Tell me what you think of premanufactured homes, and I dont mean trailers, but the ones that come in modules or halfs and are put together permanently oh a homesite.

W/T?  Any good quality?

What do you think?

I don't care for them.  They look aesthetically pleasing enough, but it is my experience that you will spend 5 years and a bunch more money fixing things because they just don't use that good of components/materials in the initial build.


ETA: But if it is all you can afford, you can make a home out of one.

Its a trailer without wheels.   You get what you pay for.

A trailer by any other name. . . . . . .

Don't do it!

Its more expensive to build but it is cheaper in the long run.

I assume your talking about the school type portables, not a mobile or manufactured home.

My mom baought a Man(tralier)ufactured home. In the same month the doorknobs failed. First my mom was trapped in her room, then my sis in the bathroom. The insides were made of PLASTIC!

Fuck that! I slapped my hand against the wall once and cracked the drywall!

One of the selling points is that they "appreciate" in value like a stick-built home.  I would check with banks and insurance companies about that.  If they do appreciate, I doubt it's at a level equal to a stick-built home.  You do get more square footage as compared to stick-built since the labor/construction costs are lot lower, something like $40-$50 per sq foot for premanufactured as opposed to $80+ for stick-built.  If you are looking to spend the rest of your life in it, I'd go with stick-built.  Won't get as much room, but it will increase in value.  If you don't see yourself in the home past 10 years, maybe I'd consider the premanufactured.

My grandparents bought one about 10 years ago and my grandmother just sold it and they never had any problems.  My grandfather was a carpenter and he didn't say anything negitive about it.

I think it was built by:
www.allamericanhomes.com/

Rather have a Yurt!

My friend has one and they are actually pretty well built. The walls were a lot straighter than some expensive homes I've seen.

Living in one now and very happy....

They have some really nice ones out there. Pre-fabbed sections, customized to overall size/shape, stronger than a regular house because it has to withstand transportation, does have a concrete foundation, higher insulation rating, etc. Just do your homework, most municipalities have the same baselines for all non-wheeled homes anyway. I've seen entire developments go up pre-fabbed and you can't tell except for the brochures which contain the build-up details.

Sitting in one right now.  My father used to   be a carpenter  by trade and inspected the home ina verious stages  of  it being built.  He  liked it.  

IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHO BUILDS IT.

I bet  half you idiots who claim  they are bad are living in an apartment.

I would rather live in a 50 year old house than a modular home !  And a modular home than a trailer!

If it comes in in two pieces it will never be as strong or well made as one built from the ground up!

And resale willbe another question!

But if it is yours(who cares)!

Bob

Avoid them like the plague....unless you have no other possible choice!

Good reason - no resale value, at all.

Eric The(Realistic)Hun

It's all about the interest rate and resale value of the home.  Around here you can get a home loan for about 6 to 6.5 percent interest.  With a manufactured home, it is like 8 to 9 percent interest.  A stick built home really isn't any more expensive than a manufactured home when you consider the cheaper interest rate and the average 5 percent gain per year (at the present time).

What kills me is you drive through a trailer park around here and you will see a shitty trailer and two brand new cars.  The occupants' priorities are out of whack.

I've been house shopping for the last few weeks and looked at a couple. My brother, who is a real estate agent, strongly advised against them. Apparently BIKECOP29's concerns are correct, not only do they not appreciate in value, but they actually depreciate like a trailer would.

From what I've seen they are not much better built than a trailer. I would be very concerned about riding out a severe storm (tornado, hurricane, or severe thunderstorm) in one of them.  If a large tree fell on one, I imagine it would make short work of the house, and the walls usually consist of vinyl siding, thin plywood, and sheetrock.

If you're looking at buying your first home, you might consider an FHA loan. FHA Loans You can get approved for up to $180,000, and having bad or no credit doesn't affect your loan nearly as much as it would a normal one either. So you're much more likely to be eligible for a good loan. Also, they tend to have lower interest rates than many loans and even have additional packages/loans for things such as making your house more energy effecient.

