Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Having once lived in a HUD code manufactured home that was in a state where manufactured homes are unheard of, I can tell you that if you buy cheap for the sake of spending less money, you may get cheap. If you buy higer grade, you get higher grade. Today nobody can tell that home apart from any other stick built in the area and the only people who know it was not site built was the neighbors who went to bed Sunday night and woke up Monday moring to a house on the lot. I had heard all the usual discussions over "mobile homes' and how it will never be like stick built, or that it will lokk like this or that from the outside, or that the walls will be fake wood panels, or the flooring will be cheap carpet any sheet vynal, or this or that and this and that etc...... Truth is you can get it cheap and it will look cheap, or you can go beyond the basics and get something nobody can tell was manufactured in a factory, trucked to the site (or truck, ship, truck as in my case) and finalized on location. As for value, It's kept up with and even pulled ahead of the other properties in that neighborhood.
Probably the mobiles built in the 70's with aluminum wiring are the worst. I'm not sure a "true trailer" built before the regs changed (I think that was 94) has a definite lifetime, depends on how well it's maintained.
I have mentioned this before, but if you can arrange to put an awning roof up over a "true trailer", just set some poles or 4X4 pressure treated lumber into concrete in holes, build a frame on top, and make a flat or slightly sloped tin roof - this will keep the bulk of the rain off, and can help reduce heatup in summer.
If one has had good care, any small leaks were found and repaired before much water damage, even if it's old, it can be usable, but if one has been let go it may cost more to make right than a better kept unit would cost you.
The old "true trailers" typically don't have a lot of insulation, and most of them won't accept most wood stoves either, so you are stuck with more expensive heat options.
house or mobile depends on the life style will it be a vacation home? or one you will live in?does mobile homes go down faster than houses when empty?I like my mobile it is compact and the utilities are low, I would not change over to a house
There are two basic types of manufactured housing.
HUD-Approved Manufactured housing, or "Double-Wides" are typically built on steel trailer frames (under the floor system) and the frames stay with the unit. The construction methods are identical to "single-wide" trailers, except they have a marriage wall and it takes two sections to make a complete unit. They take off the wheels, and the units are typically set on some kind of pier foundation. Yes, they can also be set on a block or poured concrete, but typically they aren't, because "double-wides" are considered an economy type of housing. Double-wides do depreciate and they're financed more like cars or RVs than a conventional house. You won't find regular sheetrock or etc. in double-wides - at least I've never seen one finished that way. They are almost always finished with prefinished paneling or vinyl-coated gypsum panels with the trim strips between. Everything in them is inexpensive to build, but and difficult (and oddly- expensive) to replace. From the furnace to the plumbing to the windows and doors - everything in a HUD unit is created for that type of construction and you won't find any of it at the local Lowes or Home Depot. HUD/Manufactured housing is almost always single-story (unless they set units on an exposed basement) and only very minor changes can be made to floorplans. The idea here is quick assembly, low price, and minimal customization.
"Modular" housing by contrast are built more or less exactly like stick-built (built onsite) housing - and they'll have a conventional joist system and sub-floor. These have to be placed on a permanent foundation. Properly designed and set there is no reason they won't last and perform exactly like the equivalent. Modular housing, just like "manufactured/HUD" housing is factory built, but there are significant differences in both the materials used and construction techniques. One huge difference, with few exceptions ALL the products you'll find in a "modular" are available at your local home center, and they can be remodeled and added on to just like any other conventional house. The quality of interior items will depend on how the units were ordered - you can get 2x4 or 2x6 construction, any grade of cabinets or trim you want - whatever flooring you want, etc. etc. Some modular builders will order the units with "drywall hung/not finished" and all the trim and other millwork/cabinets shipped loose - and do all of the interior finishing onsite. Others do ALL the siding onsite once the units are set. Note that the more of that work is done in the factory, the less expensive it will be - but it's sort of a "one foot stuck in the past" mentality. One other thing about Modular housing - most any custom floorplan can be converted into modules, and a complete house can consist of 2,3,4,6 - whatever number of modules are necessary. You will NOT find a 2-story "manufactured/HUD" unit - but 2-story modulars are very common. Even the garages and to some degree, porches can be fabricated in the factory and then assembled onsite.
If you're unsure what you have - the single most telling way to know is to look underneath. If there is a steel frame and axles still there from when the units were moved in - you have HUD/Manufactured housing (a "Double-Wide"). They typically have 6-8" steel trailer frames running the "long way" - and 2x4 or 2x6 "floor joists" running the other direction on top. The steel travel frames are structural for the floor system and have to stay.
