Manufactured Housing

What Is Manufactured Housing?

Manufactured housing is a residential development that is constructed or assembled in a factory before being transported to a site where it would be used.

Deeper Definition

Manufactured housing is a type of prefabricated building. It is a housing unit created off-site at factories before being moved to a piece of property where it is set up for use. Typically, the construction cost of a manufactured housing unit is lower in contrast to traditional housing. 

This type of housing started as a way of helping people whose lifestyle involved moving around to relocate with ease. However, the focus on mobility shifted over time to how much cheaper it is to construct one compared to building a traditional home. Today, it is a preferred choice of housing for some low-income earners in rural areas and areas where real estate costs are on the rise.

In many cases, the land on which a manufactured housing unit is set up is owned by another entity. Typically, the landlord and the tenant would enter an agreement that allows the tenant to assemble the home on the land in exchange for a periodic fee.

In the United States, manufactured homes compare favorably with traditional homes. The leap in advancement is the result of strict guidelines developed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The HUD guideline established some standards which manufactured homemakers must adhere to for the safety of their residents. Some of the guidelines include but are not limited to:

• Units must be at least 400 square feet in size.

• They must have at least two outside doors

• Each room must have at least one window

• Kitchens and bathrooms must have mechanical ventilation systems.

• Fire alarm and resistance.

Manufactured Housing Example

Houses that meet the above criteria can be examples of manufactured housing. The San Francisco Bay Area in Northern California, for instance, is plagued by high real estate costs. Since manufactured homes are less expensive to build than traditional homes, it is increasingly becoming a go-to solution for people moving into that area due to cheaper costs brought about by more efficient construction methods.