Researching loans, areas, and homes can be a lot of work, but the internet can make it a lot easier for you and in the end it will pay off and you'll be glad you did. Just google real estate. I just made an offer on what will hopefully be my first house tonight. Due to researching I was able to find a beautiful home with a couple of acres, a huge seperate workshop/garage, a large barn, and some woods with a creek. The location is perfect for where I work, the area is somewhat rural, the neighborhood nice, the school system has a great reputation, and it was all within my price range.

Good luck in finding what you want!

Quoted: IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHO BUILDS IT.

+1,000,000

Mine is all stick built, 2x10 floors, 2x6 walls, R33 in walls and ceiling. Normal sized doors/windows, completely drywall, copper pipes, forced air, full basement.

Unless you go in the basement and see the seams, you would NEVER know mine was factory built.

And, unlike your stick built homes, my house is 100% square and level, because it was built on a jig. It's tighter than your prom date.

People who speak in absolutes about an industry as varied as home building, as if all manufactured homes are crap, are fucking tools.

Does this look like a crap home?


Same company that built mine.

Friends on mine just bought one. It's very nice. Looks like good solid construction. They had several problems all of which the company took care of.

Quoted: Quoted: IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHO BUILDS IT. +1,000,000 Mine is all stick built, 2x10 floors, 2x6 walls, R33 in walls and ceiling. Normal sized doors/windows, completely drywall, copper pipes, forced air, full basement. Unless you go in the basement and see the seams, you would NEVER know mine was factory built. And, unlike your stick built homes, my house is 100% square and level, because it was built on a jig. It's tighter than your prom date. People who speak in absolutes about an industry as varied as home building, as if all manufactured homes are crap, are fucking tools. Does this look like a crap home? www.heckamanhomes.com/images/homes/hartford.jpg Same company that built mine.

Looks nice Swingset, but I feel Heckaman in an exception and not the rule.  Most pre-fab houses are put together using inferior components.  Even if you get 2x6 stud walls, you still end up with cheap fixtures, cheap paneling, cheap doors, cheap windows, etc., etc., etc.  

You are correct in your statement about "absolutes".  There will always (there is another absolute for ya) be the exception.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHO BUILDS IT. +1,000,000 Mine is all stick built, 2x10 floors, 2x6 walls, R33 in walls and ceiling. Normal sized doors/windows, completely drywall, copper pipes, forced air, full basement. Unless you go in the basement and see the seams, you would NEVER know mine was factory built. And, unlike your stick built homes, my house is 100% square and level, because it was built on a jig. It's tighter than your prom date. People who speak in absolutes about an industry as varied as home building, as if all manufactured homes are crap, are fucking tools. Does this look like a crap home? www.heckamanhomes.com/images/homes/hartford.jpg Same company that built mine. Looks nice Swingset, but I feel Heckaman in an exception and not the rule.  Most pre-fab houses are put together using inferior components.  Even if you get 2x6 stud walls, you still end up with cheap fixtures, cheap paneling, cheap doors, cheap windows, etc., etc., etc.   You are correct in your statement about "absolutes".  There will always (there is another absolute for ya) be the exception.

FYI... you don't have to take all the cheapest components.  They do have upgrades that you can pick out when you go to order.  

It is the same as houses that are built for realtors.  They just slap the same home up in the same development with the cheapest components they can get.  Unless you specify better.

About 30 years ago, my runnin partner's father bought up a couple hunderd acres and subdivided it. It was right outside town a couple miles.

We put in the streets, sewage treatment plant, and started building Boise Cascade 'Kingsbury' homes. We also built the foundations. Poured footer, rebar, block, sillplates, ect.

These puppies came in on low-boys and were set on the foundation with a crane. The roof trusses were added, and the sheeting and shingles were added. It only took about a day and a half...instant house. These houses were dandy. Not double wide trailers. Real houses. I have worked in the building trades for a lot of years and I KNOW the only difference between these homes and a site-built is that the modules arrived pre-built on a truck. Code is code.

