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Manufactured Housing

| Posted in Construction Techniques on March 18, 2002 06:37am

*
I currently build custom homes and large remodels. In the last year, though, I have been dealing with a commercial customer who specialized in long term care for various patients. Their model for their facilities is 2000-3000 sq. ft., usually single story, slab on grade, trusses, etc. The only oddities in their buildings are some additional ADA features, sprinkler system, and “C” label doors on the bedrooms. I just got a call from them that they need a building that is state inspected, occupiable, and ready for residents by July 1. They are looking at not being able to start until at least 1st or 2nd week of April. I am currently involved in a 4000 sf home. The topic of manufactured housing arose, and the sales guys tell me that from the time they have prints and the go-ahead, three weeks is realistic for them to be ready to ship.
Being a carpenter, I don’t like the whole notion of manufactured housing, and wondered if anyone had any experience with them. Quality, finish, etc. By the way, these buildings look just like one story homes, complete with bump-outs and garages. They are nice looking buildings. FYI. Please throw any and all comments you can out there. I appreciate the input in advance.

Nathan

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  1. Mike_S_ | Mar 14, 2002 02:03am | #1

    *
    Quality and finish probably vary between mfgrs. and your pocketbook. I've seen some with cheezy foam trim and another with stained oak.

    Find a manufacturer in your area and see if you can tour the assembly area. Nanicoke Homes in Greenwood Delaware did this at one time. Nanicoke could crank out a small "standard model" rancher in about a week. It went something like this, 1st day framing , 2nd day mechanicals, 3rd day sheetrock, 4 th day trim, 5th flooring and painting.

    Mike

    1. The_Homewright | Mar 14, 2002 03:11am | #2

      *IMHO manufactured homes are sh*#!!! I've recently been helping repair a few and what I've seen makes me cringe. Granted some of the higher end homes are sheetrocked, etc. but the basic models have panelling walls, cabinets your 6 year old could make, particle board floors without a subfloor beneath, 2x2 truss roof construction, aluminum windows, doors made of sheetmetal and foam, and the mechanicals are atrocious. The wiring is adequate but the recepticles are the press the wire between two blades type of outlets which makes replacing them with conventional outlets a real hassle. The plumbing is usually plastic flex with cheesy fittings, valves that you have to hold onto the line to use or you'll twist the line into a pretzel. All in all, secondary wood products and plastic grocery bags probably comprise a major percentage of the materials in a manufactured home. If you have an eye for quality, put your blinders on when entering...

      1. Nathan_Meredith | Mar 14, 2002 03:40am | #3

        *Those are some of my biggest concerns. I've heard about 2x3 framing, really bad cabinets, mangled sheetrock, etc. One of the salesmen I "loosely" know tells me that those are primarily concerns of the past, and he says that he lives in one of the houses that he sells, and that he bought it before he worked for the company. I'm not real thrilled with this idea, but I'm doing the research that I need to so I can inform the customer. I plan on touring the production facility, but this is the real info, not sales hype, that I need. ThanksNathan

        1. Stray_ | Mar 14, 2002 03:36pm | #4

          *My mother just had a mf house set for her "Golden years" 1,500sf, single floor, ADA bath (Even though she doesn't need it yet) etc... I worked with her and the manufacturer on the spec requirements. They had a 15 page list of their spec, and were very amenable to upgrading items at our request. Manufactured housing gets the bad wrap becaue people see the "lowest price possible" kind of homes and think they all have to be like that. Those are the places with the paneling on te walls and the foam trim.We extended the eves to 24"increased roof pitch from 4/12 to 8/12did scissor trusses in living room area for higher ceilings.Adde ice & water to the roofing spec, etc etc etcThe manufacturer came through, and the house is great. Doesn't look modular either, which I think improves market value for resale. My initial concerns didn't pan out. and I would now suggest it as an option to people. Obviously do you homework on the manufacturer. This place was "Sun Bldg Systems" (or something like that) from Northern PA. There is a whole commercial market for modular construction as well. Some universities have been putting up modular dormitories for years. The quality is out there, you just have to pay attention and make sure you get it (as with everything).

