I have tried on many occasions to explain the difference between a modular home and a manufactured home and have always fell just a little short. Recently I found a great article on the National Association of Certified Home Inspector’s website that does it so much better than any explanation I have found.
Here is that article:
While the terms “modular home” and “manufactured home” refer
to two very different things, they are sometimes used interchangeably. Perhaps
some of this confusion stems from the fact that modular homes are, in fact,
manufactured (“manufactured” might be an unfortunate label.) Also, traditional
“site-built” homes are not necessarily better than modular homes, despite the
stigma associated with their assembly-line origin. There have been cases where
Realtors and builders of manufactured homes have misrepresented manufactured
homes as modular homes, and buyers were not informed enough to know the
difference. Everyone (especially inspectors, who make their living examining
residences) should understand the distinguishing features of these
two types of houses.
Modular Homes
Modular homes are residences constructed entirely in
factories and transported to their sites on flatbed trucks. They are built
under controlled conditions, and must meet strict quality-control requirements
before they are delivered. They arrive as block segments and are neatly
assembled, using cranes, into homes that are almost indistinguishable from
comparable ones built on-site. Wind and rain do not cause construction delays
or warp building materials.
In addition, modular homes:
- must
conform to the same local, state and regional building codes as homes
built on-site; - are
treated the same by banks as homes built on-site. They are easily
refinanced, for example; - follow
the same market trends as site-built houses; - must
be structurally approved by inspectors; - can be
of any size, although the block sections from which they are assembled are
uniformly sized; - are
often more basic than homes built on-site, but they tend to be sturdier; - are
highly customizable. Design is usually decided by the buyer before
construction has begun; and - generally
take eight to 14 weeks to construct. Differing from a site-built
home, the foundation can be dug at the same time that the house is
being constructed.
Proponents of modular homes claim that their indoor,
environmentally controlled construction affords them greater strength and
resilience than homes built on-site. They also tend to be constructed using
more precise building techniques and with more building material than
comparable site-built residences. One reason for this is that they must be able
to withstand the stress of highway transport. A study by FEMA found that
modular homes withstood the wind and water from Hurricane Andrew better than
most other homes in the area. They take less time to construct than site-built
homes, are more energy-efficient, and generally cost less.
Manufactured Homes
The
term “manufactured home” is the most recent label for what were once called
“mobile homes” or “trailers.” They are relatively inexpensive, small, and are
held to less stringent standards than modular and site-built homes. Their
obvious advantages are their mobility and affordability, factors that
allow buyers to make home purchases without a serious monetary or geographical
commitment. They are available in three sizes that escalate as follows:
“single-wide,” “double-wide” and “triple-wide.”
In addition, manufactured
homes:
- conform
only to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) code. Some homes contain
a red tag that confirms that the unit was manufactured in compliance with
this code; - are
inspected, but do not have to be structurally approved by an inspector; - are
manufactured in sections at factories; - are
never more than one story; - do not
have a permanent or conventional foundation; - tend
to lose value over time because they are difficult to expand or improve; - are
transported to the site on their own wheels; - are
transported on steel chassis that are never
removed; - are
often placed on property owned by others, such as public land that is
leased by the homeowner; - are treated as
a separate lending category from modular and on-site built homes;
and - are
rarely custom-designed. The buyer can choose from homes that have already
been built and receive it within days.
Despite their manufacturing process, modular homes are
essentially the same as homes that are built on-site. They are treated the same
under the law, and their basic structural features are almost indistinguishable
from site-built homes, once assembled. Manufactured homes are relatively small,
inexpensive, mobile residences that require a smaller commitment than is
required by modular and site-built homes. It is important to understand the
differences between these home types in order to reduce the influence of
stigmas, misrepresentation and ignorance.
For more information, watch NACHI.TV’s episode on Understanding
Modular Homes.
