What Are Modular Homes? 🏡 

These modular home factories are pretty amazing. They are doing all kinds of new crazy stuff. I think factory built homes will become a lot more popular really soon. Thanks Kristina!

THIS IS MY WHEEL HOUSE HERE IVE BUILT OVER 100 MODULAR HOMES IN MY CAREER !! MY EXPERIENCE IS IF IT CAN GO DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH AND STILL BE IN GOOD SHAPE THEY MUST BE GOOD !

I work for a custom modular builder and you have some correct info, but a lot of incorrect info also. If you site build a house, you have all those cost also, still need a driveway and water and sewer plus all the other stuff. How are the materials the same between mobile and modular? They are absolutely not the same, if they were, then they would both be mobile homes. Modular homes are built like a site built home, just built indoors like a mobile home is, so they are weather protected the whole time. Whoever you've were talking to, wasn't giving you all the right info. Also there are tons of modular companies out there, that offer smooth ceilings and endless upgrades. With financing, you'll need a construction loan and you will always want an off-frame modular home, not on-frame, because on-frame modular homes depreciate like a mobile home does. There is nothing wrong with mobile homes, but modular homes will always cost more because of the materials are that of a site built house, where mobile homes are cheaper materials, like metal, fixed roofs, paper wrapped cabinets, cheaper insulation and so on. If you look up videos on how mobile homes are built and how modular homes are built, you will see its a huge differences in materials. Just want to make sure you are giving the correct info. :)

We built a modular home in New England in 1982. It was no different than a stick built home as far as value. We even got a full basement. I’m sure upgrades as far as colors etc. are even better. We sold the house successfully, and it stands up to all the NE weather.

We just surveyed our 2 acre plot of land at my MIL's farm to put a home on. It is a process, but we are getting there. Went to a home dealer a few months ago and we have narrowed down our options. We are going with a modular since we want drywall in, and it will be cheaper to go with the modular than a double-wide. We live in IN, and a lot of homes are built in this state. This video has helped a lot!!! Thank you!! At the end of the day, it all comes down to what a person wants and what they can comfortably afford. Tired of paying close to $900 / mo. in renting a small house, and we can make 2 of 3 mortgage payments a month on that!

I can say if you have a VA home loan and opt to buy mobile or modular, the dealer/builder whichever way you go, has to, by VA’s extreme strictness, do all the plumbing, electrical, septic, make your driveway and also put on front and back porches and also if it’s mobile, the wheels and tongue must be removed. All this must be done before it will pass VA’s inspection. Hope this helps someone. I’m speaking from experience. I love that VA lenders actually look out for their customers.

Starting the process on getting a modular home my self. 😍 its amazing what they have available. 3bathroom 5 bedroom and ideal for my large family.

Any Tiny home is a WINNER 🏆

the land cost is the same for both if your starting out with nothing , also stick built homes are exposed to the weather were as modular homes are built in a controlled environment , they are built to withstand higher winds as some delivery drivers will get up to speeds around 70mph,so with that said you will know the homes will hold together at these wind speeds.modular homes are built to a higher standard and built to be picked up via crane were stick built homes would most likely collapse under the strain and pressure of being picked up via crane.

This was a really good video, Kristina, For a little, I worked for a company that built Modular homes, the ones we built were going to an island off of Russia that were, two stories and all steel stud framing, with an attached garage...

My sister is a doctor and fairly wealthy. She pays for everything in cash-yes, including her home-and chose to build a triple wide “mobile” in Florida. It has a roof pitched the same as a standard site built home, drywall, vinyl plank flooring, a huge kitchen with stainless appliances, nice counters, good sized pantry, open concept, etc., etc., etc. You cannot tell from looking that hers is a manufactured home.

whats worse is when they put popcorn ceiling in a regular house to cover the shotty work. grat info thanks for the video

Ms. Small horn, thank you for these fantastic posts; as a retiree, I am weighing my options. Your post is very helpful. Big hugs from Southern California!

This was incredibly helpful My exact question today right in this moment!

Thanks mom, we are looking modular because land is super cheap in SC and NC. When compared with the price of getting a stick built home built on the land, the modular is definitely the more economical way to go, unless my wife goes crazy on shiny extras

Thank you for all the helpful information. My husband and I have been trying to find affordable housing for our retirement years and have wondered whether mobile or modular might not be an option for us. We'll definitely study your videos as we make our decision.

I’m considering a modular home over a traditional house because I live in San Diego. I can barely afford a ghetto 1 bedroom house here. But if I got .5 acres of land in the hills and a modular home, I can have a 4 bed 3 bath for under 400k total. That’s unheard of here! I thin modular homes are really great for people who live somewhere where homes are priced ridiculously.