          1. Tim_Mooney | Mar 14, 2002 03:56pm | #5

            *I have wondered more and more about them. The financing,too many places you cant put them ,insurance costs, and declining value of the homes ,and the land they sit on make them a hard way to go here.The best approach to them is with the companies controller .I have rentals houses. I have looked at mobiles seriously. The accounting is not good ,unless you opt for old ones with no insurance on them,just liability. Then the repair bills and maintence are out of line. To be able for the tenant to be able to afford living in one,the utilities would have to be in line. I state here that they are very expensive to heat and cool. People dont want to live in them mainly for tornadoes here, as they "explode",is the best term to describe what happens to them. If I could have used them ,I would have done so. There is just to much against them for the investment. It would be a bad business decision in my part of the country ,Im quite sure. The only way I can think of,that it wouldnt be,is missing some deal they have that will be gone by the time they get something built.

          2. Tim_Mooney | Mar 14, 2002 04:02pm | #6

            *But then building is very cheap here. Very!!!!!!

          3. Nathan_Meredith | Mar 14, 2002 04:04pm | #7

            *Stray,Thanks for the info. I think that any manufacturer that works with you on the specs would ultimately be able to produce a good product. About your mother's roof...how did they handle the trusses? were they segmented and already attached to the module when the delivered, or did the company bring the wall/floor systems and then set the roof?Also, if anyone knows, how do they keep the system from tearing itself apart when it's slab on grade? With no floor system to hold the walls in place, what makes the system stable enough to ship/set in place?Thanks for the info.Nate

          4. Nathan_Meredith | Mar 14, 2002 04:06pm | #8

            *Tim,Do you have a feel for manufactured vs. traditional building sf costs? What region are you in?Nate

          5. Boss_Hog | Mar 14, 2002 08:26pm | #9

            *Nathan - Try searching the archives on words like "prefabricated" or "modular". This has been discussed to death over the past few years.

          6. Stray_ | Mar 14, 2002 11:39pm | #10

            *Tim,i "I have looked at mobiles seriously"I think Mobiles and Modulars are different. Mobiles being the ones you can put wheels back on and tow to a new spot once the rest of the trailer park gets swept away in the tornado...Modulars are almost identical to stick builts except done in a factory assembly line (The house referenced above has 2X6 wood stud walls and is very energy efficient). You can get themin 2 story versions (capes, colonials, etc...) which just have more moduals stacked on each other.As to your roof questions, the house came in 2 sections and each had the roofing in place already. The eves on each section were hinged and folded back up on the roof. the peak was similarly hinged, and folded up and into place. This still left a strip at the ridge perhaps 3' wide the legnth of the house. Ridge sections were then craned into place (crane was there to set the house already) and secured. FG shingles were then installed on the hinge and peak areas to match rest of roof field. The roof had to be hinged like this to meet over-the-road width requirements. House was set and dried in within 4hrs.I don't think they'll ever replace site built housing altogether, but in certain circumstances they can work, and work well. Costs start to increase when you change their "stock" floorplans, and also the farther away from the manufacturing plant you are (shipping a house can be pricy).

          7. david_albert | Mar 15, 2002 02:12am | #11

            *My first "construction" job was twenty-five years ago putting together "mobile homes" on site; double wides they were. My second was on the factory line at, I think, Georgia Pacific, building "modular housing" for the Saudi Arabia and I never bothered to pick up my first and last paycheck.I know, because I have observed, they have changed a lot. IMO build it yourself. It's still better.

          8. david_albert | Mar 15, 2002 02:18am | #12

            *Except in emergencies and financing restrictions.Solid Wood...

          9. George_Roberts | Mar 15, 2002 04:22am | #13

            *I don't understand your problem. You have several choices.1) Have a modular building constructed to the specs and on time.2) Hire some help to do a site built building to the specs on time.3) Walk.Asking us will not tell you anything about your situation.In Japan they build real nice modular houses.

