When searching for a new home, there are a lot of terms for different home types. Most understand what a conventional, site built home is. When it comes to more affordable housing options, the terms mobile homes, manufactured homes, and modular homes are used, often interchangeably which can get confusing.
Mobile, manufactured, and modular homes are technically all mobile or movable but each has different degrees of mobility. Visually manufactured and modular homes once placed, can be mistaken for site built homes. And modular homes are technically manufactured in a factory but not the same as a manufactured home. Below we’ve broken down the differences in mobile, manufactured, and modular homes because there are major differences between all 3 of those types of homes. Not just how they are built but what building codes they must meet and inspections needed.
Below is the summarized version of the differences. For an in depth explanation, click here for our full article.
Type of Home | Where Built | Building Code | Where Placed | Affordability |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mobile | Factory | None | No longer built | Very Budget Friendly |
Manufactured | Factory | Federal HUD Code | Where zoned for living | Budget Friendly |
Modular | Factory | Local Building Code | Where zoned for living | Cheaper Than Site Built Homes |