Additionally, these modules were built inside a factory building. They didn't sit in the weather in various stages of completion. If you want to get specific, there was little if any variation in temp and humidity while they were built vs a site-built where wood swells and contracts in the process of building.

This particular brand was the 'cadilac' of sectional homes and were build of 2x6 studs 16 on center while the code was still allowing 2x4 studs. They came with dry wall, carpet, light fixtures, and appliances. Other than the roof structure, one only had to hook up the electric and water/sewer services.

We built over a hundred twenty of these units. 99% of them are still in great shape. A couple have had fires over the past 30 years.

I know for a fact that they have appreciated in value. What went for about 32- 35k 30 years ago are now selling for 80 - 100k. I can take you and show you.

If you are considering a 'sectional' home which sits on a regular cinderblock and sill plate foundation, there is nothing wrong with one. I'd just be damn sure it was built by a reputable company like Boise Cascade.

I haven't read the stupid ass comments I'm sure are on this thread.

I made manufactured homes with 2X6 studs.

Most people laughing at you have 2X4.

Most people with site built homes think they are better class than
trailor home people....

They aren't.  They just paid 55K for a tiny house and a postage stamp of green.

Welcome to suburbia.

I recently purchased a 2002 liberty sigle wide trailer. I live in south Florida. I rode out huricane Katrina which was a catagory 1 storm. No Problems what so ever. When Wilma came through. I packed up and left as it was a cat 3. When I came home We had only lost our under skirting. Which is just cosmetic. My trailer was set up correctly to code for the area and did not move an inch. Now I know several people in my park that also have newer trailers and they had the same experience. Now all my relatives that live in real homes are still waiting for ins adjusters and to have there home fixed. From my personal experience I have no problems with trailers, so I would by a manufactured home no problem. Now I may have been lucky and don't get me wrong anything bigger than a cat 1 storm I am out of there. But I have insurance and it is insured mor that what is worth.. I hope this helps and good luck

80 yrd dumpster fire just waiting to happen.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHO BUILDS IT. +1,000,000 Mine is all stick built, 2x10 floors, 2x6 walls, R33 in walls and ceiling. Normal sized doors/windows, completely drywall, copper pipes, forced air, full basement. Unless you go in the basement and see the seams, you would NEVER know mine was factory built. And, unlike your stick built homes, my house is 100% square and level, because it was built on a jig. It's tighter than your prom date. People who speak in absolutes about an industry as varied as home building, as if all manufactured homes are crap, are fucking tools. Does this look like a crap home? www.heckamanhomes.com/images/homes/hartford.jpg Same company that built mine. Looks nice Swingset, but I feel Heckaman in an exception and not the rule.  Most pre-fab houses are put together using inferior components.  Even if you get 2x6 stud walls, you still end up with cheap fixtures, cheap paneling, cheap doors, cheap windows, etc., etc., etc.   You are correct in your statement about "absolutes".  There will always (there is another absolute for ya) be the exception.   FYI... you don't have to take all the cheapest components.  They do have upgrades that you can pick out when you go to order.   It is the same as houses that are built for realtors.  They just slap the same home up in the same development with the cheapest components they can get.  Unless you specify better.

Yeah, I see what you are saying.  I am in a spec home that I have been working on for 3 years trying to fix/upgrade all the crap that the builders screwed up.  I think we may be talking about two different things as far as pre-manufactured homes goes.  I am thinking about the ones that are basically glorified trailers.  They pull them to your site and then take the wheels off.  They usually have steel I-beams running down the middle of the floor where the two halves are connected together.

Looks as if you and Swingset are talking about a much different caliber of home.

Cavu

Most pre-fab houses are put together using inferior components.

