The Manufactured Housing Forums

Well just want to find out if the the modular home route met your expectations and if you noticed any decline in tax valuation. I personally think many of the newer modulars are better built than some site built houses. Any problems so far with your home? Did it appreciate at all? I will likely be purchasing a Patriot Modular bluebonnet series home with most all upgrades. The Mockingbird plan was very nice and had all the features/qualities that I was looking for compared to other Manufacturers. thanks...

Who are you asking? There are hundreds if not thousands that read these forums.

Speaking strictly from personal experience, NO manufactured home (be it modular or not), will be equal to (much less exceed) the *quality* of a site built home. Cheaper per square foot to be sure, but you trade workmanship for that. The people building these homes, while no doubt qualified, aren't carpenters, they are assembly line workers.

On a site built home, you can be there, every day, while the work is being done. If something isn't right, you can get it fixed right away.

On a manufactured home (and make no mistake, modulars are manufactured homes), you don't even see the completed home often until it is on your property. By then, it's too late to have problems fixed.

My advice, don't look at lot models, ask to go look at the actual homes, on site and finished. Talk to the owner, ask questions, take your tape measure, 4' level and a large framing square and look around. If the dealer can't provide these actual homes, it's probably because no one is satified enough with their home that the dealer is comfortable sending you to them!

I've seen more than a handful of people driving by and looking at my house, but no one stops, because the dealer knows I am unhappy with their work and with the manufacturers work. But I am one of the few off frame modulars they've done, it's one of the largest homes they've sold, and I'm only 2 miles from the dealer.

Just looking for general feedback after looking for similar posts on this issue. Sounds like you still have some problems and may have regretted going modular. You did not mention the manufacturer/sales office.

Personally, I think modular may be the way of the future especially with the introduction of new technologies like Structural Insulated panels and others. As for site built being better than in factory, I think that is a misconception and that depends on the builder/manufacturer except for homes in the high range. Not to say that they did not have any issues either. A couple of friends of ours caught and addressed several structural issues that would have gone undone if they were not there daily. Luckily they caught it before the slab went in on 1 instance and another before the sheetrock went up. Contractors in our area often pull people off of the street from the labor pool downtown that have general experience(ie roofers, framing). I also have seen several homes sit out open to the elements for months and unfortunately it rained constantly off and on for 3 weeks and this house did not have any windows or felt paper. They did not remove any of the OSB roofing after weeks of rain soaking.

This house I purchase will have 2x6,2x4, hardi plank, architectural shingles, the most insulation available. It seemed like the Patriot bluebonnet off frame modular and PH discovery line were very similar in quality/features. Speed of delivery is one of my issues. Another is the fact that there are very few references in my area since most people tend to by on frame models. That is why I am looking for posts on this issue.

GETING REFERENCES FROM THE dealers HUD code cudtomers could be useful..Ask the same questions about the dealers set up crews and service departments...

I left the name out as I may end up having to sue them to get the work completed.

You said "A couple of friends of ours caught and addressed several structural issues that would have gone undone if they were not there daily. Luckily they caught it before the slab went in on 1 instance and another before the sheetrock went up. "

Exactly my point. These items WOULD have been left in your manufactured home, with you never knowing about them. Since your friends were able to monitor the construction, they caught it and got it fixed.

Constructions workers, like everyone else, have to come from somewhere.

Homes have been built 'in the elements' for many many years, and rain doesn't hurt OSB sheeting on a roof or sidewalls, only if it's in standing water, and if your roof is underwater you have more important concerns..

You said "speed of delivery is one of my issues".

From start (picking the home and getting financed) to finish (moving in), it took just over 8 months for my off frame modular and the home wasn't complete yet, we were just ready to move. Not real speedy, could have had it site built in that time frame and not have any of the problems I do now.

Quality has nothing to do with where the home was built. If your considering A modular home. Do some independent research. Read the Modular Home Buyers Guide You can find it in print or E Book versions at the Manufactured Housing Book Store This book You will show you How to Save Thousands Before you Buy. Plus You will Receive the Author's Top Picks of Modular Home Builders in North America. The book also covers topics like, What are the advantages of choosing a modular home over a site-built home? Which modular home builders in the U.S. offer quality homes at reasonable prices? Do modular homes appreciate at the same rate as site-built homes? Can I negotiate a price? What is a fair profit? AND many othere questions like these Get educated before you buy. Save time and money with confidence and peace of mind.

Here is an addtional point of view, lifted from the MHI web site

Major Benefits To Building Your Home In A Factory
All aspects of the construction process are controlled.
The weather doesn’t interfere with construction and cause delays.
All technicians, craftsmen and assemblers are on the same team and professionally supervised.
Inventory is better controlled and materials are protected from theft and weather-related damage.
All construction materials, as well as interior features and appliances are purchased in volume for additional savings.
Cost of interim construction financing is significantly reduced or eliminated.
All aspects of construction are continually inspected by not one, but several, inspectors.

I was a carpenter in a former life and the idea that site built homes are better than either modular or MH is simply not true. I worked on a lot of homes that were top quality in every way but I worked on a lot that I wouldn't live in and this was not a case of the more expensive the better. David is totally correct on doing your homework regardless on what type of home you are getting. With a site built home you can visit the site and see how the home is built, with a mod or mh you can visit the factory and see how they are built. In order to assure you get quality you need to do your homework so you know what to look for and what you are looking at. There will be a consistency of construction with a factory built home because it is an assembly line process so if one home is built well, most will be built to the same standards and quality. With a site home the quality depends on the crew so each home built will be different.
Mark said this was the first off frame the dealer has done and that could be a lot of his problems. I wouldn't buy a first model year vehicle and I wouldn't buy from a dealer who is learning on me. Having major problems with a home is a disaster but you can avoid most of the major problems if you are an educated consumer and investing in some of the material on this site and others is a sound investment. You will always have problems with any home you purchase but you need to avoid the major problems and educating yourself is the way to avoid those problems.

Sure, you can visit the factory to see how the homes are built, but not how well YOUR home is built.

I've worked as a carpenter as well, and I've seen high schoolers do better work than what I've seen from the factory. What got me is, they saw this stuff at the factory and no doubt said 'yeah that looks good, let's send it out that way'. Even the dealer agreed the trim work was terrible.

There probably isn't a square door, window or wall in the place, and I've been afraid to even put a level on them.

Could a manufactured home be as good as a site built? Sure, get a poor site crew and a good factory crew. The main difference here is, on the site crew, you can see the work being done, and if it's not good enough, get it fixed or fired. You don't have that option at the factory.

The issues aren't with whether it's off and on frame (the factory did the setting anyway), it's the home itself. This is I believe part of the problem, the dealer thinks the manufacturer should be fixing it. I didn't buy from the manufacturer, I bought it from a dealer.

Mark, sorry you are experiencing major problems with your decision. I will disagree with you that a site built is better. You pay a builder to run the project but he usually has no control over the subs and their skills when they come off of the street to build your house. I have no doubt they take shortcuts just so that they can move onto the next house especially when cement can cover up things like rebar tie downs or not putting rebar in the garage area. This was the case that the builder should have caught, not the future homeowner. Who knows what else was not done to meet local codes. Don't you have a final walkthru or closing process for the mod you purchased?

I feel comfortable with my decision to go mod but I am looking to find out more information to ask the right questions. Looks like research is the key along with manufacture/sales office track record. I still don't know how the tax office will know the difference between a mod or stick built and it sounds like they have no choice but to valuate a mod against a stick built house since there are very few mods out there. I think I read on another post that on frame mods while much better are still compared to and valuated against other manufactured houses.

thanks to all for your input so far...