Thank You for your channel my wife and I are interested in buying a new home and your channel has explained so much stuff that we personally never thought of nor knew so thank you again and have a blessed day.

When you do the print on the screen leave it there for a few more seconds so people can read it please 😊

I’ve lived in mobile homes, a double and single widths, and now live in a modular,.. there is NO comparison, a Modulars construction is closer to a stick built. Totally disagreeing with you here, and the building materials used!,.. again No comparison - Modular All the way, especially in -40 degree temperatures!🤦🏼‍♀️🥶☺️👍🏻

That is great information and good to know as well. I live in a double wide mobile home and before that lived in a single wide home which I use as a storage building now, but still in good condition considering it's age. The reason I decided to buy a mobile home was because I don't have any children to leave the home to and it didn't seem right to buy a regular home. I didn't know about modular homes, but I would have probably considered getting one if the price wasn't too high.

Thank you for all your modular/mobile home videos. You are a money lifesaver!!! My wife and I thank yiu

crazy this . in the uk we call things like this static caravans and normal caravans are the ones you pull behind your car , people put statics on camp sights and pay a yearly sight fee but save lots on other things like that , there all plumbed in to the electric water and drains as well if there a static

I've seen modular houses with flat ceilings and they looked fine. Builders, whether of stick-built or modular houses, like the textured finishes because they don't show imperfections, and almost any flat finish will have some imperfections, leaving it to the customers and builders to argue about what constitutes a "defect". For the same reason, they seem to hate surface mounted ceiling lights. I hate really rough finishes, especially the "monkey trowel" jobs that are messy for the sake of messiness, but a light stipple, or that repeating swirl from the 1950s, usually looks fine on a ceiling. And with a light texture, you can always plaster over it if you get tired of it; I've skim coated most of my ceilings just to hide 60 years of patches from adding wiring and the occasional plumbing fix.

I didn’t know popcorn ceilings are a rare thing. I grew up in an apartment in California and they were pretty common here. No one likes them now though.

Super interesting! I did not know some of those things either. And wow, what a LOT of notes needed on this one! lol 😆 I'm gonna have to rewatch it and take them down.

Sears used to have modular home catalogs back in the like 50s where you pick your style/layout etc.. My takeaway is mod homes are framed etc offsite and brought to the land where stick homes were all framed etc on the actual jobsite..

Very detailed and informative video. Thanks for sharing your insight 🍀

@Kristina Smallhorn, because you're talking Modular homes, PLEASE check out Timberland homes here on RU-vid. Their homes are beautiful and they are going to blow you away! They do not cut any corners or over look any details in their craftsmanship. I love the work that they do and wish I could own one of their homes myself, but being from southern California, I'm just too far away. But please check out their work here on RU-vid.

Always with great info Kristina👍👍👍 Not sure if we have a modular home or mobile home business here but happy that you have different options on the mainland.

Question: When I'm ready to look at modular/manufactured homes, what kind of real estate agent should I talk to in order to help me find a home? I'm sure everyone is different and I'm not sure where to even start 🤔

Great explanation coming from a career insurance agent and underwriter. As you said manufactured homes are built to HUD standards vs modular homes traditionally built to local building codes therefore they are usually (not always depending on your local gov't) can be insured, sold and treated like real property. You did a big service by explaining the difference.

Hello there new subscriber here nice to meet you! Thank you for this informative video! Respect from NYC

I never really knew this! It's actually good to know since I'd like a home some day 😊

No idea where Ascension Parish is but this was a super helpful video about the modular home buying process. Thanks!

Three terms get thrown about, 'manufactured homes', 'mobile homes' and 'modular homes.' Let's look at the terms. Manufactured homes are just that, homes that are manufactured 'off-site.' Usually in a factory. The funny thing is now some 'site-built' homes are using manufactured components, like roof trusses and even side walls, all made in a factory and then assembled on site. The lines blur. 'Mobile Homes', the quintessential butt of many Southern comedian's jokes, are built in a factory and are built on a chassis. The chassis has axles, brake lines, and a detachable hitch. Up until the late 1970s and early 1980s, they were thin, used wood paneling, had little to no insulation and were nothing more than a travel trailer on blocks. After the 1980s and certain Federal laws went into effect, they became somewhat better. They still have a chassis, axles, brake lines, and a hitch, however. In some cases, a support structure and even a basement can be placed under them, although for the most part, you'll find dirt and cinder blocks. A modularhome does NOT have a chassis, it does not have wheels, axles, brakes or a hitch. Most of them have 2x10 floor joists, 2x8 or 2x6 wall joists and 2x4 inner walls. They are built to the same code as a site-built home. They arrive on a trailer and are lifted off and placed on a foundation. Many even have full basements. Another aspect of 'modular' over 'mobile' is that on a modular home, you may have multiple stories. Mobile homes are not set up for multiple stories. Modular homes need a foundation to mount the floor onto, mobile homes do not, as they support the chassis and the chassis supports everything else. For a salesperson to say that you can make a mobile home into a modular home, or a modular home into a mobile home is either a misunderstanding or the salesperson is flat out wrong. It IS possible to spec a design either as a modular or mobile home, but once the build has started, it can not be changed from one to another.