True, but with many builders you can do upgrades or even leave-off components if you think they're too inferior.  I toured a place in NC that builds component (as they call it) homes, and even in the same plant there was a huge variation between the quality of components used.  You want nice, then you simply order nicer from them or wait and do it yourself after it's setup on site.  They'd even let you buy some of your own components, and they'd use them to build your house.  A coworker used all oak 2x4's and 2x8's since his brother owns a sawmill in Pennsylvania and used lead-lined sheetrock that another relative of his makes.  He put in all of the light fixtures, outlets, appliances, etc. himself so he was able to put in exactly what he wanted.  That house is tighter and quieter than any I've ever been in.  I built my own house, but if I was doing it today, I'd buy a prefab shell then finish it off myself.

The basement and walls on my boss's $400+k house (my house is worth about $40k w/o the land to put the price of his house in perspective) was made from prefabricated concrete.  Building the forms on site and pouring the concrete would have cost a fortune, and after looking at many commercial buildings, I don't think the concrete work could have been done nearly as nicely.

You can't really generalize.  The prefab stuff covers the entire spectrum from extremely cheap to extremely high-end.z

Well I  have andersen windows, I joist floors, all  3" doors, all walls,  inside and out are 2"x6", all andersen doors, Solid  oak cabinets, etc.

Anyone  who is going to label them as crap is stupid.  Mine didn't come in two pieces, It was build whole and moved whole.  With watever components and wood I  wanted it to be build with.  The ONLY savings that you  get out of a quality one is the fact that the contractors building them can build a bunch of them in the same location, saving time.

Mine was built, plumbed,  and finished, by a contractors who also build homes on sight.  

Oh  and about the financing, insurance, resale etc., our bank ,  Wells Fargo, told us that they DO NOT distiguish between the type of home we bought and one built on sight and they didn't.

I am not going to argue anymore.  Some of you are completly stupid.

Being in the industry, I have to say "Stay Away."

Even IF the house is constructed properly, by the time it rests on a slab or foundation, chances are it will be damaged. Much of the damage is unseen.

Heed my warning.

The high end modular houses are indistingushable from a stick-built in quality and construction.  The low end double and single wides are subject to all the problems some people in this thread are ragging about.  There IS A DIFFERENCE!

It depends totally upon who builds it.  There are quality manufactured homes.
I sent for a brochure from a builder (IIRC it was Jacobson or a name that sounded like that; the brochure is under a pile of stuff at home now) because I'm thinking of retiring in about 11-12 years and I'm starting to do my homework now.
At any rate, this builder builds a lot of homes in Florida and I was orginally thinking of retiring there (the hurricanes have changed my mind), but anyway, I asked my friend who lives down in Punta Gorda if he had ever heard of this builder (my friend does some general contracting so he has something of a clue). He told me that this particular builder had a development of manufactured homes right by his neighborhood and he'd go in there and do a little inspection tour of the damage done by Hurricane Charlie (which basically delivered a dead center hit on Punta).  He got back to me with the report that all the homes were still standing and appeared to be in really good shape! (as the sales literature claimed they would be!).

It's all about the BUILDER!

You get what you pay for.  From my cursory research to date, the better manufactured homes start at around $135,000.00 and go up to around $350,000.00.  This doesn't include the lot.
In my case, for retirement purposes, if I could find a reasonably nice location and make an even trade; my existing old beater of a house (worth approx. $250,000.00 here in SE PA) for a lot and a new manufactured home I'd do it in a heartbeat (when the time comes).

Hell, even in the worst case senario, it only has to last thirty years and then I'll be DEAD!
I'll tell you this, I've spent the past thirty-six years spending a heck of a lot of my "spare" time and MONEY working on the 150+ year old disaster area that I currently live in.  

I'll NEVER own an old house again!

My dad and his partners recently started the first SIP built manufactured housing plant in the US.  It's located in Muskogee, OK.  We're the first to use SIP's and build inside a climate controlled factory, rather than build with the SIP's on site like a puzzle.  

