When it comes to understanding housing options for familiarity or even mortgage purposes, it is important to get the distinction between mobile, modular, and manufactured homes. Many people think these terms all mean the same thing. While there are some similarities to them, the terms do imply different meanings.
Curious to know what is the primary difference between manufactured, mobile, and modular homes? Take a look at this quick guide to help you better understand.
Manufactured Home
A manufactured home and a mobile home are primarily the same thing. When you hear these terms, they can typically be interchangeable. However, you might also find some differences in terminology depending on where you hear it from.
Manufactured homes became the new title for homes that are built to be mobile and then transported to a physical location. The terminology changed as of 1976. These homes are completely manufactured at an offsite location. They can be made to order or they can be built based on the manufacturer’s simple floor plans.
They create manufactured homes and then sell them to people to place at will. When a person purchases a manufactured home, it comes straight from the factory or the seller and is delivered through transport to the site it will reside on. The initial build is on top of a steel chassis so that it can just be placed onto wheels for transport.
Most people who purchase a manufactured home place it on a permanent foundation. Many mortgage companies require very specific things to qualify as a permanent foundation for a mortgage purpose. A state or city local code might also have specific definitions for permanent foundations.
Manufactured homes do have to meet strict federal building codes that are set out by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Those codes cover energy efficiency, safety, structural integrity, and a few other details. HUD even has specialized financing choices for this type of home.
Mobile Home
The term mobile home is very similar to a manufactured home. These homes are built in the same way. However, for official purposes, a mobile home is technically a manufactured home that was produced prior to 1976. It was in 1976 that the HUD standards were implemented for these manufactured homes and at that time, the titling was changed.
When you hear someone generally speaking about a mobile home, they could very well be talking about a manufactured home, or vice versa. When it comes to the official marketplace, however, they are very different. True mobile homes may not meet safety and quality standards that manufactured homes are required to comply with.
Modular Homes
A modular home is completely different, but it does have some similarities to your traditional manufactured home. Modular homes are still built in a factory off site, rather than on the existing foundation.
Modular homes are called such because they are constructed in varying modules. Those modules are then transported to the building site. When they arrive at the building site, they are in module pieces and not in a final home product, like a manufactured home. The sections are assembled at the site of the permanent foundation to create the finished home.
Modular homes do adhere to local and state building codes and not just HUD building codes. They meet your local standards and are made to order in that way. Modular homes are also extremely customizable and individualized, with flexibility to meet your needs or the building and compliance requirements of your building site.
Understanding the Differences
When you break it down, the primary differences come down to modular homes versus manufactured homes. Mobile homes are no longer made, but they are an earlier version of manufactured homes and created with the same concepts. If you hear someone saying mobile home in general conversation, they likely mean a manufactured home.
Module homes meet local building guidelines and while the sections or modules are constructed in a factory, the final building and piecing together is completed at your permanent foundation.
Conclusion
When it comes to terminology, manufactured, mobile, and modular homes really are all different. Understanding the use of the terms and what a person really means when discussing these terms can be beneficial. When you discuss these types of homes in an authoritative capacity, it’s important to really understand what it means.
The differences are simple. While the concepts are very similar, they really do mean different things overall. We hope this guide helps to break it out for you!
Sources:
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/housing/rmra/mhs/mhshome
https://www.claytonhomes.com/studio/defined-mobile-manufactured-and-modular-homes/
https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/modular-versus-manufactured-homes
https://www.bankrate.com/real-estate/modular-vs-manufactured-homes/#modular-v-manufactured