Great video! Thank you very much for sharing

Wife and I are going to try and get a modular home at the end of the year. Wish you was closer to Fort Worth. We have manufacturers in and around us and yet no one really seems to want to help us in advance. Great info thanks for sharing.

For the price of a modular home and the land with hook ups can by a regular house. The problem is people want luxuries and don't want to start basic. Got to put the horse before the cart.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS INFORMATIVE VIDEO. IT IS VERY EDUCATIONAL. IT ANSWERED MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT MODULAR HOMES.

Hey Kristina, thank you for a great video!! I am a retired custom home builder as well as being a former real estate Broker in Mississippi, Alabama, and Colorado. This is a great service you are doing for so many folks out there that are wanting to purchase a home but are not able to afford an existing home or a stick built home and still have the same mindset about modular and Mobile homes that were built 30-40 years ago. Homes being built today are so much different today th hang what they were even 10-15 years ago. They actually adhere to stricter building codes than any site built home does today and like Gary explained in the other video, it's all about how well the owner takes care of the home once they move in. I do have a question for you tho. The wood wall behind you, do you know anything about that? Was it stained those colors on site prior to it being Installed or was it already stained when it was purchased? I've been remodeling my home the past 4 years and that's the finished look I'm wanting in living room, dining room, and kitchen. The wall behind you is absolutely beautiful!!!

We built a stick built home, and the driveway caused a $3,000 overrun in our concrete budget! And that was in 2001. It also took 1 year to build it with USDA Rural Develpment!

I'm still Loving that wall in the background.

Great video also Vanderbilt Homes in Sanford Nc have as well 🙏🏾

Just wanted to mention that if you want to purchase a modular home, go online to look at manufacturers. Then find a local builder who sells that line. He's the one who'll be finishing it off, adding a garage, laying in utilities, etc. A dealer who handles both manufactured homes and modular homes from the same company gives a very small view of what's available.

Anybody watching this video the cheapest way to purchase a home is buy a lot and build a home . Modular homes are built extremely well and you can upgrade your flooring kitchen cabinets countertops appliances exc . If all possible do not buy a mobile home because they depreciate in value and a modular home is just like a regular stick built home.

Wow good info, I wonder why you have to put it in all in the same day. What happens if you don't finish?

Thank you! Awesome video! Thinking about building a modular home!

I have seen some pretty swank modular homes.

Very informative. Thank you Kristina for your work and honest review and opinion.

I really enjoyed your video! The information you provided was really good. Thank you so much. I'm a Louisianain as well, and I already own property in Baker, La. I think I want to go the modular route. Again, thanks for all of your information!

I have a friend who owns a large modular home. It has thin drywall, and the vinyl siding is subpar, and this was one of the more upscale modular builders in the Charleston, SC market (Richtex, I believe). So, I'd suggest that modular customers be careful to watch the details and insist on decent drywall, and I'd strongly suggest upgrading to hardiplank siding.

Interesting video thanks. We lived in Bossier City LA for nearly 4 years (Greenacres place) JUst off of Airline Dr. . We sold our stick built house there in 2011 when we moved to Pennsylvania, where we've been renting the whole time. Very reasonable rent so no incentive to buy from a price standpoint really. Last year our landlord decided he wanted to move into the house we were renting so we had to let him. The property we're now living belongs to an Old Order Mennonite/Amish man and now one of his 8 his sons is getting married and wants to live in 'our' house. So we have to find somewhere to live again. This time we've decided to buy a house and are considering a Modular/Manufactured home. The problem of course as you mention in your video is finding a piece of land and having to get the necessary utilities like electric, sewer and water set up. I did see a property for sale a while back which has a dilapidated old style Mobile home on a concrete slab . Might just work if I buy the property and remove the mobile home ? I'll have to check if it's still for sale. A few years ago we came close to buying a Manufactured home out in the country. I looked it up and saw that it sold recently for more than it sold when we were interested. It does have a basement.

Thx so much for posting Very informative

Modular homes are very well constructed. Most homes come with hurricane strapping.

I think they're great for a retired space or family plot say where a few family members live.

Love the information your giving us viewers thank u

We live in Mississippi, we’ve been looking into buying a new home soon and your videos are great ! Thanks for the info!

