thinking single wide

[Garth]

I live in NM outside of Santa Fe, in a custom stick-built house that is ten years old. It is a beautiful house but I have a real interest in cutting costs, and saving energy by living in a much smaller house, such as a single wide (yes, I WANT to be trailer trash -- none of the "double wide manufactured home" stuff for me) under 900 sq. ft, and preferably closer to 400-700 sq. ft. I want small but I don't like low ceilings, under 7 and a half feet.

I plan on buying land and having well and septic, north of Santa Fe.

Solitaire builds only one model single wide, and it is over 1200 sq. ft., but it has a 9ft. ceiling (which is the part I like). In addition to it being too large, the drawback is that it has 2 x 4 walls, so that limits insulation. I will probably look at it anyway when I put my house on the market and start looking seriously.

Champion makes a 700 ft. model, "Meadowcreek SW 703," but are loathe to picture it or even list it on their website. With only a few exceptions -- such as Cavalier -- manufactured home builders seem to be hiding the models that remind people of the old trailer house image -- single wide with old fridge on porch for kids to play in. However, I assume single wide homes are benefitting from the same advances in building technology, that are making manufactured housing a viable choice for so many. I sound like I'm writing ad copy.

Cavco makes a cedar-sided (as an option) "park model" 12' x 36', that is cute as can be, but I don't want to spend over $50,000 for something tiny that isn't going to be a miracle of energy efficiency. I'll live in an ugly boxy thing, if it is well built, super insulated, and has an aesthetically pleasing interior, with skylights (as an option?) in kitchen and bath.

Anyway, any suggestions for manufacturers of quality smaller (under 900 sq. ft.) manufactured homes in New Mexico, that will accommodate R-21 wall insulation?

Thank you,

Garth

P.S. This website is great. I was finding nothing on the regular newsgroups in past weeks and I've spent several hours reading helpful posts here.

[Dianna]

If you want super insulation build a strawbale home.
Look into it on the internet....you'll be amazed!