If you have a conventional floor system with deep joists (sometimes 2x8, 2x10, or engineered wood i-joists or floor trusses) - you have a "Modular". When they deliver modulars, the trailers go back with the truck that hauled them in - the units are attached only long enough to get them to the jobsite. Modulars can be set on piers/grade beams - but they're much more likely (at least North of the Mason-Diixon line) to be set on a crawl space or full basement. If so - you'll have a line of jack posts just like in the cellar of any stick-framed house.
There are many variations on each of these themes, and there are products that fall in the 'gray area' between 'manufactured' and 'modular'. But typically - what I've written here will be accurate, and the most telling giveaway that you have a "double-wide" will be those trailer frames and axles still underneath the units.
Oh, and PS...
In theory at least, a true framed modular should actually be superior to a site-built house. Warm, happy workers, no bad weather to ruin materials, highly systematized work methods, bolted/lagged connections at corners, etc. etc. We've all heard the claims, and they SHOULD be true.
Key word SHOULD.
IMO the promise of a better, cheaper product has not materialized across-the-board, and the reason has little to do with manufacturing methods, and everything to do with 1) failure of basic design/architecture and 2) A real lack of understanding of building material science at the modular plants. We have a ton of modular plants in our state (PA), but the floorplans and architectural designs are typically done by untrained (in design/architecture) draftspeople - NOT architects or even certified professional building designers. So you wind up with design faux pas like windows in places they could not be placed in conventional construction... exterior details that are more about low cost to build than scale or aesthetics, and all manner of wasted or poorly planned space in the floorplans. "Round top" windows stuck anywhere, for no particular reason.. exterior details from several different periods or styles in the same home, etc. etc. While you should NOT be able to spot a modular among conventionally built homes, to my eye they always stick out like a sore thumb - because of silly mistakes in the design/aesthetics.
Not long ago I toured a "parade of modular homes" in California - one high-end maker was bragging on their interior and exterior "Craftsman Style" trim package. Solid wood doors, "architecturally accurate" details etc etc. Unfortunately - the house was supposed to be "Craftsman" or "Arts and Crafts" influenced - yet it utilized COLONIAL panel doors, COLONIAL trim profiles, and the icing on the cake (for me) - all of the 4-5/8" Colonial crown moulding was installed UPSIDE DOWN. The only thing "Craftsman" about that unit was some tapered columns on the front porch - a couple of fake overhang brackets (improperly spaced) and some horizontally-oriented fake stone (Cultured Stone or similar) accents. Cabinets weren't "craftsman", nor were hardware, millwork, fenestration - nothing else.
Worse are the building science faux pas. I also toured a major plant in the mid-90's to see fiberglass insulation being placed 2-3" short of the length of the stud cavities. The plant manager bragged about the use of 2x6 construction for "energy efficiency" - but then lost any potential increase with a sloppy insulation job. I've also seen massive problems with vapor barriers installed improperly leaving wall cavities drenched with condensation, housewrap installed so it would run water INTO the building, a lack of any kind of pan flashing at doors/windows, and on and on. So like anything else - it's "buyer beware". The QC and inspection process SHOULD be much better in the factory environment, and it may well be at some plants - but the truth is - that is NOT universally true. If you are considering a new modular, my advice would be to pay a qualified building consultant to help you ask the right questions and make sure you're getting what you're paying for. Personally - I WOULD purchase a modular, but I'd shop for my builder, and I'd stay very involved in the entire process.
We have a 98 Fleetwood now for 6 years,added metal roof.A well built,sealed home,we have gone away for a few months with no problems,never mice or bugs.The floor is 3/4" tongue and groove plywood, with 6" insulation underneath, walls 2 by 4 insulated.
All wiring from overhead,all wiring holes and boxes sealed.All plumbing holes are sealed, home came with storm windows and fireplace.
The home is a double wide,28 by 63,we bought it as a foreclosure for $15,000.
There are two basic types of manufactured housing.
HUD-Approved Manufactured housing, or "Double-Wides" are typically built on steel trailer frames (under the floor system) and the frames stay with the unit. The construction methods are identical to "single-wide" trailers, except they have a marriage wall and it takes two sections to make a complete unit. They take off the wheels, and the units are typically set on some kind of pier foundation. Yes, they can also be set on a block or poured concrete, but typically they aren't, because "double-wides" are considered an economy type of housing. Double-wides do depreciate and they're financed more like cars or RVs than a conventional house. You won't find regular sheetrock or etc. in double-wides - at least I've never seen one finished that way.