Ur awesome Kristina. I'm from Canada some information u share in ur videos are the same here. Great info....keep the great vids coming. Thank you. ☺️👍

Wow! Very in-depth and informative. Thank you Kristina! YREW estate company! 😁 btw, of i don't make it on Thursday is because I'm still helping restock the hardware shelves at my work! 😣

I've been thinking about a manufactured or modular home. I want something bigger that what I live in, which is a regular house. I'd like more space in my yard and from neighbors. A regular stick built house would be way out of my budget if I get what I want. I have a lot more choices with the manufactured home. I may be able to get more of my dream house without paying the dream house price. I know as you said that upgrades can really bring the cost up, but that is also with regular houses also. Marble sinks, wood floors, fireplace. They all bring up a price of any home. But if I got those upgrades, I'd probably be dealing with a home that's 100K-150K over one that would be 500K and still have what I want.

Just got this vid recommended! Super great vid, Such in-depth info! I was surprised at how much land is out by you though. Agree that unless you have the land, the traditional built comes out cheaper.

cool video, im planning on going with storage containers

Please offer your review of quonset home building. And the varying quality of steel frame makers, of which many may not be able to guarantee windloads. But these would be a type of kit home, very inexpensive, but great for hurricane zones.

Thanks for information.

Important point overlooked, manufactured homes are built to a “HUD” (Housing and Urban Development) code while modular homes are built to residential (traditional stick built) code (more restrictive).

I don’t see the point of modular homes after watching this. If it’s not less than a stick built home, there isn’t really any reason that I would do it. It has to be an upside to doing it other than the time frame and extra amenities. The price is way more important to me than those other reasons. Most people don’t just have land laying around. Thanks for this, it helped.

Really debating on this route as we speak!

The problem I found with modular homes the windows and doors are not standard size..you can't run down to home Depot and get replacements

Kristina, love your videos and informative content:. One question I have is:. I have heard that a manufactured home cannot appreciate in value... But my understanding is that any home depreciates as they age and if they lack maintenance, and that home value appreciation is linked to the land they sit on gaining value. Or value is added through upgrades, remodels, renovations to the home whether they are stick built, modular or manufactured...but thsi video says a manufactured home can be made into a modular home and vice versa. But then I heard that modular homes are built to the same building standards as stock built homes and can appreciate on value in the same way. So you can see.o am about confused. My main question is this. If I buy land and install a manufactured home with permanent foundations and add upgrades to the site and the manufactured home such decks and possible expansions. Can the property as a whole appreciate in value? I assume yes because land appreciates in value.

Same materials? Is it different now? It's been about a decade since I was in a mobile home, but back then the mobile homes were made of aluminum, and the modular homes were made out of wood.

Pick one fix it up it's a winner

Great info! Thanks for sharing! :)

Thanks for doing that, I am looking around for buying mobile home and I have no idea how thinks works. Very helpful your video.

Are you in Alabama? Two of the companies are in my state... we are so torn on what to do. We’ve gone back and forth between modular or traditional build.

I was told that the referenced name "Mobile Home" was no longer used......instead "Manufactured Home" is now used for the last many years.

Thank you so much for the information!🙂

I don't mind the swirel ceiling. It looks cleaner than the smooth ceiling

A modular home is nothing like a mobile home lol. The materials are different and a modular home is a permanent foundation and appreciates in value. A modular home is identical to a stick built home, but it’s just prebuilt in a factory.

Thanks a lot for this info and sharing it with us Kristina!

Great info. Love the music!

Thank you.

There always a comparison to Modular homes and manufactured homes but my understanding if that modular homes are just like stick built homes or site build homes but they're just built and sections and the factory of course and they go by the same code as a site build home with the same material as a site built home...

Lots of good info. Thanks!

This information really helps!

Kristina,” Thank You “ for an enlightening, and informative expose’ on the difference between modular and manufactured homes. I have a question! If I wanted to design my own modular home , can any of the home builders that you mentioned DO THIS? I reached out to CLAYTON HOMEBUILDERS, but they only embellish their own designs.

Very informative. Thanks.

Can you purchase the Modular home with unfinished interiors and exterior finishes? We'd like to do our own finishing

You can also get a off frame or on frame modular.

It would've been nice if you'd shown us the 'hideous' ceiling since you placed such an emphasis about it.

Who are the lenders, and how does the program that assists the homeowner in purchasing the land also work?

ANY tiny home out beats Any home especially the Government credit check documents mess

snow load is big in Idaho Washington will not sell in Idaho unless the home is coded for snow

Glad I’m not the only one who hates popcorn ceilings/walls

You are the best!

What if I put a mobile home on a piece of land that I own. Would that be considered real property also, even though it's not a stick build or modular home?

I grew up with popcorn curling so I don’t mind it 😅 but I’m poor to though..

Very informative. Thank you.

Thanks for the information