Manufactured Home Construction - Do You Know What to Look For?

Guide To Manufactured Home Construction

Manufactured Home Construction Quality Will Vary From One Manufacturer To Another!

Make sure you know the difference!

Don't get caught up in the WOW factor

Manufactured Home Construction today can be better than a site-built home. It is like anything else though - you must shop and compare. The following list is a great place to start. Carry this list with you and use it as a shopping guide - It will help you to make the right decisions.

Check the exterior wall structure. Manufactured home construction will vary. 2" x 6" wood studs, 16" on center are the best, for two reasons - first, they are much stronger than 2" x 4" walls, and due to the increased thickness your home will be much better insulated. O.S.B. wall sheathing adds even stronger support - find out how thick it is, and does it cover the exterior completely? Or just the corners and 'Backer Board' is used in between?

Look for 3" or 4" thick interior walls between rooms - the thicker the better for structural support and better privacy. Some homes even offer insulated interior walls.

Floor Joist should be 2" x 6" at bare minimum. 2" x 8" is preferred for that extra-solid feeling. Floor Joist that are 16" on center will be stronger than 24" on center. Manufactured home construction cost can be cut by using 24" in center - keep in mind though - you may pay for it later, with 'sags' and 'dips'.

Floor decking, if it is screwed and glued in place it will be stronger and less likely to squeak and separate verses a floor that is stapled or nailed in place. Thickness of the decking is important as well, 5/8 or thicker would be preferred. Carpeting will vary from 16oz. to 25oz. - the heavier the carpet weight, the 'thicker' it is and the longer it will last.

A Truss system is not always used in the manufactured home construction process - it is stronger and straighter than rafters. Most are made with 2"x 4" or better - 16" on center would be preferred. The roof system must be strong enough to handle wind and snow loads for the area the home will be located.

Interior wall covering of drywall is stronger and more appealing than gypsum walls. Drywall will not have the vertical strips covering the seams. Drywall is 2-1/2 times heavier than and over twice as thick as standard gypsum paneling for extra stability.

Fire-resistant and sound deadening drywall ceilings are preferred. Drywall ceilings should be 1/2" or thicker. With drywall, you don't have those unsightly fasteners showing. Another option to consider is flat ceilings, which will raise the price a bit. Vaulted ceilings are usually considered standard.

Shingled roofs come in standard 3-Tab or Architectural design. They will vary from a 20 to a 30 year shingle. The pitch of the roof will vary from 3/12 to 5/12 - the 5/12 looks a lot like a site-built home.

Roofing underlayment between the shingles and wood roof adds extra weather protection and is preferred.

A sturdy wood roof decking is important - the thicker the better. If the truss system is 16" on center, 7/16 thick should be sufficient.

Manufactured Home Construction today will give you a very energy efficient home. Blown in insulation is considered to be better than fiberglass batt insulation for the ceiling. Insulation value's can range from R-22 to R-33. The higher the 'R' value, the more energy you will save.

Wall insulation will generally be R-19 or less. Wall stud thickness plays an important part in energy savings. The thicker the wall the more 'air space' you will have and 'air space IS THE INSULATOR! Insulation, put simply, 'Pockets' the air, and the more 'Pocketed' air the better energy savings.

Floor insulation will range from R-11 up. It is important to have a vapor barrier below the insulation. The floor joist thickness will generally dictate what thickness of insulation can be installed. Fiberglass blanket type insulation is used in this area.

All-copper wiring is important. Most homes come with 100 AMP service if gas is the power choice for the water heater and furnace. A 200 AMP service would be needed for a home that has an electric furnace and water heater. The higher service amperage would also be great if you decide to add a garage. Ground-fault circuit protection should be in bathrooms, kitchens and exterior receptacles.

Energy efficient thermo-pane windows are a must. All thermo-pane are not the same either! Remember the 'air space'! The more air space the better insulator. Are the windows 'single' or 'double hung'?

Manufactured home construction usually means vinyl siding and Its not all the same. It comes in different sizes and even more importantly - what's the warranty? Generally, the better the warranty - the better the grade of vinyl.

Heating ducts vary - Insulated ductwork of course is better than un-insulated. Placement of the ductwork and vents is important. Perimeter vents will perform better than vents running down the center of the home. Return air will vary as well. If there is no vent over the doors, look at the bottom of the door. The bottom of the door will be cut higher off of the floor than the models with above the door vents.

Manufactured home construction calls for basic plumbing. Non-corrosive water lines (plastic) are used today. Make sure the pipes are well insulated in colder areas of the country.

Appliance packages will vary from free standing to built-in and from basic to high end. Ranges and Dishwashers are all the same width - the Refrigerators are not. You will need a 36" width to fit the Large Side-by-Side.

There are truly tremendous kitchens available today! Cabinets and countertops will vary widely. Look at the fit and finish - Are the doors aligned? - Do they open and close smoothly? Are they solid wood, plastic finished, thick or thin? Do the drawers slide in and out smoothly?

Remember - manufactured home construction is 10% what you can see and 90% what you can't! Most dealers won't bring up manufactured home construction unless you ask, generally, if they do, they are probably selling a top quality product and want you to know it, in which case they will tell you about the quality to justify price. Fact - you will pay more for top quality. Quality cost's money. It will be money well spent in the long run though.