Last month, we talked about some of the many differences between manufactured homes (a.k.a. mobile homes or trailers) and modular homes. When we started writing about it, we discovered there were so many key differences that it warranted two separate entries here on the Excel Homes blog.

You may recall we discussed similarities between the two options (mainly that both are built in a factory) and how they differ in terms of building codes, value, appearance and inspection requirements. Here are a few more key points of differentiation:

• REFINANCING – Most manufactured homes aren’t placed on a permanent foundation. This makes them more difficult to refinance. Modular homes have a permanent foundation (and often a basement), making them as easy to refinance as a site-built home.

• RESTRICTIONS – Many communities have restrictions against manufactured housing while most communities allow modular homes. Those municipalities that still have restrictions on modular homes are often confused about the differences between the two housing options. (Don’t worry, the industry is working on clearing that up, too!)

• TRANSPORT – A manufactured home is built on a non-removable steel chassis and transported to the home site on its own wheels. Modular homes are transported on a truck bed and placed on a solid foundation just like site-built home.

• CUSTOMIZATION – Manufactured homes typically arrive with interior options like flooring, cabinetry, fixtures and appliances pre-installed. Modular homes allow homeowners to hire local contractors to install these options after the home arrives on-site or choose from a wide range of interior options to be installed while the modules are built.

• SIZE – Manufactured homes are typically smaller – often delivered in one to three pieces. Modular homes vary greatly in size and are often much larger than manufactured homes.  Larger varieties, like a recent 3,300 square foot ranch style home built for one of the newest members of the Excel team, are delivered in as many as seven pieces – and sometimes more!

As you can see, modular homes and manufactured homes are actually very different, which makes it funny (sort of) that the two options are often confused. In reality, a modular home has more in common with a traditionally built home than it does with a manufactured home. The challenge for the modular home industry is getting more people to realize that fact.

The home buying process requires a lot of homework and is full of questions. That’s why we’ve created this recurring “Ask the Experts” feature here on the Excel Homes blog. It features real questions with simple answers from Excel’s team of experts. Click on the “Ask the Experts” link on the right to ask one of our listed experts a question of your own.

WE’RE INTERESTED IN BUILDING A MODULAR HOME AND WE KNOW THAT WE CAN CHOOSE FROM A CATALOGUE OF OPTIONS, BUT I’VE GOT SOME IDEAS OF MY OWN FOR OUR HOUSE. CAN I DESIGN MY OWN MODULAR HOME?

Absolutely! Excel’s own vice president of operations, Jack Gizienski, designed his dream home, which he then turned over to Excel’s architects to bring it to life.

You can meet with a builder or architect to design your own home from the ground up, but what most modular homeowners prefer to do is choose one of our existing modular home designs and then customize as little or as much as they’d like.

Hope this helps!

Harry Odum
General Manager
Excel Homes, Liverpool plant

Michael Zenga knows a thing or two about modular homes. After all, he’s a licensed construction supervisor and the founder of ZN Custom Building in Boston, MA. We’ve long been fans of his website and its wealth of useful modular information, which is why we were glad to learn that Michael teamed with ZN Vice President Attila Javor to write “Modular Homes: The Future Has Arrived.”

We like the book mainly for its ability to take a sometimes complicated subject like home buying and make it simple and understandable for readers of all backgrounds. Michael and Attila do a great job of explaining what modular homes are, their benefits, and how they differ from traditional stick-built homes.

Said one Amazon reviewer:

Michael and Atilla do a fantastic job of giving the “30,000 foot view” of the industry, and they do it in a way that clearly conveys their status as subject-matter experts, without ever lapsing into jargon or insider-speak that would make the message harder to understand.

Bottom line: If you’re thinking about building a new home – even if it’s not a modular home – you owe it to yourself to read this book. We purchased a copy for ourselves, but we also bought an extra copy, which we’ll give away as this month’s prize to one commenter chosen at random.