Best Brands

[Karina]

What are the best manufactured home brands. I live in Arizona and we are looking to purchase a new manufactured home and put it on land. How are Cavco, Fleetwood, Schult, Palm Harbor, and Clayton. Who is the best in quality & satisfaction? Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

[Annaz]

I'm in AZ as well. Here's what I found that are available in AZ... And this is my opinion. I don't know much about Fleetwood, Clayton or Champion as I feel that they're lower end homes and we've only bought upper end.

1) Karsten
2) Cavco
3) Palm Harbor
4) Schult/Marlette

We've bought our last two from Schult/Marlette. Having a Marlette in the past, we bought another and Schult is now made from the Oakwood plant. That's bad. While I think the Schult is better than the 3 in the first paragraph, they aren't nearly as good as they used to be...mainly poor workmanship, problems w/fixing certain things and odd things, such as water lines under sink are in front instead of in the back, making under the cabinet area useless, bad drywall, not enough outlets per foot, and just all around sloppy work unlike our last Marlette.

I think Karsten is better than Cavco. I don't know much about Palm Harbor, except that I hate their high pressure sales. It's a real turnoff. Someone on this site said Chino Valley Palm Harbor homes is a good place to go. I've always found them to be priced a bit higher than the Cavco, but it really depends upon what upgrades you're looking for and price range, what's important to you for any of these homes.

In my opinion, I'd rather buy a top of the line home and do away w/the bells and whistles to get a more structurally sound home than one that "looks good" to the eye.

Silvercrest is available also, but hard to find and priced to California's price range, since they're made in CA.

[LJ]

I have been researching this for months for a DW in NE Arizona (Pinetop) and come to the following conclusions:

Karsten is very nice, except they keep wanting to install Cresdeck (glorified particle board) flooring instead of plywood. I can't seem to get a straight story whether plywood is still an option.

Cavco is OK, as long as you go with the Durango plant (not Litchfield), but again they want to give you Duradeck particle board flooring and I get conflicting stories on whether plywood is available as option.

Silvercrest is top of the line, and plywood is an option, but particle board is now standard. But be prepared to pay around $60-70 a square foot.

Solitaire is high quality, good value, with marine grade plywood floors as standard, but look very plain, and permit very few options. You will have to go to western New Mexico to get Solitaires; there are currently no dealers in Arizona.

Skyline has a few dealers in AZ; I don't know much about them, but I looked at one recently with plywood floors, 2x6 walls, etc., and it appeared to be very well made.

All things considered, by the process of elimination, and availability of nearby dealers, I am leaning towards Palm Harbor. They have a lot of options, nice floor plans, and plywood floors are available. Dealers are widely available in Arizona. Rmurray also says they have good warranties, and I tend to believe him (although he sells them). But be sure you specify the units made at the Tempe plant, not Casa Grande. Also be advised that factory owned dealers have a reputation as hard sell, but I have only been dealing with several independents so far, and they have been very nice.

BTW, plywood floors are the only way to go. I have seen three used DWs during the past few months with particle board floors with buckling, squeaking, and swelling. Originally I was willing to consider particle board floors, but now plywood floors (or OSB as second) has become a must for me.

Regarding the others you mentioned, I have been quite underwhelmed with Clayton, Schult, and Fleetwood. Good Luck.

[Scott]

To put an end to the question about plywood being an optional flooring in a Karsten the answer is yes it is. It is an option with pretty much any MH builder. Most of the cream of the crop in the MH business (Karsten, Silvercrest, Patriot of Texas) use D3 Duradeck floor decking as a standard floor decking. But, plywood is going to be an upgrade. People must use some sort of common sense when looking at these homes. Structurally, these manufacturers are head and shoulders above the others you mentioned. While you may have to option the plywood floors in on the higher end models, you have to do a whole lot more to the PH's, Cavco's, etc. to make them even comparable to the Silvercrest, Patriot of Texas, and Karsten products. And just a note on Solitaire, I walked some of their homes just yesterday and I was shocked to see that they still staple their carpet down to the floor instead of using tack strips. Have fun replacing that in 5 years.

