Manufactured homes?

[Slick3914]

Anyone here know anything about manufactured homes?

My Wife and I are inheriting a property near the Delaware beaches where there is currently a 1970 mobile home. We would like have the old home removed and replace with a new 16x76 single wide home. I've found it very difficult to determine which manufacturer to go with. We toured some Skyline homes which were very nice and Clayton homes which were very cheap. Looking for any advice or experiences you may be able to share.

 

[SSerian]

Anyone here know anything about manufactured homes?

My Wife and I are inheriting a property near the Delaware beaches where there is currently a 1970 mobile home. We would like have the old home removed and replace with a new 16x76 single wide home. I've found it very difficult to determine which manufacturer to go with. We toured some Skyline homes which were very nice and Clayton homes which were very cheap. Looking for any advice or experiences you may be able to share.

Not that I have much experience with manufactured homes, but I might look up a local company that repairs manufactured homes in the area where you plan on placing it.
They should give you some good feedback on what issues they have seen in the past. I would mostly be worried about environmental conditions and how well they hold up to the weather. Of most concern I would be worried about the structural integrity of the roof in the event you experience a heavy snow.

 

[Jason2007]

From what I've heard from several people that have owned manufactured homes is the final setup is the most important.

 

[rob1715]

Do your research to determine the actual mobile home. Many are owned by the same company, just different names. We had a Marlette in AZ and it was really nice. They're now owned by Clayton. Silvercrest and Deer Valley are kinda the top of the line, with top prices as well. A good YT channel is Chance's Mobile Home World. That guy loves him some mobile homes. As Jason said, the set up is the most important. Kristina Smallhorn on YT and Jacobsen Homes are other good resources. Try to get a lot model. We got ours for $20,000 off the list price. This was 20 years ago and have since moved on, but for what they are, they're good IMO.

 

[Dinoburner]

After having done gas service work for decades saw enough poorly made made mobile homes to know you really need to do a lot of research. Don`t remember the name but there were/are some well made 2x6 stick built homes out of eastern Canada.

 

[Donald]

Anyone here know anything about manufactured homes?

My Wife and I are inheriting a property near the Delaware beaches where there is currently a 1970 mobile home. We would like have the old home removed and replace with a new 16x76 single wide home. I've found it very difficult to determine which manufacturer to go with. We toured some Skyline homes which were very nice and Clayton homes which were very cheap. Looking for any advice or experiences you may be able to share.

What town in Delaware? We have our retirement home in Milton. We are about 10 to 15 minutes from Lewes beach or Cape Henlopen. Rehoboth is crowded and touristy. Cape Henlopen is our first choice. I got a senior lifetime resident pass to Cape Henlopen for around $50.

 

[Slick3914]

What town in Delaware? We have our retirement home in Milton. We are about 10 to 15 minutes from Lewes beach or Cape Henlopen. Rehoboth is crowded and touristy. Cape Henlopen is our first choice. I got a senior lifetime resident pass to Cape Henlopen for around $50.

Ocean View, we've been using the home for vacations for 13 years but its tired and needs replaced.

 

[vwmaniaman]

Make your choice based on the insulation level and quality of construction. Sister in law just bought a 2005 used Clayton and it is very poorly built. My wife and I have a very nice stick built home at the lake but end up being in our 28X56 Champion that was built in 1988. It is still a solid home and has been updated in many ways. Our electric and heating bills here in ours rarely ever go over $100/mo. We stay here a lot to be nearer our grand daughter. Just my advice but, don't buy used!! Get a new one from a dealer that has a stable reputation and you will save a lot of grief. The initial setup is the key. We looked at plenty of homes with her when she was looking and told her not to get a Clayton. Get a Fleetwood at least or a Champion. So she goes and pays way too much for a used Clayton and could have had a new Fleetwood for what she has spent fixing it. Almost like buying a rusted wore out pickup truck. Our neighbor across the road bought a Clayton and discovered while replacing the windows that outside under the vinyl was covered with cardboard with foam on it, He then removed all the siding and put OSB and house wrap on it and then put the vinyl back on. Huge job to make it work. One summer his AC was no cooling very well. Went over and looked at it and they had a pipe coming down from a roof vent hanging in his AC condenser coil. Outside air moisture was freezing up the condenser. His shower pan cracked and soaked his floor that fell in. You get what you pay for. Buyer beware.