A SIP is a structurally insulated panel.  It's basically 2 peices of OSB (oriented strand board) that sandwich together an EPS (expanded polystyrene) core.  The EPS is like a really thick and hard foam.  The walls are made of 4.5 inch SIP  panels which give them an R rating of 18, and the ceiling is made of a 6.5 inch panel giving it an R-25 rating.  Additional insulation can be blown in the attic to increase if desired.  Also these houses are airtight and draft free compared to all the gaps and spaces left in a stick built home.  They are more solid and quiet on the inside.  I've been in one off of a major 4 lane road and you can hardly hear the traffic.  These are also more resistant to fire since there is no empty air space to fuel the fire.  

On the floors we also use  2x12's whereas most everyone else goes for 2x10's or even 2x8's.  One of our guys is pushing 300 and he can jump up and down inside and the floor's hard as concrete.  The houses range from 300 sqft (for temporary 'hurricane' workers residence to 2,500 for a really nice L shaped ranch pad.  Windows are double payne and Argon gas filled and have the tilt in feature.  The house is also set on a crawl space and secured rather than just layed on a concrete slab.  Everything in the home is electric with 12+ SEER A/C and efficient furnace.  200 amp breaker, vinyl seamless siding, timberline roof and complete interiors that can be customized by the owners as far as color patterns go.  











From the factory a 1,700 sqft 1 car garage, ranch home with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, living room and dining room runs about 80K out the door.  With a reasonable lot, poured pad, and your electric, water and sewer hooked up you can be in a brand new home for the same or lot less than a 50+ year old house around here.  Less than 120K out the door for a new home with 10 year warranty, better insulated, new roof, appliances, etc...

The SIP panels are also wind tested to 140mph and we're positioning ourselves to set up factories all along the gulf coast.  We also have Mike Brown the ex-fema head as one of our business partners, which will greatly help us down there politically.

Quoted: Sitting in one right now.  My father used to   be a carpenter  by trade and inspected the home ina verious stages  of  it being built.  He  liked it.   IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHO BUILDS IT. I bet  half you idiots who claim  they are bad are living in an apartment.

It does depend on who builds it. That being said, my brother in law is one of the high end framers in my area and watching how fast and sloppy site building can be I would prefer some sort of pre-fab.

Locally we have a company that makes structural insulated panels that fit together like puzzle pieces with electrical chases, windows, doors already cut out and are straight as a string (good luck making a straight 10' wall out of standard lumber these days). A small crew can erect a house in two days. They are available for the floor and roof as well. I had some samples here and they were incredibly strong and light.

Palm Harbor and Jacobsen are tough built, 2x6 on 16'' centers.

Neither has lost a post 1994(Andrew) manufactured home in Florida hurricanes including, Charlie, Jean, Ivan, and Wilma.

I've been looking at them lately and they build some nice stuff. Marble windowsills, Moen fixtures, stainless fridge and stoves.

Appreciate? Ha! Real estate is so nuts here in Florida that crappy trailers on rental lots in parks are going up in price.

1,300 sq feet, installed on your lot with central air for $45/sq ft. list.

I live in a modular house. My house is 4 bedroom split level, it was set on full foundation 20 years ago this month. It came in 4 pieces and was set with a crane. The house was weather tight and secure, doors locked by 6pm that day. We have done only normal maint on the house.

I fully intend to build another one.

