Okay,
So we are looking at moving and building a new home. We are in the middle of purchasing land. The property can do manufactured, modular or stick.
So we have already built a house and I Will Tell You I will never do it again. I think factory construction and the precise and pure angles etc is the way to go.
So here is my issue. So if you build a manufactured house and upgrade everything to 2 x 6 exterior, 16″ on center, 2 x 4 interior 2×8 subflooring
upgraded to Wind Zone III, trailer hitch wheels removed and set as a permanent structure on n a permanent concrete foundation. Same siding,roofingm windows, energy star package, 2×6 Sidewall with R-19 Insulation
So what is the difference between this and stick-built or modular?
So besides the stigma and memories of old tin cans, I just don’t get it. The materials at the factory we are looking for is basically the same materials and constriction. The other thing I don’t get is the concern over the metal frame? Well, I’m not sure what I’m missing? Termites don’t eat metal and you cant pull a house with it so isn’t that a better more solid construction than a wood subframe set on the foundation?
So I’ve presented these same things to a few builders we know and they really have no real good responses to the above except that site build is better, then modular and manufactured is junk.
I don’t see it?
We are also told that it will not appreciate but that is not exactly true based on realtors, but they are kind of biased.
Thoughts? Proof? Why?
Replies
If you want a house that's very narrow and very low slung I guess there is no problem.
Do you want a 12' wide house with a 1/12 pitch that's less than 13.5' tall (including the trailer)?
If so how could you not build a level square and plumb 12x48 box on-site?
Modular homes are built with any width you like and can have pretty much any pitch you desire. Good ones look no different than any other house. Manufactured homes come in single wide, double wide and even triple wides so you can get one 42' if you like. They also come in various roof pitches but usually not very steep. They are built to a different standard than modulars.
Manufactured homes are usually built on a steel frame and wheels and are not the same as modular which are delivered on trucks and usually lifted into place. Good modulars look exactly like stick-built houses except they are built in factories. As long as the factory has a good reputation and uses good material it might save you time and it might save you money and you might get as good or better a house then a stick-built one. You would have to do your homework, talk to everyone involved, look at techniques and some finished houses.
Many banks won't lend money on manufactured houses and most of the appreciation is from land values going up, not the house itself. A friend had a fairly new doublewide on her property that she was selling. The realtor told her she would get more for the property if the doublewide were gone.