"½” Finished Sheetrock Throughout Home vs. Partial finished drywall or vinyl on gypsum. Typical thickness of vinyl on gypsum is 3/8” or less. Thicker sheetrock is less likely to break/crack and has a greater firewall rating. Using ½” finished sheetrock with Sherwin Williams’ Quality Paint allows for décor change over a lifetime "
They are almost always finished with prefinished paneling or vinyl-coated gypsum panels with the trim strips between. Everything in them is inexpensive to build, but and difficult (and oddly- expensive) to replace. From the furnace to the plumbing to the windows and doors - everything in a HUD unit is created for that type of construction and you won't find any of it at the local Lowes or Home Depot.
Plumbing is standard PEX plumbing. I used a Lowe's utility sink faucet with pull out sprayer to replace the installed one. It was a simple screw-off and screw-on change out. I did have to look online for a replacement diverter valve for the kitchen sink faucet, since I didn't want to replace the nice high arc faucet set. The furnace is whatever you choose. We went with a standard four ton Goodman heat pump and I watched the very professional installation.
HUD/Manufactured housing is almost always single-story (unless they set units on an exposed basement) and only very minor changes can be made to floorplans. The idea here is quick assembly, low price, and minimal customization.
There is an important point there - HUD standards require certain things. Even if we had wanted to change out a tub, the home would have had to have been shipped with a tub. However, moving windows from one wall to another was an easy allowed change.
"Modular" housing by contrast are built more or less exactly like stick-built (built onsite) housing - and they'll have a conventional joist system and sub-floor.
Examine the spec sheet I linked. The differences are minimal enough that some people around here have removed the metal undercarriage on their own and built basements.
These have to be placed on a permanent foundation. Properly designed and set there is no reason they won't last and perform exactly like the equivalent. Modular housing, just like "manufactured/HUD" housing is factory built, but there are significant differences in both the materials used and construction techniques. One huge difference, with few exceptions ALL the products you'll find in a "modular" are available at your local home center, and they can be remodeled and added on to just like any other conventional house. The quality of interior items will depend on how the units were ordered - you can get 2x4 or 2x6 construction, any grade of cabinets or trim you want - whatever flooring you want, etc. etc. Some modular builders will order the units with "drywall hung/not finished" and all the trim and other millwork/cabinets shipped loose - and do all of the interior finishing onsite. Others do ALL the siding onsite once the units are set. Note that the more of that work is done in the factory, the less expensive it will be - but it's sort of a "one foot stuck in the past" mentality. One other thing about Modular housing - most any custom floorplan can be converted into modules, and a complete house can consist of 2,3,4,6 - whatever number of modules are necessary. You will NOT find a 2-story "manufactured/HUD" unit - but 2-story modulars are very common. Even the garages and to some degree, porches can be fabricated in the factory and then assembled onsite.
Deer Valley and others have many manufactured homes with porches as part of the design.
If you're unsure what you have - the single most telling way to know is to look underneath. If there is a steel frame and axles still there from when the units were moved in - you have HUD/Manufactured housing (a "Double-Wide"). They typically have 6-8" steel trailer frames running the "long way" - and 2x4 or 2x6 "floor joists" running the other direction on top. The steel travel frames are structural for the floor system and have to stay.
I've never seen a 2x4 floor joist. From the Deer Valley spec sheet:
"2 x 8 floor joists 16” on center – double sidewall and marriage wall rails. Compare to 2 x 8 floor joists 24” on center or 2 x 6 floor joists 16” on center. "
If you have a conventional floor system with deep joists (sometimes 2x8, 2x10, or engineered wood i-joists or floor trusses) - you have a "Modular". When they deliver modulars, the trailers go back with the truck that hauled them in - the units are attached only long enough to get them to the jobsite. Modulars can be set on piers/grade beams - but they're much more likely (at least North of the Mason-Diixon line) to be set on a crawl space or full basement. If so - you'll have a line of jack posts just like in the cellar of any stick-framed house.
There are many variations on each of these themes, and there are products that fall in the 'gray area' between 'manufactured' and 'modular'. But typically - what I've written here will be accurate, and the most telling giveaway that you have a "double-wide" will be those trailer frames and axles still underneath the units.
Hope this helps.
One interesting aspect of manufactured housing is that if you don't like the location of your home, it is often entirely possible to easily move it for less than $10K. Try doing that with a stick-built and you are in for a much larger moving bill if it is even possible.
