Question:

Thinking about purchasing a modular home. Do you think they are as good as a stick built and any suggestions on which one is a good one. Any comments on vanderbilt homes in N.C. — Surf Usenet at home, on the road, and by email — always at Talkway. http://www.talkway.com

a good modular home will cost as much as or greater than a stick built home. Advantages will be that home will be up quick and you can move in within 1 month. If your getting a construction loan, you will save on interest charges, however rates are very low right now, so that may not matter that much. Modular homes are built very well today. I toured several plants in PA. and was impressed with the quality, however after reviewing all costs, i decided to stick build a home.

Response:

Thinking about purchasing a modular home. Do you think they are as good as a stick built and any suggestions on which one is a good one. Any comments on vanderbilt homes in N.C. — Surf Usenet at home, on the road, and by email — always at Talkway. http://www.talkway.com

Response:

…Has anybody had problems with modular homes?…

Sure they have! So what. People have had problems with stick built homes, also.  Would that stop you from buying one? There are also different quality levels of modulars, just as their are of stick, so not *all* modulars can be compared. The contractor that built most of my house (stick) also does modulars, they have no incentive either way, their view is that for a standard vanilla floorplan and amenities, modular is cost effective, as soon as you get to more open and/or unusual plans and custom stuff, then you might as well go stick, they could do it modular but it is more trouble than it is worth. Thus around here modular is associated with low end starter to mid-range homes, and stick with high end/custom homes. -v.

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Modular and manufactured are NOT one and the same, even though many people use the term interchangeably.   Manufactured homes are what were formally called house trailers/mobile homes, AKA "trailer trash".  In reality, there are some VERY good manufactured homes out there, but there is also a lot of junk.  They are built to a different set of codes than stick built houses.  A manufactured home can be moved from one location to another. Modular homes are basically stick built homes built in a factory.  The building codes effecting them are identical to stick built.  Again, there are good manufacturers and bad manufacturers.  With modulars (and stick built), an important consideration is the quality of the general contractor on-site who puts in the foundation and does all the finish work.  If your GC is a bozo, your home construction will be a nightmare.  Once set, a modular home cannot be moved to a new location anymore than a stick built. I have a modular (~5500 sq. ft.) and am very happy with it.  Because the modulars have to be trucked to the final location, they are significantly over built.  I’m on the downwind side of a lake, so I was very concerned about air infiltration.  Happily, I have not found a single air leak in the house.  (I did find some where the house joins the foundation.  Gotta dig out the "greatstuff" someday).  A common misconception is that modulars are only for entry-level homes. Untrue.  As you start to customize the home, the price difference between modular and stick built drops, but the modular still is lower. In my case, I gave plans to two stick builders and one factory.  The modular came in around $40k lower than the stick.  Unfortunately, I paid more attention to selecting the factory than I did to the local GC, and ate up some of my savings in anti-acid purchases for my stomach. Bottom line.   If you are looking at a "manufactured" house, the manufacturer is the most important variable.  I would see if you can find someone who has an older model from that manufacturer to see how it aged.   If you are looking at a "modular", the factory is important, but the local contractor should be the biggest consideration.  Again, talk to someone who has dealt with the GC/factory combination in the past, and see how they feel about it.  Most manufacturers will let you tour the factory, so you can see how things are done. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Hello, I would like opinions on manufactured/modular homes.  Specifically, has anybody delt with the Home Store out in Mass?  Has anybody had problems with modular homes?  Any advice would help me alot. Thank you!

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Hello, I would like opinions on manufactured/modular homes.  Specifically, has anybody delt with the Home Store out in Mass?  Has anybody had problems with modular homes?  Any advice would help me alot. Thank you!

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I’ve heard mixed opinions. Some people say they’ve come a long way in the building and construction process, others say "I’d never ever buy one". I fall in the latter category. I personally looked at one already built and was not impressed. I’d rather know that the builder built it from the ground up and put up other homes in the area, using the standard and proven way that most are constructed.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hello, I would like opinions on manufactured/modular homes.  Specifically, has anybody delt with the Home Store out in Mass?  Has anybody had problems with modular homes?  Any advice would help me alot. Thank you!

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Hi, I am planning to have a modular home built in NE CT.  I am interested in the Pro’s and Con’s of modular homes. Thanks in advance John

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Wow, John,! What timing! On 8/19, our modular home was set. It was from Nationwide Homes, but I don’t believe they venture to far north of Va., where they are headquartered. If I were to guess, I would there are good and bad modular home companies, just like in any business. We have several friends on both sides of the family who put up a Nationwide, and their comments caused us to go that route. First- our choices of colors (siding, shingles, carpet, paint, etc.) were limited. Makes since, it is an assembly line process. However, we could upgrade almost everything that was in the house, and that would result in more choices. Second- we could have eliminated most anything, and had someone else do that installation. Third- we could have done any number of things that would have given us sweat equity in the house. We choose the turnkey approach, since time and a bad back were not on our side. Fourth- generally, you can move into the house several weeks faster, then if you were building on site. Fifth- I really like this one: your building materials are exposed to the elements. I’ve seen to much bad plywood and framing that was the result of constant rain, etc. Six- My 1842 sq. ft. house was set, the roof raised, and weather tight, in about 4 hours. Seven- the quality of the materials is, in some cases, better then you can get by going and buying them yourself. The vinyl flooring was Armstrong, and is about 25%(?) heavier. This is so it can withstand the rigors of lifting, and over-the-road transportation. There are people who will argue about all this, they are either builders, or have had a bad experience with a bad company. Feel free to e-mail me if you want any more info. Larry

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I am planning to have a modular home built in NE CT.  I am interested in the Pro’s and Con’s of modular homes. Thanks in advance John

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