Tell me about your manufactured/modular home. Pros and cons

[jbowyer01]

We had a beautiful one. They seem to use space very efficently in them. The only draw back we had was that when we went to sell they actually depreciate in value. We had completed a large amount of improvements, everything from new roof, new addition, new molding, ceramic tile in bathrooms etc. Thankfully the land that we had made up for the difference and somebody was pretty much willing to pay what we wanted. But other than that they can be built to be as well built as a stick built home without the cost.

 

[Robin'sBrood]

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What area of Raleigh, if you don't mind me asking. I'm an NC native, born in Raleigh, grew up in Clayton, live near McGee's Crossroads (Johnston county) now. I know it's practically a miracle if you can afford just about anything on 1 1/3 acres in Raleigh these days!

 

[bigzio]

We built a 1200sq ft 3 bedroom ranch in 1979 and still live here... on a full foundation with a masonary fireplace in the living room and a seperate flue in the basement that I have a wood fired boiler...it also has a oil fired boiler

Outside interior walls are sheetrock and the interior walls are luan panneling, that we stained black walnut.

I needed a fixed cost at the time, and that was the deciding factor for building a modular.

After 30years we still enjoy our home. The only thing i would have changed is a steeper pitched roof, for faster runoff.

bigzio

 

[mychickensrock]

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What area of Raleigh, if you don't mind me asking. I'm an NC native, born in Raleigh, grew up in Clayton, live near McGee's Crossroads (Johnston county) now. I know it's practically a miracle if you can afford just about anything on 1 1/3 acres in Raleigh these days!

HenMama, I PM'd you.

 

[ksacres]

We have one, I think they are a great alternative if you can't afford a nice stickbuilt. There's no way my dh and I would have been able to afford a new house, but we got our manufactured house brand spankin new, never been lived in. That was the best part for us.

 

[DuckLady]

Ours was a Palm Harbor show model and has lots of upgrades, like a kitchen island, skylight, vaulted livingroom ceiling, wood fireplace, twin sinks in both baths, a gourmet soaking tub in the master bath. They also left in the window dressing (not draperies by any means), chairs and other props they has bought to show the home.
The retail on it was just over $110k and we got it for $70k.

Funny thing is when the tax assessor came by after it was all pitset and ready to move in, he wrote that it was a mobile home with attached garage. It kept our taxes down, but the value of the home and land is keeping up with the rest of the neighborhood.

 

[mychickensrock]

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I forgot until reading your post that we got our bedroom suit like that too. Got the bed frame (headboard and footboard), 2 night stands, a HUGE dresser, and mirror. Dirt cheap! I think we paid $500 for the suit, retail was well over $2000. That was a total bonus!

 

[tinners204]

I would really suggest not buying a modular or manufactured home. I do heating and cooling for a living and have been around new construction of houses for 12 yrs. I have installed in modulars before. They are for the most part a pain in the rear end to do. The return air that is cut into the walls is always smaller than they should be. Most of the time you have to put the round pipe (heat runs) underneath the center beam which screws up your basement finish. The wood trim is most of the time cheap. If you build a stick built you can chose a lot more things you want. I just built a 1500 sq. ft ranch on a full walk out basement 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, attached 2 car garage on 5 acres in the country. I have less than 150,000 in it all together. Also the resale on a stick built house is a lot better than a modular. Just my opinion...

 

[Hobbley_Farm]

Do keep in mind what state and county you are in. Ours meets all building codes for all. And we had the option to upgrade anything we wanted and change/alter floor plans (all with extra $$$ of course) I'm a HUGE fan of ours. Not that I think anyone is putting mine or anyone elses down, but the people who aren't quite as positive as those of us living in them currently, probably haven't ever lived in one or when they did it was ages ago.

 

[tinners204]

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I'm just saying being around new construction of new houses and installing on both, that a stick built is better. When you build you need to find a good contractor, just like when you buy a modular. And for this I don't agree. (Since they are assembled in the factory & out of the elements they are sometimes considered better than site built homes.) I couldn't count all the times I have seen cracked drywall seems from being shipped and lifted on to there foundation. I'm not running down modulars, just stating facts that I have seen in the trade I'm in. I'm sorry if I have offended any one. Like I said earlier its just my opinion.