One reason manufactured homes are becoming popular is that they have a faster construction speed than site-built homes. If you have ever built a site-built home, you understand that it can take you up to a year or two to complete.
A manufactured home, on the other hand, can take just a few weeks to complete. The bulk of the work is spent on designing and developing the home in the factory. After modular homes are built off-site, they are then set up on a selected lot within days.
So, exactly how long does it take to construct a manufactured home from pre-construction to handover? Keep reading to find out.
How Long Does It Take to Build a Manufactured Home?
If you are wondering how long it takes to develop what is manufactured housing, you are in the right place. Let’s give you a comprehensive guide on how long each step takes:
Selecting Your Prefered Features in a Manufactured Home
There is no timeline for the time you can take to select modular home–related features. However, you should not spend a lot of time if you want to have a home for your family as soon as possible.
Here, the first step should be finding a worthy homesite to establish your modular home. You need to go through the government and zoning restrictions related to manufactured homes, unless you select to live in a manufactured home community. It is also important to conduct soil analysis and property surveys, which should be done by hired professionals.
Please note that buying private land is more expensive than paying mobile home park lot rent, so weigh your options carefully before committing..
The next step would be selecting a competent manufactured home builder. Most mobile home dealers in Michigan assist with lot selection and preparation. They will also typically inspect your home to ensure it is in the right construction condition. This is also the time to select your floor plan and the modular home model you wish to have. The manufacturer can help you a lot here, especially with customization options.
You can also make arrangements on how to finance a manufactured home at this time. Manufactured homes qualify for financing options available to site-built homes, but only if they are permanently fixed to private land. This means that you can easily get a construction loan. However, if the mobile home is located within a manufactured home community, you will want to look into chattel financing options.
Mobile Home Manufacturers Worth Approaching
Whether you like it or not, the type of manufactured home builder you select will determine the quality of your manufactured home. Therefore, it is important that you settle on a manufacturer with long-term experience in developing quality homes.
Let’s consider some of the most reputable manufacturers worth your money:
Champion Home Builders
This company has been in the mobile home manufacturing business since 1953. They develop a wide range of home types across a wide network of retailers.
Champion Home Builders is reputable for building modular homes and manufactured homes in a climate controlled environment before installation. You would get a variety of floor plans to choose from if you were to purchase a modular home. They also, based on your location, offer both single-wide and double-wide manufactured homes.
Before you buy a modular home from them, you can do a mobile home virtual tour of the available floor plans. Even though the homes are developed on assembly lines, you can still get customizations that fit your budget and style.
All are energy-efficient manufactured homes with built-in entertainment centers, a fireplace, a radiant spa bath, and more.
Adventure Homes
This is the best manufacturer if you are looking for custom options. Here, you will have a catalog of options to select from, ranging from cabinet finishes to siding color.
The varieties developed by this manufacturer include the Mojave HUD series, Nevada HUD series, and Sahara State Code series. For instance, the Nevada series boasts 10-floor plan options. Due to having excellent manufacturing practices, Adventure Homes got the MHI Interior Design award in 2021.
Other local builders worth noting include Clayton Homes and Palm Harbor Homes. For your information, Palm Harbor Homes is the leader of manufactured and modular home development in the U.S.
Manufactured Home Building Process
After identifying your requirements, it is now time for the construction process to begin. This step will take between two days to five weeks, in most cases.
The first step here involves constructing the manufactured home’s deck, floor, or frame on a horizontal bed with joists or steel beams. Generally speaking, joists are at least 16 feet long. On the other hand, beams are located at 2 and 14-feet, rather than at the unit’s perimeter.
Next, the manufacturer installs plumbing, electrical lines, and HVAC ductwork via the joists and batt. The spray insulation is also put between the members. This is also the time for installing laminate tile, subflooring, or hardwood finished flooring. The water heater and furnace are also set in their rightful place.
The manufacturer usually assembles the exterior and interior walls in separate areas. Exterior walls are normally developed on flat surfaces with 2×6 or 2×4 wood studs. The wood is put on 16-inch centers, with conventional bottom and top plates, exterior sheathing, and door and window headers.
Walls are lifted using a crane and then nailed to the joists. They are also secured using metal hurricane straps. At this point, the interior drywall and insulation are included. For your information, non-load bearing interior walls, designed and assembled in another location, employ 2×3 studs put on 24-inch centers.
When it comes to the roof, the manufacturer assembles it using trusses that are 24-inches on the exterior sheathing and center. This is the time to attach and paint interior ceiling drywall. Manufacturers will also incorporate moisture barriers and blow insulation into the cavity. The manufacturer will then add siding and house wrap on exterior walls. They will also install doors and windows and add asphalt or tile roofing.
Finally, they will mount plumbing fixtures, TV/phone jacks, appliances, and lighting fixtures. If needed, interior molding is done and carpets are installed, too.
Lot Preparation in Readiness for Installation
Site preparation can take several days to a few months. The preparation of the building site to be ready for a modular home involves several things, including final inspection of the foundation, actual preparation of the building site, and acquiring building permits.
You should ensure that the lot is leveled and well cleared. It is also important that you account for proper drainage. Ensure that the foundation of your manufactured home is installed well and that it meets all the building standards. All the required utilities should be made available on-site, too.
Delivery and Home Installation
This is a critical step that takes between 3–4 weeks to complete. This period might appear long, but it is very short compared to what it takes for a traditional home.
Understanding the delivery and home installation process is important since it helps you to eliminate extra expenses and delays. Let’s consider delivery and home installation below:
Delivery to the Manufactured Home Site
Some manufacturers include the delivery and installation cost in the price of purchasing a modular home. However, others sell manufactured units without including the delivery costs in the total buying price. In such a case, you, as the home purchaser, become responsible for any costs pertaining to the delivery to the site.
You can accomplish delivery and installation effortlessly if you link up and work with the retailer or manufacturer. Some manufacturers have the delivery method in place that they will charge you for using. Others, however, may link you with a transport company to help you with the delivery.
All manufactured home transporters must comply with the requirements and laws of the states they operate in. They also must be licensed and regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Before a transport company delivers a home to the site, they do route planning. The route they decide to use might be very different from what you normally use while driving. In most cases, they consider road construction, traffic congestion, overpass clearance, and lane width.
For the delivery company to know where to place the home upon arrival, we recommend that you place corner stakes accordingly. Otherwise, you may be forced to spend more on a local trucker for locating the home.
It is recommended that both the manufacturer representative or dealer and the buyer are present during delivery to inspect any damaged or missing parts. Any damaged or missing parts must be reported immediately.
Manufactured Home Installation
After delivery, you should contact set-up companies to do the installation for you. In most cases, these companies are contracted by retailers. We recommend that you go for a set-up company specializing in site building. Before installation happens, ensure that the site is well prepared to meet the appearance and quality of your home.
Manufacturers provide the set-up instructions to the installer. Then, the federal standards and statutes approve such instructions. The guidelines also need to comply with the requirements of local and state jurisdictions.
The building materials employed by the installer should be approved by the respective state housing agencies and comply with the manufacturer’s listing.
The Final Verdict
As we have seen, the time it takes to develop a manufactured home ranges from a few weeks to a few months. The steps involved in building a manufactured home include selecting a piece of land, the actual home building process in the factory, lot preparation, delivery, and home preparation.
Without question, developing a manufactured home takes less time than building a site-built home. Just ensure that you approach a reliable and competent manufacturer. Most manufacturers will help you throughout the building process, including acquiring building permits, delivery, and installation.
We hope that your new residence is delivered and installed within the shortest time possible.
