How Has Manufactured Home Quality Improved Over the Years?

How Has Manufactured Home Quality Improved Over the Years?

Manufactured homes have made a comeback in central Alabama and the surrounding area, and their demand is rapidly increasing. Thus, manufactured home manufacturers are putting equal efforts to improve their quality. They aim to design the most comfortable houses for their customers and blur the lines between a manufactured home and a conventional stick-built home.

But this has not always been the same. 

Initially, manufactured homes—known as trailers—were either long, skinny, or ‘box’-shaped houses that looked nothing like traditional homes. In the early 1970s, these trailers gave way to single wide and double wide mobile homes. Then, in June 1976, The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) set the stage for today’s high-quality manufactured homes by setting national standards to improve the safety and quality of manufactured homes. 

Continue to read to know what all has changed since then. 

Manufactured homes today 

When you hear the word “manufactured home,” does a narrow vintage trailer come to your mind? Well, manufactured homes have come a long way and are nothing like those around before. Three areas in particular—the manufacturing process, energy-efficiency, and design—have improved exponentially. Let’s talk about these in detail:

Manufacturing process 

The credit for improving the manufacturing process completely goes to the Manufactured Housing Improvement Act of 2000 (2000 Act). When Congress figured out that manufactured housing plays a crucial role in meeting the nation’s housing needs and is a significant source of homeownership, it decided to work on the quality, affordability, durability, and safety of the manufactured houses. 

All the manufactured homes built today have to comply with the latest building codes. They have to be at least 400 ft2 in size, the ceiling heights should be at least 7 feet, and the room and bathroom should be habitable and well-ventilated. Not only did this make manufactured homes more livable, but these homes also started rolling with workmanship and materials guarantee.

Energy efficiency 

In 2016, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that manufactured homes should be energy-efficient. The Field Evaluation of Advances in Energy-Efficiency Practices for Manufactured Houses report informs that high-quality manufactured homes should be built in compliance with the HUD code and DOE’s Zero Ready Energy Home guidelines. 

As per the guidelines, manufacturers’ were expected to increase caulking and insulation around the ductwork, electrical outlets, lighting, add modern and on-demand water heaters, and install current and energy-efficient windows. All these changes made manufactured homes up to 27% more energy efficient. 

Design 

The interiors and exteriors of the manufactured homes have also improved significantly. In fact, the aesthetics of a modern manufactured home in Montgomery, AL, matches (and sometimes even exceeds) that of a traditional or stick-built home. Design trends—for example, an open concept, solid wood cabinets, beautiful blinds, etc.—have made manufactured homes an attractive option for new home buyers in Alabama. 

Take help from Jaco Sales, LLC.

If you want to buy a manufactured home in Montgomery, AL, Jaco Sales, LLC. has got your back. Serving the people of central Alabama and the surrounding area for more than 15 years, we pride ourselves on offering the most affordable and high-quality manufactured homes. We comply with all the HUD guidelines and manufacture homes that are completely safe and durable for you and your family.

Want some assistance in purchasing a new manufactured home? Call us at (334) 283-1017 to learn more about our services.