Modular Homes HQ

What a conundrum – a manufactured home is not a modular home, but a modular home is sometimes referred to as a manufactured home. No wonder homebuyers and homebuilders often confuse the two, or do not realize that there is a difference at all.

While both modular homes and manufactured homes begin in a factory, the assembly line is where the similarity between the two ends. What are the differences, then?

Manufacturing Process

It’s true that both manufactured and modular homes consist of manufactured, factory built components. The difference begins in the assembly.

Manufactured homes are built start-to-finish on the assembly line, from limited floor plans and with similar facades. Everything from the structural frame of the house to the cabinets and countertops is assembled at the factory site. These homes arrive at the dealer partially or fully assembled.

Modular homes, on the other hand, are not assembled completely at the factory site. Only the “modules,” or sections that make up the basic framework of the home is assembled at the factory site. These sections are then trucked to the site of the home build and assembled on location, much like a traditionally built, or stick-built home.

Home Design

According to federal home building codes, all manufactured homes must be built on a non-removable steel frame chassis. While this protects the homeowner from purchasing an unsafe manufactured home, it also limits the available floor plan designs for manufactured homes, as most of them must be single-story and box-like in appearance to meet federal building codes. Therefore, customization of the manufactured home’s floor plan and exterior appearance is also limited.

Due to the fact that manufactured homes are typically built start-to-finish at the factory site, and are completed when they reach the dealer, there are usually very limited customization options for either interior or exterior finishes.

Like stick-built homes, modular homes can be customized to the homeowner’s taste. Floor plans and exterior finishes are unlimited. Modular homes come in single-story, two-story, or even three-story designs, and can also have slab or basement foundations, attached garages, attics, and other design features of stick-built homes.

Modular homes can be customized inside, as well. Everything from wall materials, flooring, windows, doors, cabinets and countertops can be hand-picked by the homeowner, just as with stick-built homes.

Timeframe

The building process for a manufactured home is not unlike that of any other item built on an assembly line. From the frame to interior finishes, each aspect of a manufactured home is assembled on-site, by workers who are responsible for mastering a specific section of the home. This type of assembly is much faster than that of a stick-built home.

When a manufactured home reaches the dealer, it needs only to be assembled, either on the dealer’s site, or when it reaches the homeowner’s home site. Because the home is essentially finished by the time it is purchased, the timeframe for moving into a manufactured home is often measured in days.

Modular homes also employ factory assembly, although in a different manner than that of manufactured homes. Sections of the homes are completed in the factory, and then delivered to the build site as needed. As most of the assembly is completed indoors, this cuts down on delays due to inclement weather, local materials availability, and vandalism.

Also, because the sections of a modular home can be built concurrently with preparation of the home build site, including foundation preparation, the time for completion is much shorter. Most modular homes can be completed in 8-14 weeks after construction begins.

Cost, maintenance, and resell values

Manufactured homes are among the least expensive homes on the market. Due to their assembly-line construction and the similarities of their design, they require less skilled labor, incur less waste in materials, and generally less costly to build because they use cheaper materials. And, because the home site for a manufactured home requires little or no foundation construction, this results in less expense.

The construction of manufactured homes is regulated by federal building codes instituted in the 1970s. These codes do not require manufactured homes to be as energy-efficient as they could be. Furthermore, due to the mobile-ready design of these homes, manufactured homes are inherently less energy-efficient than stick-built or modular homes.

The resell value of manufactured homes tends to decline rather than appreciate throughout the lifetime of the home. This is due to several factors, but mostly to the fact that these homes are difficult to improve or add square-footage to.

Modular homes enjoy some of the same cost-effective construction methods as manufactured homes. Because the sections of the modular home are factory-assembled, reducing the cost of hiring construction crews, bringing materials to the build site, and eliminating costly construction delays, they are less expensive to construct than stick-built homes.

The efficient construction techniques employed in building a modular home also result in a more energy-efficient home. They use high-quality materials, precise engineering, and additional insulation that translate to maintenance savings for the homeowner.

One of the most important differences in modular homes and manufactured homes is the fact that modular homes increase in value over time. Their appearance is identical to stick-built homes when construction is completed. They can be improved, remodeled, and expanded just as stick-built homes can. Thus, they will continue to appreciate in value, just as stick-built homes do.

Conclusion

Manufactured homes and modular homes both have much to recommend them. While they are similar in that their factory construction techniques make them quicker and more affordable to build than stick-built homes, that’s where their similarities end. Modular homes are an attractive, customizable investment guaranteed to increase in value over time.

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