The Difference.

[CraftyDiva]

Is there much difference between a modular prefab home and a moble home, aside from the fact that a moble can be moved? Also, can a modular be installed over a basement foundation or do you have to have slab?

Saw this site and the home looks nice, sloped roof can be used for solar panels, as advertised on site and their pushing it's "Green" friendly.

Lookie see..........
http://www.livemodern.com/glidehouse

[ohio_kid]

Originally Posted by CraftyDiva

Is there much difference between a modular prefab home and a moble home, aside from the fact that a moble can be moved? Also, can a modular be installed over a basement foundation or do you have to have slab?

Saw this site and the home looks nice, sloped roof can be used for solar panels, as advertised on site and their pushing it's "Green" friendly.

Lookie see..........
http://www.livemodern.com/glidehouse

There has been a lot of progress in the pre-fab home in the last 20 years. They are looking more like regular "stick built" homes each year. Yes, you can have them installed on a foundation. Most people around here have it done that way. In these parts, once it is sitting on a foundation, it's a house. Meaning, that property taxes raise more than if you have just a trailer on the property, but also the property value rises. For now, they are still a little cheaper than new home construction but as elaborate as they are making them now, the gap is closing.

[Beeman]

Generally the difference between mobile and modular is the steel fram and wheels. Modular homes do not have a steel frame under them and are the ones you generally see on basemants. Mobiles are the ones you see with the steel frame still attached even when they are installed on a basement as the steel is part of the structure and must be supported. I have lived in both. The modular is much more like a site bilt house and many could not tell the difference.

[cloverfarm]

We live in a modular on a full basement. We are pretty pleased with it. The only problem is the floors are a little noisy -- the floor joists were made out of little trusses, not solid, adn so the floors are a little creaky. Other than that, it's solid as a stick built home. It is 14 years old and was made by a local company. You might check into the actual builder to see if they have a good reputation.

Good luck!
Ann

[Maura]

There are a lot of both modulars and mobile homes in this area. Many people who have double wide mobile homes think they have modulars.

Either of them can be put on a crawl or basement. A mobile home on a foundation will live much longer than one not on a foundation (my former life as a tax assessor). As for property taxes, mobile homes are assessed, but at a higher depreciation than houses.

You pretty much get what you pay for. There are modulars and mh out there that are nearly as nice as stick built, but you are going to pay as though it was stick built. The nicest modulars I've seen are put together on the foundation, then finished. The drywall and rest of the interior is put in after the house is situated. This makes for a much nicer house. The only thing modulars and mh really have going for them, as far as I'm concerned, is the speed at which you get your house. You will pay just as much as you would had it been stick built, at least in this area.