Manufactured Homes: They're Not Just Trailers Anymore

Back when your parents were your age, there was no such thing as a manufactured home. If a home was built in a factory somewhere then it had to be a trailer. That’s no longer the case! Manufactured homes may appear similar to the trailers of yesteryear, but the differences set them apart…way apart!

What is the first thing that pops into your mind when you think of a trailer? If you’re like most people, you probably thought of the wheels. Trailers of the past definitely sat on wheels, after all, that’s how it got to it’s desired location. Manufactured homes arrive on wheels also, however they get removed once the home has reached it’s destination. Homes sold by Clayton Homes, the number one retailer of Manufactured Housing in the U.S., actually place their homes on a steel frame. This steel frame bears the weight of the roof, walls and floor, making them stronger and safer than a lot of stick built homes.

Another common trailer cliché is that they have underpinning (a.k.a. skirting). Although this is an option for manufactured home owners, it’s not exactly the most popular choice. It is however, the most economic of the possibilities. Skirting will keep out most critters and conceal the space under your home, but that’s about all it is good for. Some people request that their manufactured home be placed on a full basement (some manufactured home floor-plans include steps which lead down from inside the home).

Though they can provide plenty of additional storage space, basements can become quite costly. That may be why so many manufactured home owners today are placing their homes on short walls. Most would agree that short walls are much more pleasing to the eye than underpinning, and it’s certainly much cheaper than a basement, so it’s a happy-medium.