          10. Nathan_Meredith | Mar 15, 2002 04:28am | #14

            *Just like before, George, I don't have a problem. Just looking for input from those, with knowledge, who have gone before me. In case you missed some of the recent threads, they don't have nice modulars in Japan. They don't even have good stick built houses in Japan...but this isn't Japan.Nathan

          11. Tim_Mooney | Mar 15, 2002 05:47am | #15

            *I can answer part. Home building is currently at 40 dollars a foot in rural Arkansas. Garages are 26,carports 22,covered porches 12,decks and patios 8.Stray; We do not have what you are talking about here. WE have homes moved in already built that are set on slabs,but they look like double wides. We have double wides that are set up on block foundations, with some being bricked. Some have a metal siding underpinning. WE have one place that builds a simple ranch and moves it on site. Those are stick built on a yard and delivered. They seem cheap until you figure the set up complete. Im sorry I dont know the prices. I will find out, because I only work with dollars. I would put in a complex of rentals if there was a dollar in it. I will find out,as Im faced with another problem currently. Mechanical subs are getting to high for our loan market. They work for individuals making good money and they want the same in the construction field. They take what little profit there was in economical building. All their charges are set the same whether its a 5000 sg ft house or or a 1000. Many of the costs are the same.Sewer taps,permits etc. This gives me reason to give manufactered housing another look, not mobile homes. Sorry I couldnt be more help. I think it depends a lot on what is available close to you. I dont think that quality thing is in our state , but I will try to find out.

          12. Tim_Mooney | Mar 16, 2002 03:19am | #16

            *No modular homes in Arkansas. Ive done part of my home work.

          13. Stray_ | Mar 16, 2002 04:14am | #17

            *I know nothing of this company (http://www.bairdhomecorp.com/), but here's a picture of a higher end MF house.

          14. Tim_Mooney | Mar 16, 2002 04:48am | #18

            *I found some of those also. I would like to know the priceing.

          15. Damon_Pap | Mar 17, 2002 05:11am | #19

            *Nathan,I have spent the last few years helping a contractor put together a manufactured housing development of 120 houses. I live in the Vail valley Colorado where houses are always hitting between 150 to 250 per ft to build. With these prices for work in the area a working joe like me can barely afford the dirt let alone the cost of building. Anyway to my point. I bought one of these homes made by a company called Silvercrest in Corona CA. For a first time home it was great. Heat bill very low, floor plan very livable and a site built two car garage. My only complaint about these houses has always been the finish work. I have found a great compromise has been to buy the house stripped of any doors, base, case, cabinets, flooring. Do this work yourself. The credit from the manufacturer on this is always a joke but at least its something. We recently sold this house and did the same thing on 5 acres but bought a home from a Colorado Company called Can-bilt. Again we bought the house stripped and I did all the finish work in the house. This house is all UBC construction. Two stories, 9 foot ceilings beautiful plumbing, hot water base heat. 8/12 roof, colorloc siding, 40 year roofing. We put a wrap around porch on three sides. If you didn't see the crane leave you would never know. All at 45.00 per ft. Do your homework and tour the factory if you can.can. There is a multitude of crap on the market, some nice middle of the road and a few real quality builders. Damon Gypsum,CO

          16. Tim_Mooney | Mar 18, 2002 12:22am | #20

            *That 45.00 a per ft didnt include the concrete did it ? Site work? Driveway? Footings?

          17. Damon_Pap | Mar 18, 2002 02:01am | #21

            *Tim That price did not include those items. We spent 8500 a full walkout basement and 6000 on site work,5000 on a concrete drive way, 5000 on a plumber to do all drain work ,water heaters and boiler hook-up or about 8.5 per foot. I should also mention that price included shippingsetting and crane time which can add up quick depending on the distance from factory to job site. I'm not sure what we spent on the interior but we went a little nuts and its best I don't remember.Damon PapOh and we spent about 1800 on electric.

          18. Tim_Mooney | Mar 18, 2002 06:37am | #22

            *Thanks Damon

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