manufactured homes

[polk county]

My trailer is leaking and breaking faster than I can fix it. I?m thinking about buying a manufactured/modular home. Anyone know anything about these? The house will be put on a permanent foundation and will have drywall and stucco. I?m worried that a modular home will loose value like a trailer. I dont want to buy an expensive glorified trailer.

Any ideas
Thanks

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: manufactured homes

imho, that is exactly what they are. they are much better constructed now, than in the past. unfortunately, with the cost of constuction going up, it is going to be the only way some can afford a free standing home.

 

[RWilson2526]

Re: manufactured homes

I really have no expertise on the subject at all so take this for what its worth. The point that the sales people use that I always thought seemed pretty valid was that your home was being built more or less in a factory controlled environment with QA/QC people more readily accessible to the project.

I think it comes down to the quality of materials and craftsmanship. A cheap prefab'd home is more likely being built with less expensive materials the same as a cheap on site builder giving the job to the cheapest sub and putting your house together as fast and cheap as possible. PVC plumbing strung under a house in a crawl space not supported properly is crap wether its done in a factory or done on site.

I would think that I would want a "quality" prefabbed home over a cheap onsite built home. I would think that due diligence in researching the quality of the prefabbed company would help pacify any fears I might have.

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: manufactured homes

Modular homes will not lose value like trailers. They are built better than most stick homes and appreciate well if not more. My Daughter had one built in Colorado 3 years ago and the value of the home has increased significantly. I was very impressed with the solid construction. Remember that these must be trucked to your location and therefore must be built to take the transport and unloading as well. After seeing many shows on TV on how these are put together, I can see no reason to be wary. Pic of hers in progress below..

 

[roscoe]

Re: manufactured homes

We have several Premium modular home builders in the area, head and shoulders above the rest, and miles ahead of the cheap ones. They use top quality materials and construction designs, No corners cut. Their base models even come with triple pane windows, and you can name your fixtures, flooring, and custom design anything you want.
They hold their value as good as any stick built home in the area, but you pay for what you get, they are not cheap.

If you are in Wisconsin, check out Stratford Homes, located in Stratford WI.

"Design Homes" are ok, but I don't care for them.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: manufactured homes

built in Florida, or brought in, they have to met the new standards. the main thing when dealing with these companies, is , getting the detailed finishes in writing. down to the faucets, toilets, light fixtures. colors of paint, carpet, hardwood. i really mean detailed. also known as specifications.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: manufactured homes

There is a difference between a manufactured home and a modular home. We are seeing many of them in the New Orleans area because of Hurricane Katrina, so I have actually done a little bit of homework on them.

A manufactured home is closer to what you think of as a mobile home. There is, however, a great deal of difference in construction methods these days, as compared to those built 20 or 30 years ago. Some are even built to withstand hurricane force winds. But, there are still issues with them in regard to resale and zoning. I think most people still view them as trailers so resale value isn't what it is with other types of homes. Municipal zoning ordinances still prohibit them in a lot of places too.

I have looked at modular homes and was quite impressed with them. Frankly, if I were interested in a new home, I might buy one before I would construct a site built home. Like anything else, the quality that you get depends on who you buy one from, but I have seen some very, very nice modular homes. Ability to erect one in certain areas is also a function of zoning laws but I have found that you can usually put one up in most places where site built homes exist. Wind resistence and construction quality can be higher than a site built home too, because the units are built in a controlled environment, with a known and consistent workforce.

Do yourself a favor and go visit a few dealers for these homes. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[aspeck]

Re: manufactured homes

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=169331&highlight=modular+homes

Here is a thread where we were discussing Modulars before. As Roscoe said, some can be well built ... others cheap. Be careful what you buy, and how you order it ... sometimes cheaper isn't really cheaper. Good luck, and if you have any questions, the same offer is to you as it was to Gary.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: manufactured homes

Yep! Art knows his stuff!

I went to one of the factories and was totally impressed on the construction of the modular. Still saving up for the big down payment..

 

[thefairlaneman]

Re: manufactured homes

My trailer is leaking and breaking faster than I can fix it. I?m thinking about buying a manufactured/modular home. Anyone know anything about these? The house will be put on a permanent foundation and will have drywall and stucco. I?m worried that a modular home will loose value like a trailer. I dont want to buy an expensive glorified trailer.

Any ideas
Thanks

mY idea is to find a bank with alot of repo homes and work a deal.

 

[Bass Man Bruce]

Re: manufactured homes

As a building inspector here in Mich I have inspected several hundred installed modulars. To me there is no difference between "modular" and "manufactured".
The HUGE difference in Michigan is between "HUD" and "BOCA".
HUD homes are built to a federal standard and are exempt from Michigan building codes.
BOCA homes must comply with Michigan Residential Building code and are FAR superior to the HUD homes.
There are about a million grades of what I call "Pre-manufactured" homes and you really must do your homework!!!!!

