The Advantages of Manufactured Housing

Cost-effective:

1. Depending on the region of the country, construction cost per square foot for a new manufactured home averages 15 to 30 percent less than costs for a comparable site-built home.
2. Independent appraisal studies confirm that manufactured homes can appreciate in value just like other forms of housing.

Built for Quality:

1. All aspects of the construction process are controlled. Less building material waste.
2. The weather does not interfere with construction and cause delays.
3. All technicians, craftsmen, and assemblers work as a team and are professionally supervised.
4. Inventory is better controlled and materials are protected from theft and weather-related damage.
5. Homes built in a controlled factory environment.
6. All construction materials, as well as interior finishes and appliances are purchased in volume for additional savings.
7. Cost of interim construction is significantly reduced or eliminated.
8. All aspects of construction are continually inspected by a professionally trained third-party inspector.

Amenities:

1. Floor plans are available in multiple sizes that range from basic to elaborate. These include vaulted or tray ceilings, fully-equipped kitchens, walk-in closets, and bathrooms with recessed tubs and and whirlpools.
2. A variety of exterior siding material is available, including metallic, vinyl, wood, or hardwood. In some cases, homebuyers can also opt for stucco exteriors.
3. Homes have pitched roofs with shingles, eaves, and gabled ends.
4. Design features such as bay windows, cathedral ceilings, and off-set multiple sections are available.
5. Awnings, patio covers, decks, site-built garages, and permanent foundations are often available as upgrades.
6. The home can be customized to meet the needs and desires of the customer.

Safety:

1. The building materials in today’s manufactured home are the same, and in some respects, superior to those used in site built homes.
2. The homes are engineered for wind safety and energy efficiency based on the geographic region in which they are sold.
3. Manufactured homes are among the safest housing choices available today due to federal laws, applicable to only manufactured homes, requiring smoke detectors near all bedroom areas, egress or escape windows, and limited combustible material requirements around furnaces, water heaters, and kitchen ranges.
4. Properly installed homes can withstand 120-130 mph 3 second gust winds in areas of tornadoes and hurricanes.

(Photo via Fleetwood Homes Series on American Home Center)