Modular Homes Basic

While both modular homes and manufactured homes are gaining popularity as less expensive and more efficient forms of housing than traditional stick built homes, they are not at all the same thing. They both share the quality of being manufactured products, but manufactured (or prefab) homes are completely factory-built and then towed to their owner’s location ready for inhabitants.

Modular homes are constructed on site from separate factory produced modules, and are permanently affixed to their foundations. Because manufactured homes are smaller and remain transportable, however, they are often prohibited in certain municipalities where more substantial modular homes are allowed.

Modular Homes and Manufactured Homes:
Usually people heard regarding’ modular home’ but they don’t have much knowledge about what a modular home is. Below are some common questions to help explain what modular homes are and their benefits.
Modular homes are houses that are divided into multiple modules or sections which are manufactured in a distant facility and then delivered to their intended site of use. A crane then assembles the modules into a single residential building.
Typically, modular dwelling of the US are built to local code, so dwellings built in a given manufacturing facility will have differing construction standards depending on the final destination of the modules. Steel and/or wood framing are common options for building a modular homes. Modular home designs can be customized for local zoning codes. For example, homes built for final assembly in a hurricane prone area can have additional bracing built-in to meet local building codes.
Modular components are typically constructed within a large indoor facility on assembly lines much like Henry Ford originally instituted with his automobile company. Such facilities use an assembly line track to move the modules from one workstation to the next. Independent building inspectors are on site to supervise the construction and ensure that all building codes are adhered to during assembly.

What Exactlly Manufactured Home Is:
Manufactured housing (also known as prefab housing) is a type of housing unit that is largely assembled in factories and then transported to sites of use. The term “manufactured home” specifically refers to a home built entirely in a protected environment under a federal code set by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development. Manufactured homes are not mobile homes. The original focus of this form of housing was its mobility. Units were initially marketed primarily to people whose lifestyle required mobility.

The Differences between the Two:
Both manufactured homes and modular homes are commonly referred to as manufactured housing, but they are not identical. Modular homes are transported on flatbed trucks rather than being towed, and lack axles and an automotive-type frame typical of manufactured homes. However, like manufactured houses, some modular houses are towed behind a semi-truck on a frame similar to that of a manufactured home. The house is usually in two pieces and is hauled by two separate trucks. Each frame has five or more axles, depending on the size of the house. Once the house has reached its location, unlike a manufactured home, the axles and the tongue of the frame are then removed, and the house is set on a concrete foundation by a large crane. Most zoning restrictions on modular homes have been found to be inapplicable or only applicable to manufactured homes. This occurs often after considerable litigation on the topic by affected jurisdictions and by plaintiffs failing to determine the difference. As the legal differentiation between the two becomes more codified, the market for modular homes is likely to grow. The traditional manufactured home industry would seem to have a bright future as well. Most modern modular homes, once fully assembled, are indistinguishable from site-built homes. Their roofs are usually transported as separate units, eradicating the telltale roofline of the manufactured home. As the demand for housing continues to grow, the price of housing continues to increase rapidly. The constant improvement of quality and features of manufactured homes has led to greater acceptance by a growing segment of the marketplace. Additionally, insurers and lenders are now more likely to treat the higher-end manufactured home as they would a traditional home.