top manufactuers
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Lisa
top manufactuers
Who are the top manufacturers? And who are the lowest.....& what about the "happy medium"? thanks
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Randy Eaton
RE: Understand Construction
Hello Lisa,
There are over 100 different manufacturers in the United States and over 7,500 retailers. The best way to answer your questions is to help you understand how manufactured homes are constructed. Here is a paragraph or two from my book, How to buy a manufactured home and save thousands of dollars.
One way to cover up a poorly built home is to hide it behind a lot of fluff. Some retailers professionally decorate their display models, this is impressive but can be misleading. I am not against showing homes with furniture but you need to look past the furniture, decorations and focus on how the home is built. Don’t make the mistake of buying a poorly constructed manufactured home. Choose a well-built manufactured home that has quality brand name products. This will allow you to enjoy your new home for many years without unnecessary repair bills. The biggest frustration for many is spending thousands of dollars for repairs when your home is only 3 or 4 years old. Important features that need to be in every manufactured home:
2x6 exterior walls 16” on center
Double or triple pane vinyl windows
Energy saving installation packages
2x8 floors… not necessary but recommended
Plywood sheathing if budget allows
Headers above exterior windows and doors
2x6 top and bottom plates on exterior walls
Electrical out-lets secured to wall studs not sheet-rock
Taped & textured through-out, ½” sheet rock or 5/8”
Quality plumbing fixtures with shut off valves at each fixture
Solid wood cabinets, oak, maple or pine
Transverse floor system
Today, manufactured homes represent one-third of all new single-family homes sold in this country. Eighteen million Americans live in them yet construction standards are too weak; the Department of Housing and Urban Development hasn't reviewed the rules comprehensively since they were imposed 23 years ago. For example, headers over exterior windows and doors are standard features in site-built homes but in manufactured homes these structural features are not required. A header is a beam of wood that is designed to support the weight of the roof. If a window has no header supporting the weight of the roof the window will sag in time. The window will become difficult to open and may pose as a health hazard during a fire. A quality built manufactured home will also have 2x6 exterior studs, 16” O.C (on center) and double pane vinyl windows. But there are still some manufacturers using 2x4 exterior studs and aluminum windows. If you find yourself in one of these homes, find the nearest exit and run for your lives.
Imagine yourself vacuuming your new home and you accidentally pull on the vacuum cord and out comes the electrical out-let box. A few manufacturers only secure the electrical boxes to sheet-rock using clips. This can be avoided by having the electrical boxes nailed to wall studs. Many manufacturers use 2x3 studs for interior walls but I would recommend upgrading to 2x4 studs if possible. Some manufacturers also use 1x6 lumber for top and bottom plates (see diagram page 9) this could cause the roof to sag in time. Be sure the top and bottom plates, of the exterior walls are 2x6 lumber. Quality built homes will come standard with sheet-rock throughout. Don’t settle for vinyl wallpaper with ¼” sheet-rock backing, this is a poor substitute and damages easily. ½” sheet-rock on the walls and ½” or 5/8” on the ceiling is recommended. Your hazard insurance may be lower if your home has ½”sheet-rock throughout. This gives you a one-hour firewall. Fully taped and textured homes save lives, not to mention they look better.
Lisa, I hope this helps.
Randy Eaton
There are over 100 different manufacturers in the United States and over 7,500 retailers. The best way to answer your questions is to help you understand how manufactured homes are constructed. Here is a paragraph or two from my book, How to buy a manufactured home and save thousands of dollars.
One way to cover up a poorly built home is to hide it behind a lot of fluff. Some retailers professionally decorate their display models, this is impressive but can be misleading. I am not against showing homes with furniture but you need to look past the furniture, decorations and focus on how the home is built. Don’t make the mistake of buying a poorly constructed manufactured home. Choose a well-built manufactured home that has quality brand name products. This will allow you to enjoy your new home for many years without unnecessary repair bills. The biggest frustration for many is spending thousands of dollars for repairs when your home is only 3 or 4 years old. Important features that need to be in every manufactured home:
2x6 exterior walls 16” on center
Double or triple pane vinyl windows
Energy saving installation packages
2x8 floors… not necessary but recommended
Plywood sheathing if budget allows
Headers above exterior windows and doors
2x6 top and bottom plates on exterior walls
Electrical out-lets secured to wall studs not sheet-rock
Taped & textured through-out, ½” sheet rock or 5/8”
Quality plumbing fixtures with shut off valves at each fixture
Solid wood cabinets, oak, maple or pine
Transverse floor system
Today, manufactured homes represent one-third of all new single-family homes sold in this country. Eighteen million Americans live in them yet construction standards are too weak; the Department of Housing and Urban Development hasn't reviewed the rules comprehensively since they were imposed 23 years ago. For example, headers over exterior windows and doors are standard features in site-built homes but in manufactured homes these structural features are not required. A header is a beam of wood that is designed to support the weight of the roof. If a window has no header supporting the weight of the roof the window will sag in time. The window will become difficult to open and may pose as a health hazard during a fire. A quality built manufactured home will also have 2x6 exterior studs, 16” O.C (on center) and double pane vinyl windows. But there are still some manufacturers using 2x4 exterior studs and aluminum windows. If you find yourself in one of these homes, find the nearest exit and run for your lives.
Imagine yourself vacuuming your new home and you accidentally pull on the vacuum cord and out comes the electrical out-let box. A few manufacturers only secure the electrical boxes to sheet-rock using clips. This can be avoided by having the electrical boxes nailed to wall studs. Many manufacturers use 2x3 studs for interior walls but I would recommend upgrading to 2x4 studs if possible. Some manufacturers also use 1x6 lumber for top and bottom plates (see diagram page 9) this could cause the roof to sag in time. Be sure the top and bottom plates, of the exterior walls are 2x6 lumber. Quality built homes will come standard with sheet-rock throughout. Don’t settle for vinyl wallpaper with ¼” sheet-rock backing, this is a poor substitute and damages easily. ½” sheet-rock on the walls and ½” or 5/8” on the ceiling is recommended. Your hazard insurance may be lower if your home has ½”sheet-rock throughout. This gives you a one-hour firewall. Fully taped and textured homes save lives, not to mention they look better.
Lisa, I hope this helps.
Randy Eaton
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