palm harbor vs. Karsten homes

[pat jones]

We are looking at a triple wide and can't decide on which is better quality. Karsten claims they use 30 % more steel. The palm harbor is the Americana series and appears to have the same quality. True?

We are placing the home on a parcel of land we purchased in Arizona

[chad]

I recently bought a karsten double wide and i couldnt be happier,karstens are way more beautiful than PH. just my two cents.

[pat]

I do agree that the Karsten looks better, I'm just trying to work out the quality for long lasting. We are told that Karsten uses more steel in the frame, do the windows and doors stand up? How long have you been in your home? totally satisfied?

[jgn]

There are two things about Karsten that you need to think about one you need to upgrade. Karsten uses particleboard, Cresdeck/Novadeck, for their sub floors which need to be upgraded to plywood or osb. They and they also lay their flooring longitudinal which is somewhet of a controversy. They build a very nice home and withthe oversized windows they are great. All of their homes a 2x6 exterior and 2x4 interior which is a plus. As far as more steel, all of them use enough steel to offset the weight of the home and set correctly will withstand the test of time.

[Scott]

Let me start by saying that I am a Karsten dealer in Texas, but I used to be with PH for quite some time so here is what I know for sure. First to address what jgn said about longitudinal flooring. Karsten of Texas uses transverse 2x8 floor joists, not longitudinal. As far as Karsten using 30% more steel, I can't answer that but I am sitting here as I type this looking at the MCO's for a 32x76 PH 05 house and a Karsten of Texas 30x68. An MCO(Manufacturers Certificate of Origin) is basically the "birth certificate" for a manufactured home. The total weight of the PH is 68,150 lbs while the total weight for the Karsten is 77,520 lbs. The Karsten is 8 foot shorter and weighs almost 10,000 lbs more. I do know that PH 05 does not use 2x4 interior walls, 2x6 exterior walls, and some other items that the Karsten uses so it could be more steel, better materials, or a mixture of both. The Karsten warranty is 10 years versus 5 for a PH and the NADA on a Karsten is typically higher than the best line of PH's(In Texas region). The origional post said they are looking at the Americana which I am guessing is a Modular so in fairness the Discovery will have 2x4 interior walls to meet modular code, but if you are comparing HUD coded homes, the Karsten of Texas is in a different ball park. If you are comparing Discovery modular homes versus the Karsten modulars, you will see a little more similarities between the two.

[rmurray]

Discovery Custom Homes are standard with 2x6 exterior..2x4 interior..2x10 floor joists..3/4 inch plywood floors..The list goes on and on..

Since you worked with PH in TX you are fully aware that PH has 5 plants in TX and each builds a slightly different home at different price points..You also know with a small option the top PH will have 2x6 walls..on the model that has 2x4 std interior walls...The Americana this lady is looking at is one of the very top of the line...

You could be valuable on this board with the training that PH has given you...but you need to be very specific with the use of your information...Like GM PH in TX builds a Chevy..Caddy...and a Hummer...All good product but with different standards and different price points..with the broadest appeal in mind..Caddy and Hummer might be very good product..but Chevy outsell them 4 to 1...It is not an embarrassment to buy a very high quality middle price range product..Most of us have to make this decision..

Since you are comparing the weight of the homes (a trick that PH taught you in the Rookie school)...and you admit the PH model you are comparing has 2x3 walls...you are not comparing apples to apples...

[Scott]

First of all, None of the PH Texas plants utilize 2x4 interior walls throughout the home. Second, the PH that I used as a weight comparison was built out of the Austin 05 plant which is the best PH has to offer in Texas, thus that is the closest I can get to an apples to apples comparison. I understand that you are not from Texas and most likely do not know as much about the Texas product as you do know about your own, so you are forgiven. The fact is...ANY PH HUD coded home will not be an apples to apples comparison to any Karsten of Texas because they do not build a "Caddy" in Texas as they do in other regions(your region for example) and that is what Karsten of Texas builds. The Discovery Modular series however can be compared apples to apples to any other modular on the market. To say that a "small option" can get you 2x6 exterior walls does not make them apples to apples as that feature is not standard as they are in a Karsten.

[Frank Gomez]

I have sold both homes and both are just to overpriced... all these damn lumber surcharges are ridiculous. Look the real deal is in the eye of the buyer...if the value is still in the house sell value, if the customer wants upgrades sell upgrades...let me ask one question, does anyone here know the best window on the market....(tic- toc- tic- toc) nope wrong.. the best window on the market is whatever the customer likes....bottom line....thats it...
Go Sell A Home.....

[Dulcie]

We bought a Karsten from the Texas factory last fall and have been thrilled to death with it. The quality is excellent and the service has been first rate. We toured the factory and it was great to see how the homes were built. I agree with Mr Gomez in saying that value is in the eye of the beholder. In our eyes Karsten has a great product.