The Manufactured Home: It’s Not Just a Mobile

Manufactured homes are made in factories instead of being built at the homesite. This gives them several advantages. They can be permitted and set up within a couple of months, they aren’t exposed to the weather during construction, and they are often more affordable than their site-built counterparts. Many people give them a closer look because of these factors.

Manufactured Homes Are Not Mobile Homes

This is likely the most important thing to keep in mind when looking at houses that are built in factories. Even though both manufactured and mobile homes are built in factories and delivered to sites on trucks, they are not regulated the same way. The manufactured home is regulated according to the standards for site-built homes and must meet the associated specifications. A mobile home, on the other hand, is usually regulated under different standards, and these standards allow for cheaper construction methods. These differences aren’t obvious at first, but can become so down the line.

Another important difference between mobile and manufactured homes in San Diego involves construction possibilities. Manufactured or modular homes can be built with two or more stories, while a mobile will always have only one floor.

Similarities Between Factory-Built Homes

Even though there are regulatory differences between manufactured and mobile homes, there are also similarities. The most obvious of these is the appearance of the base units; they tend to look the same from the outside. Manufactured homes, however, have more options for customizing their appearances with add-on modules and other features.

Another similarity is that both types of homes tend to be built on raised platforms instead of concrete foundations. It’s important to keep the area under the house clear of materials that would block airflow. Good airflow is essential for keeping the bottom of the floor from rotting. This is no problem unless a buyer was intending to use that space for storage. People who need more storage will need to use a shed.

Since both types of homes are raised by design, there will always be stairs involved in getting inside. This is fine unless climbing is a problem. In those cases, a ramp will need to replace the standard staircase.

Overall, the manufactured home is perfect for someone who is looking for a house made to site-built codes but doesn’t want to spend as much money as a site-built home normally costs. The increased strictness of building codes will pay off with less-frequent repairs over time.

manufactured homes San Diego