Quoted: My dad and his partners recently started the first SIP built manufactured housing plant in the US.  It's located in Muskogee, OK.  We're the first to use SIP's and build inside a climate controlled factory, rather than build with the SIP's on site like a puzzle.   A SIP is a structurally insulated panel.  It's basically 2 peices of OSB (oriented strand board) that sandwich together an EPS (expanded polystyrene) core.  The EPS is like a really thick and hard foam.  The walls are made of 4.5 inch SIP  panels which give them an R rating of 18, and the ceiling is made of a 6.5 inch panel giving it an R-25 rating.  Additional insulation can be blown in the attic to increase if desired.  Also these houses are airtight and draft free compared to all the gaps and spaces left in a stick built home.  They are more solid and quiet on the inside.  I've been in one off of a major 4 lane road and you can hardly hear the traffic.  These are also more resistant to fire since there is no empty air space to fuel the fire.   On the floors we also use  2x12's whereas most everyone else goes for 2x10's or even 2x8's.  One of our guys is pushing 300 and he can jump up and down inside and the floor's hard as concrete.  The houses range from 300 sqft (for temporary 'hurricane' workers residence to 2,500 for a really nice L shaped ranch pad.  Windows are double payne and Argon gas filled and have the tilt in feature.  The house is also set on a crawl space and secured rather than just layed on a concrete slab.  Everything in the home is electric with 12+ SEER A/C and efficient furnace.  200 amp breaker, vinyl seamless siding, timberline roof and complete interiors that can be customized by the owners as far as color patterns go.   www.simplesolarworks.com/images/GENERAL/sip_panel_001.jpg img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-10/853586/kitchen.jpg img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-10/853586/diningroom.jpg img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-10/853586/bathroom.jpg img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-10/853586/shell.jpg From the factory a 1,700 sqft 1 car garage, ranch home with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, living room and dining room runs about 80K out the door.  With a reasonable lot, poured pad, and your electric, water and sewer hooked up you can be in a brand new home for the same or lot less than a 50+ year old house around here.  Less than 120K out the door for a new home with 10 year warranty, better insulated, new roof, appliances, etc... The SIP panels are also wind tested to 140mph and we're positioning ourselves to set up factories all along the gulf coast.  We also have Mike Brown the ex-fema head as one of our business partners, which will greatly help us down there politically.

Wanna sponsor a guy in Florida with a cheap model home?

Quoted: My dad and his partners recently started the first SIP built manufactured housing plant in the US.  It's located in Muskogee, OK.  We're the first to use SIP's and build inside a climate controlled factory, rather than build with the SIP's on site like a puzzle.   A SIP is a structurally insulated panel.  It's basically 2 peices of OSB (oriented strand board) that sandwich together an EPS (expanded polystyrene) core.  The EPS is like a really thick and hard foam.  The walls are made of 4.5 inch SIP  panels which give them an R rating of 18, and the ceiling is made of a 6.5 inch panel giving it an R-25 rating.  Additional insulation can be blown in the attic to increase if desired.  Also these houses are airtight and draft free compared to all the gaps and spaces left in a stick built home.  They are more solid and quiet on the inside.  I've been in one off of a major 4 lane road and you can hardly hear the traffic.  These are also more resistant to fire since there is no empty air space to fuel the fire.   On the floors we also use  2x12's whereas most everyone else goes for 2x10's or even 2x8's.  One of our guys is pushing 300 and he can jump up and down inside and the floor's hard as concrete.  The houses range from 300 sqft (for temporary 'hurricane' workers residence to 2,500 for a really nice L shaped ranch pad.  Windows are double payne and Argon gas filled and have the tilt in feature.  The house is also set on a crawl space and secured rather than just layed on a concrete slab.  Everything in the home is electric with 12+ SEER A/C and efficient furnace.  200 amp breaker, vinyl seamless siding, timberline roof and complete interiors that can be customized by the owners as far as color patterns go.   www.simplesolarworks.com/images/GENERAL/sip_panel_001.jpg img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-10/853586/kitchen.jpg img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-10/853586/diningroom.jpg img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-10/853586/bathroom.jpg img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-10/853586/shell.jpg From the factory a 1,700 sqft 1 car garage, ranch home with 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, living room and dining room runs about 80K out the door.  With a reasonable lot, poured pad, and your electric, water and sewer hooked up you can be in a brand new home for the same or lot less than a 50+ year old house around here.  Less than 120K out the door for a new home with 10 year warranty, better insulated, new roof, appliances, etc... The SIP panels are also wind tested to 140mph and we're positioning ourselves to set up factories all along the gulf coast.  We also have Mike Brown the ex-fema head as one of our business partners, which will greatly help us down there politically.

THAT'S what I'm talkin' about!
Give me another eleven years or so and I'm movin' in!
We'll find a nice spot somewhere in Arizona.