 

[brianl703]

Our neighbor across the road bought a Clayton and discovered while replacing the windows that outside under the vinyl was covered with cardboard with foam on it,

That's not unusual...

You can (at least around here) easily find stick-built homes (that cost north of $300k) built with sheathing that consists of stuff like:

1)Foam board (the pink or blue foam insulation panels)
2)Celotex (similar to Masonite siding, but softer. You could dent this stuff, if not poke right through it, using your finger)
3)Thermo-ply (1/4" thick cardboard, more or less).

All of which require metal bracing on the corners of the walls because they provide no racking strength.

 

[JustinH]

You are ahead of the game by owning land to put it on instead of paying big lot rent prices.

I would buy something that can be placed on a poured slab.

 

[Pelican]

Just to clarify the air for a non US person . Here in Canada there is a difference between Manufactured homes & Mobile homes.
A manufactured home is a regular home, could be a bungalow or 2 storey. A mobile home is also manufactured, but it's more like a trailer. Is this difference also applying to you?

 

[DuckRyder]

Just to clarify the air for a non US person . Here in Canada there is a difference between Manufactured homes & Mobile homes.
A manufactured home is a regular home, could be a bungalow or 2 storey. A mobile home is also manufactured, but it's more like a trailer. Is this difference also applying to you?

Though I'm sure there will be disagreement, generally speaking in the US a manufactured home is built in a factory and transported to the site. Both modular styles (which can be nearly indistinguishable from site built) and mobile fit this bill and will be insured as "manufactured home". So all factory mobile homes are manufactured homes, but not all manufactured homes are mobile homes.

From the "single wide" description we are talking about a trailer here. Pretty much every one I've been in was junk. I would rather live in an actual camper.

 

[wpod]

In Caldwell Idaho there is a company called Kit homes and they manufacture mobile homes. My friends bought some land and that was their choice .I ended up going on two tours through the plant and their homes were 2x6 walls plywood really 100% quality I was very impressed. Go on a factory tour.

 

[brianl703]

Though I'm sure there will be disagreement, generally speaking in the US a manufactured home is built in a factory and transported to the site. Both modular styles (which can be nearly indistinguishable from site built) and mobile fit this bill and will be insured as "manufactured home". So all factory mobile homes are manufactured homes, but not all manufactured homes are mobile homes.

From the "single wide" description we are talking about a trailer here. Pretty much every one I've been in was junk. I would rather live in an actual camper.

Modular homes are considered as site-built homes for the purposes of insurance and building code compliance. They require a permanent foundation.

A manufactured home is, according to HUD:

"Manufactured homes are homes built as dwelling units of at least 320 square feet in size with a permanent chassis to assure the initial and continued transportability of the home. All transportable sections of manufactured homes built in the U.S. after June 15, 1976 must contain a certification label"

Manufactured homes are built according to HUD codes, not local building codes.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Our neighbor across the road bought a Clayton and discovered while replacing the windows that outside under the vinyl was covered with cardboard with foam on it,

That's how my 1950 stickbuilt is. Studs > cardboard > foam > vinyl siding.

If the lot was big enough or would be worth enough, I'd 100% knock this house down and put up a modular or even a double wide.

 

[brianl703]

Zoning codes in some places won't allow a manufactured house (by the HUD definition) on a lot. But a modular is OK because it's considered the same as a stickbuilt house.

 

[Andrew1972]

If a modular home go for it. If a manufactured home (trailer, wheels, or removed wheels) run as it drops in real estate value over time instead of appreciating.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

Anyone here know anything about manufactured homes?

Yeah, anything from like '79-1995 is junk, slapped together and many problems. Cheap property tax.