I have been to court countless times in lawsuits between buyers and sellers/installers because of SO Much misunderstanding between the parties. They are not all bad but the industry here is dominated by lowest possible cost attitude, a recipe for disaster.
If you pick a company be absolutely sure you get good honest referalls from someone you know you can trust.

I read Aspecks posts, and he is WAY AHEAD OF THE CURVE compared to most DIY'S (at least the ones I came in contact with) You need to know your stuff if you try this on your own!!

Personally I prefer a local builder you know and can trust, but it is not the only solution.
Good Luck, either way it is not an insurmountable task but it is a big one!

 

[jcsercsa]

Re: manufactured homes

HI polk county, well here in mich, they are a great home, before i meet my wife she bought one , its in a park , not a good idea , but it a great place had to do some work on it { KID LEFT THE WATER ON AND FLOODED THE BATHROOM } ^&&*&%*()&*^ lol it really well built !!

It just up here the economy is so bad ,, We were talking about putting it on some property , well her girlfriend was getting a divorce and she wanted out of her house !! so we took it and thought we could move the manufactured place ,,, well this july it will be 6 years and we had two bids on it !!!!! one for 18,000 and the other for 20,000 !! we still owned 32 on it !!! well now its cost use 60,000 over the last 6 years !!!! and still got to go cut the grass !! Thats where my new boat is !!!!!!!!!!! ohh yea it was apraised here last year at 47 , it just really stinks !!!

So just becarefully there a great home nicely built , just dont try to sell one here in mich !! and I will sell you one cheap !! lol John

 

[Rogue427]

Re: manufactured homes

A modular is a step above a double wide. JMHO HUD sucks! My doublewide had no tar paper under the roofing just some cheap brown vapor barrier.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: manufactured homes

A modular is a step above a double wide. JMHO HUD sucks! My doublewide had no tar paper under the roofing just some cheap brown vapor barrier.

A well built Modular is way above any HUD home...They are built stronger than most site built homes.

 

[aspeck]

Re: manufactured homes

Hmmm, Gary, I don't know if I would go that far ... again, you get what you pay for and you can get cheap stick built, and you can get cheap modulars. Just as you can get well built in both. However, when you think modular, you think inexpensive ... and that can mean corners cut to keep the expense down. I have seen both.

BMB is right, if doing it yourself, you need to know your stuff, be able to read plans, etc. If you are doing it through a contractor, make sure they know there stuff. And if you are having the modular company do it all, research them to the nth degree!

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: manufactured homes

I know my opinion doesn't mean much as I've never bought a home, but we have a good dozen or so different companies within 10 miles of here all on the same highway that build them. Most of them have one on site thats cut away so you can see how they are built. Go look at them, brochures and the net aren't as good as walking up to one and looking at it. Move the doors, do they feel solid? Jump on the floor? Does it feel solid or do you knock pictures off the wall?

One of our dealers has an old Nissan truck on the roof, and his slogan is "the proof is on the roof". Meaning if it can hold up the weight of a car, it must be strong.

 

[arboldt]

Re: manufactured homes

In 1980 (?) we bought a builder spec home in Indiana, about 3 miles south of the Michigan line. We thought it was an excellent house. The builder told us later it was 'panelized.' That is, the framing was all built in a factory to factory specs, then trucked to the site. The wall sections were carried off the truck and fastened together. Kind of a cross between stick-built and modular.

Don't know if anyone does it that way anymore.

The house we're in now is the only one (of 6 we've owned over the years) that is built more solidly -- that's because our current house was built by local high school's building trades class, and they had to do things over until the teacher / builder was satisfied the kids knew how to do it right. At least that's what the original owner told us.

 

[Mark42]

Re: manufactured homes

The few pre-fab houses I have watched go up around my neck of the woods are all "over built". The manager of one assembly crew told me that they have to build the sections very rigid and well above code or they shake apart on the truck during delivery. This home in particular was 6 sections that was built in PA and trucked into NJ and then assembled into a 2 story center hall colonial using a crane. The garage was stick built by the assembly crew. The house is very heavy, framed with 2x6 and massive floor joist assemblies. Hardwood flooring, bath tile and a few other details were installed on site. It didn't look cheap to me.

 

[Caveman Charlie]

Re: manufactured homes

Everyone around here who builds a home buys a manufactured home of some kind. You just can't afford to get one any other way anymore.

 

[bjcsc]

Re: manufactured homes

Manufactured home = trailer. Modular home = same as stick built, but built off-site and brought in in sections. Sort of like a stick built house except everything is square and plumb. They are definitely not the same.

Banks consider modular homes exactly the same as stick built with regards to mortgages/financing/comps.

Banks consider manufactures homes the same as trailers with regards to mortgages/financing and in most cases, will not finance them or will assign existing ones zero value with regards to financing/comps.

Think otherwise? Call a mortgage broker or loan officer...

Do some manufactured housing builders cloud/exploit the modular/manufactured distinction? - you bet.

Do you save money with a modular? - typically no but you save a lot of time.

Are there lousy modular home builders? Absolutely, they're no different than any other product. There are a lot of stupid people in the world and a proportionally smaller number of very wealthy ones as a result.