Quoted: My friend has one and they are actually pretty well built. The walls were a lot straighter than some expensive homes I've seen.

I live in one also and it has no problems whatsoever. It is extremely energy efficient and sturdy as hell. It had to travel 300 miles to get here so it better be strong.

As already said- depends who builds it.

I have a friend with one that was cheaply built.  In the first big hurricane, all his windows shook so much they cracked.  When he went to replace them he had to spend alot more, as the originals were put in with siding on top at the factory that had to be ripped out to get the old windows out, then new ones in.

Quoted: Wanna sponsor a guy in Florida with a cheap model home?

Our second plant will be in Mississippi.  More than likely the 3rd will be in FL.  You can get it shipped from OK if you want one now but it'll cost ya.  We shipped one down to MS from OK and it was $5,000 (2 flatbeds).  

Quoted: Apparently BIKECOP29's concerns are correct, not only do they not appreciate in value, but they actually depreciate like a trailer would.

So what's the bad news? I'm sowwy taxman, I live in a "mobile" home that just happens to have everything a real house has including a concrete foundation. But it's depreciating so my tax bill will have to go down.

No problems at all if you don't mind your neighbors being ex-cons & sex offenders. I think 85% of the residents of our "manufactured" community have been in & out of the pen. The ones that haven't have been arrested on misdemeanors for something or other.

Heheheh. Doesn't matter if the manufacturer is A-1 100% Top-of-the-line.

When Bubba's Trucking takes it off the parking lot to your building lot, you have no idea how many stresses have been put on the section.

My parents bought one about 4 years ago.  It came in five pieces and they have not had any problems.

Quoted: Heheheh. Doesn't matter if the manufacturer is A-1 100% Top-of-the-line. When Bubba's Trucking takes it off the parking lot to your building lot, you have no idea how many stresses have been put on the section.

Aw c'mon, W-G, let's think about this rationally for a minute.
Something like 90% of everything that's used for anything in this country is moved at some point in it's life by truck.  Including things like "A" frame sections for roofs for stick built homes, prefab sections for bridges, highway overpasses, automobiles, appliances; you name it, it moves by truck.  We've survived pretty well so far with this method of moving things from point A to point B.  I'm not going to worry too much about uni-construction panels with no moving parts.

Quoted: Aw c'mon, W-G, let's think about this rationally for a minute. Something like 90% of everything that's used for anything in this country is moved at some point in it's life by truck.  Including things like "A" frame sections for roofs for stick built homes, prefab sections for bridges, highway overpasses, automobiles, appliances; you name it, it moves by truck.  We've survived pretty well so far with this method of moving things from point A to point B.  I'm not going to worry too much about uni-construction panels with no moving parts.

Rather than think about it, why don't you spend a little bit of time watching it happen?

I actually know a few people who have had very good experiences with modular homes (built in panels), steel modular buildings (which you can get insulated like a trailer outside of Deadhorse if you want), and cinder block/steel frame buildings.  All somewhat non-traditional, and ALL WERE PUT TOGETHER BY COMMERCIAL BUILDERS, NOT HOME BUILDERS for my friends.  I am sure that with some research you can get almost anything to work right, but you might as well use a builder used to rigid client specs, clients with dangerous legal teams, rigid time schedules, and actual building codes instead of Billy Bob and his crew of 300 illegal aliens and a Home Depot credit card.

If you want cheap, have you looked at insulated concrete forms?  About 10% more expensive to build but you tend to save big on the insurance and the cooling/heating costs.  They go up pretty fast.  You can get foam-filled cinder block as well and good masons can put that up quick.  And it tends to be very quiet.


EDIT


And now that I am thinking about it, one of my relatives actually lives in a beautiful craftsman-style (no pun intended) home that was apparently purchased mail order from Sears sometime in the 1920s.  Still tight as a tick's rear end and solid oak and yellow pine from end to end.  She tells people that she lives in a manufactured home just to get their responses because, actually, it is a manufactured home!

Bump for the night crew.  Anyone wanna buy one of my houses?  (see pics above)