[Richard]

August 8, 2004
I have been advised by a manufactured housing community in Nevada that the only
manufactured home they will allow is a Hallmark, since other brands have resulted in complaints.

The developer states that Hallmark made in California is the best manufactured home in America.

Hallmark also makes modular homes for sale in the Northeast.

For Karina's information Hallmark has a representative in Bullhead City, Arizona

The information given in response to Karina's question concerning what brands are the best has been helpful. I have never known a Hallmark owner and would appreciate any comment concerning this brand.

[Ginny]

I have owned two manufactured homes. The first was a fleetwood I bought in 1980 the top of the line and had lots and lots of problems with it. I bought a small marlet tripple wide in 1996 and have to say, its wonderful. The factory gave service I never dreamed of and called me after a year to discuss any problems I might have had and there were none. I only had one small crack in dry wall plaster after one year and the house is wonderful. I live where the weather is very cold and with the six inch walls and energy package its very reasonable to heat during the winter and the house retains the heat. I don't know if you can get a marlet brand where you live but they are wonderful. I am so happy with my home.

[Ron]

Cavco is the number one registering product in Arizona for several years. All those customers cannot be wrong.

[rmurray]

Obviously this park is an exclusive dealer for this brand of home....The choice of this brand probably has many reasons...maybe service is one..but I would not doubt the park gets large rebates and sales incentive as well...

Actually..when buying in a manufactured home community...the community is what you are buying more than the home...If this is the only place you want to live..this brand will have to be it...or a used home someone in the park wants to sell...

[Movin-on]

Looking for a quality built MH is not an easy task! It is a frustrating process to find the best your money can buy!

I have a list of what I expect and want in construction and just when I think the manufacture is meeting the requirements I find there is always something negative. Palm Harbor only uses 1/2" sheet rock in the ceilings upgrading to 3/4" or 5/8" is NOT an option.

Palm Harbor construction is 2X4, you have to upgrade to 2X6. The insulation, even with upgrade does not meet what Shult nor Redman offer. I haven't looked at Cavco as had heard so much negative from people that owned one I have left them for last.

Yesterday at Palm Harbor we were told that the kitchen cabinet, if you want real wood only comes in light Birch. That wouldn't be bad if you like light wood through out your home.. but I don't and I like options. I don't know if this choice is typical or is what this particular dealer offers as when looking at Palm Harbor main web site they have lovely kitchens in a variety of wood stains. I do like the fact that Palm Harbor is now offering actual tile for wet areas as a standard vs. linoleum flooring but that ½” sheetrock in the ceiling is a negative for me since we live in Arizona our roofs / ceilings are an important part of energy efficiency.

Silvercrest is top of the line in MH, as mentioned, they also have California prices that make a custom built home equal in price. Redman homes are a step above Champion, all three mentioned are a division of same parent company, Western Division. Champion also has models that come out of Colorado that are basement ready but to date I haven't had any return email on their pricing. Thinking the road trip would make them costly. If you go to Champion home web site ( http://www.championhomes.net ) at the top of their web page is a banner that lists all the divisions of homes built under the parent company, Western Division.

I really believe when it comes to who makes the best home… it comes down to what are your expectations in construction, does a particular manufacturer have what you are looking for construction wise.

[jgn]

I don't know where you have seen 3/4" walls but I have seen very few homes that have other than 1/2" sheetrock. 1/2" sheetrock is standard in almost all homes. On a fire wall between a garage and the house it is 5/8 fire board and the only time I have seen 3/4 is lamenated which is a 3/8" backer board and a 3/8 finish board glued over it and you will only see that in really expensive homes because the labor is twice as much to put it up, all jams have to be custom made as well as windows. If you want insullation go with a 5/12 roof and have them add additional insullation plus you have a larger space for air but sheetrock provides little insullation and espically the difference between 1/2 1nd 3/4.