What's the difference between a manufactured home and a modular home?

July 11th, 2010

Also, which is safer or better?

6 Responses to “What's the difference between a manufactured home and a modular home?”

thewrangler_sw Says:
July 11th, 2010 at 8:11 pm

I own a business that services the new home warranties for these types of homes.

A "manufactured" home is ANY home that is produced in a factory setting, and then transported to a homesite….this includes mobile homes, AND kit homes, precut homes, etc., and modular homes. Quite often, it is used to refer to mobile homes, especially double-wides.

All modular homes are manufactured homes, but not all manufactured homes are modulars. Its kind of like saying all pencils are writing instruments, but not all writing instruments are pencils…there are pens, quills, chalk, markers, etc.

Mobile homes and modular homes are built differently. A modular is made to have the steel transport frame removed, at the homesite, where on a mobile home, the steel frame is part of the structure, and cannot be removed. The wood structure of a modular home is built to be stronger, and the support is from the perimeter, usually a poured concrete knee-wall, or basement, or even mortared blocks. On a modular home, any perimeter wall is just decoration, and usually does not even contact the home, it just sits up behind the trim, and there is an actual gap, between the top of the perimeter wall, and the home. Both types of double-wide homes will have to be supported at the marriage wall.

Typically, I see more modular homes set on basements than doublewide mobile homes, but you can set either on a basement. Multi-story manufactured homes are usually modulars.

As to which is better, a modular home typically is built with higher quality components… cabinets, trim package, etc. As to which is stronger…there’s a lot that comes into play with regards to that….Ive seen some VERY strong set ups for mobile homes, where the steel frame is WELDED to steel cross beams, which are mortared into a poured foundation wall, and this set up even had a steel storm shelter included in the package. Most mobile homes however, are just set on top of stacks of blocks and anchored, where a modular is attached to the perimeter foundation. So… USUALLY, a modular home will be the safer choice with regards to a storm, but there are ways to make a mobile just as, if not more, strong and safe. Keep in mind… the average tornado will wipe out everything, without regard to whether it is mobile, modular, or site built.

Many mobile home manufacturers produce both mobile, and modular homes, and many offer some of the same options on their mobile homes, as they do with the modulars, so the line between mobile, and modular can get pretty blurred, with regards to trimming them out. Again, the most visible difference is that the steel transport frame is removed from a modular home, but it MUST stay intact on a mobile home. Hehehe… Ive seen some mobile homeowners that voided their warranty, by removing part or all of a steel frame, when it was supposed to remain.

Here is a quick check on the quality level of a home, that I find to be pretty consistent…. ask about the plumbing….
If the manufacturer is using Pex tubing….they are cutting corners. Yes, Pex does have some advantages, but its mostly for the manufacturers benefit, not the homeowners. You need to either buy a $100 crimping tool, to attach the copper bands at all the joints, or purchase special compression fittings, which run twice what a good quality brass fitting would cost you… bottom line, Pex costs the homeowner more to maintain, and is cheaper for the manufacturer to install.
A manufacturer using cpvc plumbing is building their home using the same standards that you would find in a site built home, I find. These manufacturers that will go to the expense of using the cpvc, will follow through with better components and practices throughout the home. Replacement parts for cpvc plumbing can be found at ANY hardware, and building supply store across the country….that’s not true with Pex components. I know, Ive often had to locate parts while out on a service trip.

There are other things to look at, of course…. the size of exterior walls, what type of siding, what kind of shingles, size of the roof truss members, etc. Some manufacturers will try to ‘glitz’ up the interiors, with some flashy trim, while cutting corners on the structure. I recall a Fleetwood brochure that touted it had 2×4 studs in all load bearing walls….. lol…. that would be the exterior walls, and the marriage wall…. NOT any of the partition walls that seperate one room from another ! The ’standard’ today is 2×6 exterior walls, 2×4 interior, and 2×4 roof truss construction. Some of these manufacturers, like Fleetwood, will offer ‘upgrades’ to bring their homes up to the quality level that many other manufacturers are building to, but they charge extra…. so when comparing homes, make sure you are comparing apples to apples, so to speak, hehehe.

OVERALL…. the industry as a whole has improved over the last 30 years… even the lowest price range mobile home made today is much better than those made 30 years ago. But there are still ‘box’ manufacturers, and good quality home manufacturers. Take your time, educate yourself on the differences, and don’t let the salesman snow you, lol.

Good Luck

Joe U Says:
July 11th, 2010 at 8:11 pm

none

Mrs. Spell Says:
July 11th, 2010 at 8:11 pm

manufactured home is the same as a mobile home, has axles, and wheel’s, can have the base either skirted, or bricked in. Wheels are removed but the axle stays.
a modular home is a house that is pre-built in section, and ALWAYS placed on perm. foundation. no axles or wheels, and brought in on a flat bed tractor trailer truck.

Rosco Turnbuckle Says:
July 11th, 2010 at 8:11 pm

The term manufactured home is only for politically correct reasons. Some folks get embarrass when they say that they live in a Mobil home because of the stigma associated with it.

Paul in San Diego Says:
July 11th, 2010 at 8:11 pm

A manufactured home is one that is delivered all in one piece directly from the manufacturer. These are also called mobile homes, because they have wheels as part of the undercarriage for hauling the home from place to place.

A modular home comes in prefabricated pieces that are attached together onto a permanent foundation at the home site. These are especially popular in Japan, particularly in the cities. A modular home can also be varied in size by having more or less modules (rooms) attached to it. And, you can put one up in only a day or two.

southarkansas Says:
July 11th, 2010 at 8:11 pm

nothing-modular just sounds fancier-sales pitch

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