Modular Homes

[sd900climber]

First off, thanks everyone for their input and trying to help better educate me on the subject. Obviously this is the largest purchase in a person's life so I certainly don't want to get screwed over. So, again, I appreciate all of you who have taken the time to respond to this thread.

Also, Ice, I have not yet made up my mind. I am hoping to get several bids together on building a traditional stick-built house. As I have said in previous posts, the Black Hills is still growing and there hasn't been much fall out in housing production from what I've seen. Also, I believe SD overall was the only state to surpass housing expectations and sales for 2007. So, builders aren't to the desperate point where they are looking at cutting deals for clients. And, certainly the "good" builders arent anywhere near that yet.

Also, for clarification. I will not consider a manufactured (trailer) home. Only quality modular or stick built. Most of the modulars I've looked at run in the neighborhood of $140-150,000 for a 1600-2000 squ. ft models, obvioulsy not cheap for this area.

Also, either direction I go, I will leave the basement unfinished and do that myself over a few years, so I will have added value there. In addition, land in Deadwood, especially reletively flat lots are non-existant, so the value of my land will certainly appreciate.

The part the I struggle with is truly knowing that you are getting a good quality modular. You would think price would be a good indicator. And, obviously if the thing looks like it is falling down, you don't want to buy it. But, sales people will tell you anything they want to get the deal. Someone mentioned references which I think is a good idea, but not sure if people would let me just tour their house.

Also, since I am not in the business, I don't know some of the terminology as far as materials go. For example, I don't know what a good quality window versus a bad quality window is. I've heard stories of problems with insulation on modulars, but assuming they are 2x6 studs, shouldnt they use the same insulation as traditional stick built?

Basically, I don't know the little things to look for to be able to truly tell if it is high quality versus poor quality. If it is built to UBC coding, obviously that is a good start. But, beyond that, any guidance you could give me their is much appreciated.

Thanks again...

 

[Disco Dan Richter]

Ohhhhhh have I seen the latest and greatest in Mods my boy! It is still the same old crap though, I know mods are built better now than 30 years ago, but in the last 10, nothing has changed.

I personally know of 6 mods, that I have worked on that had no insulation behind the outlets at all! Too lazy of workers to do it I guess, you should have heard the wind blowing in those baby's! Homeowners thought this was normal(as told to them by the trailer house sales crew).

If you have ever seen what I build, and the best mod ever built, there is huge differences, plain and simple. I still do both, but you get what you pay for in a mod.

One note as well, Mods seem decent whan they are first done, but the problems usually come a few years down the road................after the warranty has run out.

 

[racingpit]

Our house had 4 bedrooms, family room, dining area, office room, laundry room, walk in closets, etc. We also had central air. We sold our house for $99,000 with the land. I am unsure of what the price of the home was....but I expected the home to sell for more than what my parents sold it for.


Jeff

 

[Pro_Marinero]

Here's a picture of my "mod" being built. I've never heard it referred to as modular, but as an earlier post said since the walls are not built on-site then I guess it falls under the manufactured label.

Each of those walls is 6" of solid high-density polystyrene between 1/2" OSB. If you look beyond the house there's a stack of wall sections to be built. No missing insulation there. These sections LOCK together. No gaps! I've had builders call it all sorts of names and tell me the problems it's going to cause (haven't seen them), but the fact is it's BETTER to me than any stick-built house. There are lots of methods out there to building houses. Some suck, some don't, but the fact is just because it's not the same tried-and-true method doesn't mean it's inferior. I'm sure all those builders who scoff at panels also have breaker-point ignition in their trucks as those new-fangled 'lectronic black boxes just go poof and let out their magic smoke all the time.

This is the house with the second floor. Big difference than the "modular" most people envision (as I did when I first heard about panels). No trusses needed to hold them up either so you can see the inherent strength of the shell. Try that with stick built.

Do your research. Don't let some builder scare you off because it's not what he would do. Use a reputable company with happy customers wiling to rave about them, like I do with Premier Panel. Check with lending institutions. My lender knew exactly what I was using and actually increased the appraisal due to the structural rigidity/R-factor of the system. Not every lender works off the same set of plans.

Good luck.

 

[X-it]

Well i guess i don't know the difference either, (modular homes..trailers), they look pretty good but are skin deep. I worked on (65) manufactured homes in a factory (1 house a day), they are built just the same as regular framing but the headers (lintels) run the full length of the exterior walls instead of just over the windows and door they are ok. The foundations are the real issues here, you need the proper foundations. The best homes are the ones built on site, the manufactured homes are slightly stronger, but when you add every thing up they are not, then last but not least those crap houses that can be set on pillars. I can't for the life of me see how they can slip by the building inspectors...its an engineered home...good grief. I will have to add.... Pro_Marinero although i have never worked on this type of house in looks fine to me, like i said earlier the best houses are build on site.

 

[woodzy]

difference...

If it is delivered on axles and is towed by a truck.... it is a trailer... no matter what glorified fancy shmancy name they put on it.

 

[ice auger]

900----
Get the opinions from some local professionals in your area....realtor, appraiser, and even you tax assessor....they will have some insite. Also if they have a list of materials check them out....sometimes you can get upgrades.....My family hand built our cabin with 2 X 6 walls (stick built) and I think it might have been over kill. I still thing discos opinion is huge!

 

[Redneck Farmer]

If it is delivered on axles and is towed by a truck.... it is a trailer... no matter what glorified fancy shmancy name they put on it.

No, it's not. You're perception is one of the worst I've seen. There's trailers, modulars, and manufactured. A manufactured is built in one piece and moved by house movors just like you might pick up a house built on site and move it. A modular similar, but brought in in multiple pieces. Trailers are....well you couldn't pay me to put in a trailer.

 

[ice auger]

No, it's not. You're perception is one of the worst I've seen. There's trailers, modulars, and manufactured. A manufactured is built in one piece and moved by house movors just like you might pick up a house built on site and move it. A modular similar, but brought in in multiple pieces. Trailers are....well you couldn't pay me to put in a trailer.

agreed all trailer sales should come with a banjo....

 

[Beels]

agreed all trailer sales should come with a banjo....

Or a sign that says "Tornados" and a big arrow pointing at the trailer.

 

[ice auger]

Or a sign that says "Tornados" and a big arrow pointing at the trailer.

beels......lol lmfao

 

[racingpit]

There is nothing wrong with living in a trailer house. Some people go through tough times in life.

 

[wildcard]

Build a stick or prefabed metal home that is small and that you can afford. Design it to be added onto in the future. Like a door framed in a wall on a flat side of the house that can be opened up and have a couple of more rooms added on.
People need to start thinking about smaller more effecient homes as fuel will never go down in price. Why pay to heat rooms that are seldom used?