Maybe you haven't been in a manufactured home in a while. Here is one that the manufacturer can make either as a modular or manufactured. It is shown "dressed" but the curtain valences, blinds, molding, cabinetry and fixtures are all standard.
We own 3 mf homes (we are landlords). They are all 80s-90s. These are the things we see replaced (or have had to replace) in the first 10-15 years of the age of the house:
Faucets
Toilet guts (not the toilet itself) same as a reg "stick built" house
Cabinets, depending on how hard we/tenants are on the kitchen!
Living area carpet, same as stick built, and we recommend switching to vinyl planks from home depot.
Fridge/oven dishwasher/garbage disposal, hot water tank, they are all not meant to run past 15 years.
Door knobs, el cheapo. Some can be a pain to replace, some houses not, depends.
Door adjustments, same as stickbuilt,
Window balancers. Easy fix, get them at mobile home supply store. Makes Windows open like new
Replace seals around chimneys. Easy
"Step on" tub drains.
That's all I can think of. Really, if the home saves you a lot of money, and thereby, interest, it may be a sweet deal! Land always goes up in value (given time). That is where your investment is. Mf homes that are cared for worth far more than run down ones, and of course, location is something to consider.
We have not yet had to replace subfloor as the kitchen/bath floor coverings are awesomely stapled UNDERNEATH the walls/cabinets. Picture this: if the dishwasher overflows while you're gone, the water stays on vinyl! Not underneath a floating floor, or on plywood, as in a traditional house. Love that. Now, if the tenants soak a room with carpet in it, repeatedly, that would stink, as yes, the floors could swell, get soft, but praying that won't happen.
Note:at least one of our heat pump/furnaces made it to 20 years, same as stick built for that era.
I don't see why one wouldn't last more than a lifetime as long as it's maintained reasonably well. The ones you see falling to pieces probably haven't been cared for in 25 years and the owners Jerry rigged everything because they didn't want to spend anything. I know a couple that live in a early 90s model (bought new) on 2+ acres and it looks better than new - he's an electrician/HVAC installer though and generally knows how to maintain things correctly. They've built on a large deck, nice lawn, huge garden, etc. As far as value, with the market improving, I've seen mobile home values increasing (ones on their own land).
Everyone is pretty much right here.. Just like anything else, you take care of it.. it'll last.
Subfoors are generally particle board in most of them. But, I've had stick built houses that they've used that. My uncle's house has particle board flooring in the kitchen.. He had a slow drain leak he didn't notice.. Softened and warped the particle board. At some point, we've got to go in and cut it out
I just had a Water heater go out.. It leaked over vinyl, but ran out through a hole in the floor for the overflow drain and got into the subfloor. Took out about 50 sqft.. Not a major deal.. I replaced some.. Contractor is going to do the rest.
The vinyl covered drywall is 5/16" drywall.. Good luck finding that stuff. The reason they do that is so that drywall joints don't crack during moving. You have to find a mobile home supply store for it. Along with about every door in the place.
Every faucet will pretty much be replaced in 7 years. But, those you can generally get at Home Depot and replace with something quality. Electrical Outlets and light switches.. If they have the 'rocker' style light switches, just plan on replacing them. The bad thing is, they tend to use these self-contained outlets/switches that are their own junction boxes.. So, you can't use a junction box that you can get from HD.. Too deep. What I did on several was to replace with a quality Leviton product, and use low voltage brackets that don't have a back (MPLS would work, too)
Cabinets are pressboard in most of them. Lord help you if they get wet..
Sealing up pipe accesses.. Every mobile home I go to I carry a can of that expanding foam and steel wool and go around to every pipe access and seal it up.
The vinyl flooring.. Most of them that i've seen.. I agree, it's run under cabinets, under walls, under EVERY friggin' thing. Which, as Deltadawn mentioned.. Is good. But is annoying as hell when you do have to replace it.
Toilets.. here's my problem with them. The flange is usually screwed to the subfoor directly, with no support under it. That subfloor rots... That could be a wild ride the next time you have a seat. I always put additional supports below it when/if that has to be replaced.
Roofs tend to be problematic so far as leaking. Any time a roof is replaced, you want to add additional insulation. Lots of people do a double roof thing.
I've posted it before.. In 1975 or so, my grandmother moved out of her house and let my parents move into it, because they needed the space and she didn't. She put a single wide on the property.. That place, to this day, is immaculate. Mennonites bought it and redid the cabinets and all.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Modulars "Supposed" to be superior to site-built
