even if I haven't built them all?

[@rtisan]

Is it fair to vote even if I haven't built them all?

I did!    Built 4 myself, and assisted a friend with Cafe Corner. Sadly I don`t own that one. From my perspective, that one was the easiest to build. I absolutely Grand Emporium though, and would recommend it to anyone. 

[TheOrcKing]

Is it fair to vote even if I haven't built them all?

I hardly think it mandatory to have built all of them. Just pick out from the ones you have. Share your building experiences! ^_^

[Fcbarcelona101]

I've built Market Street a couple of times and found it very fast and simple. Cafe Corner was more time consuming, but fun as well.

[M4x18]

I only have GE and was fun.

 

Should Mini Modulars be here as well?

[Bernard74]

I own (and have built) all modulars except Cafe Corner and Market Street, so couldn't comment on those.

Most challenging I voted for Town Hall simply because it's the biggest. Difficulty level wise I find all modulars fairly similar. I think, but not totally sure, that the newer ones were a little easier because of seperation in more numbered bags and that the instruction manual included needed sets per page. Would have to look that up.

They are all great builds. The most challinging part is usually the writing with little pieces like 1932 or Shop in FB, GE etc.

My favorite is Green Grocer, but out of the ones currently available in stores, I would say pet shop. Great level of detail. Least favourite build (though still excellent) is Grand Emporium because the two top floors are a little repetitive.

[akohns]

I've build CC, MS GG & GE.

CC for the most challenging.

MS for the least challenging.

I'd recommend the GE of those 4 since you can still buy it!

[beeblet65]

The town hall was the most time consuming, and quite fun to build. However, my favorite is either the Cinema, or the Emporium

[TheOrcKing]

I've built Market Street a couple of times and found it very fast and simple. Cafe Corner was more time consuming, but fun as well.

I built up both of those virtually using the Lego Digital Designer and agree Market Street was rather simple especially compared to every other modular house like Cafe Corner. In a way I find it tricky to pick one as the better seeing how I like Market Street for its usage of blue hues while Cafe Corner for the challenge and stature of it. Hmm, maybe if I did Cafe Corner in blue....

 

Should Mini Modulars be here as well?

I was just focusing on the large minifigure scale house builds. I already had another thread for the mini modulars under the City category.

 

I own (and have built) all modulars except Cafe Corner and Market Street, so couldn't comment on those.

Most challenging I voted for Town Hall simply because it's the biggest. Difficulty level wise I find all modulars fairly similar. I think, but not totally sure, that the newer ones were a little easier because of seperation in more numbered bags and that the instruction manual included needed sets per page. Would have to look that up.

They are all great builds. The most challinging part is usually the writing with little pieces like 1932 or Shop in FB, GE etc.

My favorite is Green Grocer, but out of the ones currently available in stores, I would say pet shop. Great level of detail. Least favourite build (though still excellent) is Grand Emporium because the two top floors are a little repetitive.

Nicely done post, Bernard74. I particularly agree on Green Grocer being a favorite from a design perspective as I don't have it but wouldn't mind using my own parts to build one someday, and Pet Shop has grown on me lately to where I'm considering on it being my first choice for readily available modular to build. All those sand blue bricks are worth the price of admission in my opinion and it's difficult trying to find 16 x 32 baseplates in green from sets. I have gone through the instruction manuals for Grand Emporium and the top floors do repeat themselves. Plus since when does a escalator work both ways? Ha. It still looks great all the same.

 

I've build CC, MS GG & GE.

CC for the most challenging.

MS for the least challenging.

I'd recommend the GE of those 4 since you can still buy it!

Oh wow, so you've built half of them. Great!

 

The town hall was the most time consuming, and quite fun to build. However, my favorite is either the Cinema, or the Emporium

Those three do stand out rather well, and since those two last ones are corner units they should look good on either side of the Town Hall!

[akohns]

Oh wow, so you've built half of them. Great!

I don't currently own any Modulars but I've built the GG twice, MS twice, the CC one and half times (I had a partial set) and the GE once. 

The Market St can easily be built in a less than probably 2 hours. It's really a pretty simple build.

[TheOrcKing]

I don't currently own any Modulars but I've built the GG twice, MS twice, the CC one and half times (I had a partial set) and the GE once. 

The Market St can easily be built in a less than probably 2 hours. It's really a pretty simple build.

