People on social media, news reporters, industry speakers and even most of the people you talk with all believe that tiny houses, double and single wide mobile homes and those companies selling converted garden sheds are the same as true modular housing. Nothing could be further from the truth.
First we need to define what is a true modular home. They can be found in almost every region of the US. They are built to the latest IRC (international Residential Code). The IRC is a comprehensive, stand-alone residential code that creates minimum regulations for one- and two-family dwellings of three stories or less. It brings together all building, plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, energy and electrical provisions for one- and two-family residences.
This code determines how site built and true modular homes should be built. It requires standards not found in any other type mentioned above. Inspections on various stages of construction are required and each house must successfully pass the inspection before the next stage of construction can begin.
Modular homes built in factories are inspected by third party companies that employee inspectors to review plans and inspect the homes in the factories before they are shipped to the building lot where the final assembly and finish is performed. Local code inspectors check the finished home before a certificate of occupancy can be issued to the homeowner.
Inspections, plan reviews, safety and energy features are required for both site built and modular homes.
Now let’s take a look at a HUD manufactured home. Manufactured homes are constructed according to a code administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD Code). The HUD Code, unlike conventional building codes, requires manufactured homes to be constructed on a permanent chassis.
The HUD code is not as rigid as the IRC and requirements are not as restrictive as the IRC required for site and modular home builders. This gives the manufactured (mobile) home a real cost advantage over IRC homes.
Where the confusion happens is when a new home buyer looks at building a new home they equate mobile homes with modular and quite frankly, the mobile home dealer encourages that confusion by also selling IRC modular homes. Street dealers, the normal way of buying a mobile home, often place them side by side. They sometimes even look identical from the outside as their ‘modular’ homes and mobile homes are usually built on the same manufactured home assembly line.
New home buyers have been associating custom modular homes with mobile homes for decades and unfortunately that will probably never change.
When you think about buying a new home, Amazon probably doesn’t top your list of places to look but, maybe it should be!
“Modular homes” are selling like hot cakes on Amazon! They can’t even keep in-stock, they sell out as fast as they get posted! And they call them modular homes when in fact they are just garden sheds.
You can pick up a Lillevilla Escape | 113 SQF Allwood Kit Cabin for less than $5000, shipped FREE! Measuring 113-square-feet of interior space, this styling cabin is made of solid wood and takes a day to build according to the manufacturer.
Related Article: The Terrible Truth About This ‘Viral’ $7K Tiny House on Amazon
But do you really get a home you can live in? What you get is a glorified garden shed that will cost you tens of thousands of dollars to bring up to your state’s current IRC standards if all possible, permitting if possible at all and finally be prepared for your neighbors to vehemently oppose it. And certainly don’t look for your bank to finance it.
Who would want to buy a nice 2 story home next to a family living in a converted garden shed?
Which brings us to Tiny Houses. A short time ago the tiny house factories and dealers got together and worked hard to be included in the IRC standards. Their efforts paid off with them being given a modified IRC approval just for tiny houses.
Problem is that even though they now have the IRC stamp not many are built to it. And local zoning in just about every state won’t let them be placed in traditional housing zones. So they become unlawful habitats parked in someone’s backyard or driveway getting water from a garden hose and electric service through a long extension cord.
The media thinks they are cute and does a lot of stories on people living in them. Social media has hundreds of groups preaching the benefits of living in homemade garden sheds built on utility trailers purchased from Tractor Supply. Many consider them affordable housing which I guess they are if you consider living in a space just slightly larger than a walk-in closet “living”.
So the next time someone calls a tiny house or doublewide mobile home a “Modular Home” please take a minute and tell them it is not a modular home. Hundreds of real modular home builders will thank you.
Gary Fleisher (the Modcoach) is a housing veteran, editor/writer of Modular Home Builder blog and industry speaker. [email protected]
