Anyone have exp w/ mfg housing

sixteencharacter · ‎03-11-2010

We're thinking of going the manufactured/modular housing route, due to cost, when we move away from the crime ridden city to some mountain property we own. I'd love to hear your experience and/or suggestions of what to look for, etc. It appears that we can get more bang for the buck, plus it's very difficult to get anyone to do anything they promise up there. Grateful for any direction you can provide. Thanks

Meezerpleezer · ‎03-11-2010

Don't do it!!!! The same workers that you can't get to do anything "up there" are the same people who will be contracted to do the work on your modular. You may not pay up front but believe me, you will pay later. I know. I have had 2 modulars in 2 different states. The nightmare continues...

KateE · ‎01-07-2011

I owned one for nine years and I only had a few problems. Buy one from the actual manufacturer, don't get a preowned one as you don't and won't know what worked/not, etc.

Make sure when the manufacturer delivers it and it's on a concrete slab and leveled.

Occasionally we had mice get in places like the the bathrooms and kitchens anywhere there were openings, we put steel wool in to prevent them from coming in.

Make sure it has a metal skirt around as this helps the plumbing from freezing, although, we had one really cold winter and had to use a heater to thaw them.

The biggest problem for me was we had a window across from where the furnace door was and when the winter winds would blow, strangely the furnace would go out. This didn't happen often, but annoying.

Make sure you find a good handyman that is familiar with mobile homes. They are different and getting someone who doesn't really know could cost you alot of money.

Just do your research before making this decision, then you will have no regrets.

We enjoyed our mobile home and had many great memories there, however, after many storms and no place to hide I had enough, but that is me.

kivah · ‎03-11-2010

I was in 2 manufactured homes (near my house in north Oxnard, CA). Literally felt like a piece of junk. I would never consider it.

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

I worked with a man that had a modular home business on the side. He eventually went full time with it. I thought it was a less expensive choice than buying a regular house. When I was looking for a house, I contacted him. He took me to two modulars that he was putting up. They were nice. Every inch had a purpose. When he told me the price, I almost fell over. It was in the range of what houses were going for by the time the lot was added. Sounds like things have changed or could be the part of the country. I was looking in CT.

You can lookup the company at the better business bureau site.

If you build a house from the ground or buy a modular, get everything spelled out in the contract if there are issues. Do nothing by word of mouth. Probably not a bad idea to hire a lawyer to review the contract.

Good luck.

Annabellethecat66 · ‎03-12-2010

My late husband has put up several houses that were modular (they arrive and are put together on site).

Go here to This Old House and watch a house that was cut in warehouse and put together on site. You can watch various shows on This Old House.come

I sit and watch it and in fact I used to watch these modular houses be delivered and set up. It is fun and actually they are better made than the 'stick' houses because no bad weather interfered with the building of them and time was taken to do it right. He taught me how to tell a modular house inside but most people would never, never know. They are amazing and in many cases reasonably priced. You can do amazing things with them.

GO HERE:

http://modularhomeowners.com/modular-home-manufacturers/

AND HERE:

http://www.modulartoday.com/

HERE's MORE INFO:

https://toughnickel.com/real-estate/Before-You-Buy-a-Manufactured-Mobile-Home

Hope this helps!

Snowpuppy · ‎03-09-2010

Modulars are different than a mobile. They are fixed/attached to a permanent foundation so there's no skirting involved. You can obtain a regular home mortgage on a modular. Not so on a mobile.

Look for customer reviews. Also read about HUD placcarding or HUD tags on HUD dot gov. It means the mfg meets minimum standards. Not all manufacturers carry a HUD placcard. Also, ask your lender for rec's and their experience.

Some are quite nice and built well. I visited one vendor near me and as someone said, these were like tin cans! The price he wanted for a basement was ridiculous.

Lucky Charm · ‎03-09-2010

Are you talking about a trailer or a home that is built in full and then brought in pieces to your property?

The latter can be a ranch, a split level and maybe even a two story home.

Annabelle is right, the manufactured homes are built *inside* and the wood isn't left to the elements during the building process.

Venezia · ‎03-09-2010

As some have said, modular homes are not the same as mobile homes (single or double wides).

A modular home is built at the manufacturer's location and brought onto the lot in sections, after the ground work is completed. It's put on a permanent foundation.

My DH and I had a modular home built. I did a lot of research and went to home shows where a variety of modulars were on display (fully built) by different manufacturers. I already had a good idea of what to look for and only one home met the standards I wanted (although there was nothing wrong with the others).

We have been in our home 15 years now and I can tell you it's as solid as a stick-built home. We've had workmen in for a variety of reasons and even the local tax assessor and not one of them thought it was a modular. They were all impressed. Had to laugh when one of them said "Are you sure this is a modular?" Yes, I'm sure. I paid for it!

Having said that, the company we went with did things to a higher standard than many. As you've been told already, check everything in any contract you sign and make sure you get what you want. it's amazing how many little "details" get missed in any housebuilding project!

(ETA: Ours is a two-story cape with a full basement.)

BohemianGal · ‎03-29-2016

@Venezia wrote:
As some have said, modular homes are not the same as mobile homes (single or double wides).

A modular home is built at the manufacturer's location and brought onto the lot in sections, after the ground work is completed. It's put on a permanent foundation.

My DH and I had a modular home built. I did a lot of research and went to home shows where a variety of modulars were on display (fully built) by different manufacturers. I already had a good idea of what to look for and only one home met the standards I wanted (although there was nothing wrong with the others).

We have been in our home 15 years now and I can tell you it's as solid as a stick-built home. We've had workmen in for a variety of reasons and even the local tax assessor and not one of them thought it was a modular. They were all impressed. Had to laugh when one of them said "Are you sure this is a modular?" Yes, I'm sure. I paid for it!

Having said that, the company we went with did things to a higher standard than many. As you've been told already, check everything in any contract you sign and make sure you get what you want. it's amazing how many little "details" get missed in any housebuilding project!

(ETA: Ours is a two-story cape with a full basement.)