I agree, Market Street is basic and I'm not a fan of how the stairway is stuck right in the middle of the room. (Is that even realistic? ) Still, I wouldn't mind building it physically just to say I did so I have been trying to buy up some Seaside Houses to gather enough medium blue for it (only two or three more needed I think). I have some of the other unique parts already and maybe a few of the dark blue bricks too. Like everything else, I'm working at it. ^_^

[akohns]

I agree, Market Street is basic and I'm not a fan of how the stairway is stuck right in the middle of the room. (Is that even realistic? ) Still, I wouldn't mind building it physically just to say I did so I have been trying to buy up some Seaside Houses to gather enough medium blue for it (only two or three more needed I think). I have some of the other unique parts already and maybe a few of the dark blue bricks too. Like everything else, I'm working at it.

I bought a collection this year that included a 100% with instructions MS. I offered $360 for the lot and afterward I was scanning the photos in anticipation on picking up the lot the next day and realized I saw what looked like part of the Market St parts barely visible in one of the photos. Once I got it home I went straight for it. Turned out everything was mixed together except for the MS. It was disassembled in two ziplocks. I put it together within hours of purchasing the lot. had to search for a handful of little pieces that had fallen off into the collection and bam 100% complete. Listed it right away on Ebay and sold it for $780 including shipping to someone in Aus. Fastest flip I've done by far. 

Personally I don't understand why you'd want to spend the money on the MS. Personally I love the Modulars and wish I had room for them in my collection but the MS is pretty boring.

[TheOrcKing]

I bought a collection this year that included a 100% with instructions MS. I offered $360 for the lot and afterward I was scanning the photos in anticipation on picking up the lot the next day and realized I saw what looked like part of the Market St parts barely visible in one of the photos. Once I got it home I went straight for it. Turned out everything was mixed together except for the MS. It was disassembled in two ziplocks. I put it together within hours of purchasing the lot. had to search for a handful of little pieces that had fallen off into the collection and bam 100% complete. Listed it right away on Ebay and sold it for $780 including shipping to someone in Aus. Fastest flip I've done by far. 

Personally I don't understand why you'd want to spend the money on the MS. Personally I love the Modulars and wish I had room for them in my collection but the MS is pretty boring.

That's some flip, and I just said I was going to use my own parts and maybe Bricklink a few (if need be) just to see what it is like to build the Market Street for myself. I wouldn't try to buy the complete set (not even used) through eBay as it is way out of my league. I already have most of the parts in my collection and planned to buy some more Seaside House sets anyway. Kind of a 'win-win' scenario for me.

[akohns]

That's some flip, and I just said I was going to use my own parts and maybe Bricklink a few (if need be) just to see what it is like to build the Market Street for myself. I wouldn't try to buy the complete set (not even used) through eBay as it is way out of my league. I already have most of the parts in my collection and planned to buy some more Seaside House sets anyway. Kind of a 'win-win' scenario for me.

Gotcha,

 

I've thought of buying a used Taj Mahal if I could find one for a good price and resell once I've built it just so I could built it. So far I've bought collections with the Eiffel Tower and Grand Carousel in them so I've had the chance to build those and I'd love another challenging build like that. 

[DoNotInsertIntoMouth]

I bought a collection this year that included a 100% with instructions MS. I offered $360 for the lot and afterward I was scanning the photos in anticipation on picking up the lot the next day and realized I saw what looked like part of the Market St parts barely visible in one of the photos. Once I got it home I went straight for it. Turned out everything was mixed together except for the MS. It was disassembled in two ziplocks. I put it together within hours of purchasing the lot. had to search for a handful of little pieces that had fallen off into the collection and bam 100% complete. Listed it right away on Ebay and sold it for $780 including shipping to someone in Aus. Fastest flip I've done by far. 

Personally I don't understand why you'd want to spend the money on the MS. Personally I love the Modulars and wish I had room for them in my collection but the MS is pretty boring.

 

It does seem that it has just become one of those legendary sets because of its rarity more than it actually being a great set.

[TheOrcKing]

Gotcha,

 

I've thought of buying a used Taj Mahal if I could find one for a good price and resell once I've built it just so I could built it. So far I've bought collections with the Eiffel Tower and Grand Carousel in them so I've had the chance to build those and I'd love another challenging build like that.

Yeah, for most things I'm in it for the build experience regardless of what the design is. I like keeping things fresh as it were. The Taj Mahal and Grand Carousel are models I wouldn't mind having on display for quite a long time and I will admit I am tempted to go for broke on either one if I managed to save up enough money. The Taj Mahal simply is one of those designs you don't come by often in life.

Sorry for the initial confusion earlier about Market Street. My mind right now is going in a bunch of different directions with ideas bubbling to a boil up in there. Ha. Market Street is boring, I'm just curious as to how much.

 

It does seem that it has just become one of those legendary sets because of its rarity more than it actually being a great set.

That and it was designed by a Lego fan. Very few of those around.