Manufactured Home Glossary

Chattel Loan

Also known as chattel mortgages, chattel loans are a special type of loan most commonly used when buying manufactured homes on leased land. Unlike mortgages, where the lender has a lien on property owned by the borrower, the lender owns the property, conditionally transferring ownership until the loan gets paid off.

Delivery

After building a manufactured home at the factory, the new home gets transported to the homesite for installation. In some cases, the home dealer pays to transport the home and manages delivering and installing the home. Before buying, home shoppers need to determine who is responsible for delivery and installation costs of the home.

Double Wide Plan

One of the many manufactured home floor plans, double wide homes are 20 feet wide and up to 90 feet long. The extra space in double wide homes gives families and pets plenty of room to stretch out and stay comfortable.

Flat Roof

Older mobile homes built before the updated HUD codes in 1976 typically have flat roofs that present many issues with leaking and weathering. All new manufactured homes have traditional pitched roofs, making them safer and easier to maintain.

Green Manufactured Home

A manufactured home that meets or exceeds building energy standards to reduce energy and water use. Manufactured homes have become increasingly environmentally friendly. Tight building envelopes, plenty of insulation and additional features like solar panels help keep manufactured and modular homes comfortable and green.

Hardboard Siding

Hardboard siding is primarily made up of recycled wood fibers and was used primarily on older mobile homes. Unlike vinyl siding found on new manufactured homes, hardboard siding rots, needs extensive caulking and can lead to moisture problems in the home.

House Wrap

This thick plastic wrap goes in between the interior walls and exterior finishes, especially under the crawl space. House wrap, sometimes called belly wrap, helps protect the home from moisture and makes the home easier to heat and cool.

Manufactured Home

A somewhat mobile home, built in a factory and that can be placed on a solid foundation, a basement or pylons. These homes can incorporate everything from green features, luxury upgrades and smart home technology. Manufactured homes must meet federal building codes.

Manufactured Home Park

A neighborhood designed to host many manufactured homes. Typically, residents rent the land where they place the home. These communities frequently offer resort-style amenities.

Metal Siding

Metal siding is one of the siding options often found on older mobile homes. This siding is susceptible to rust and must be annually treated to ensure that rust damage will not impact interior walls.

Mobile Home

The term “mobile home” refers to manufactured homes built before the 1976 HUD codes improved their quality and safety. Mobile homes tend to have flat roofs and lower quality materials than modern manufactured homes.

Modular Home

Modular homes are built in two to five pieces in a factory, then are delivered to a homesite with a solid foundation or basement for assembly. These homes can look like traditional site built homes and must meet local building codes. Homeowners can choose to include green features, luxury upgrades, smart home technology, and floor plans that suit their lifestyle.

Particleboard Sub Floors

Like hardboard siding, particleboard sub floors are an inexpensive building material composed of recycled wood fibers. Particleboard rots easily, and installing it in rooms with lots of pluming requirements or humidity, only leads to costly replacements.

Permanent Foundation

A slab foundation or basement that where people can place a modular home or manufactured home. Homeowners must place a modular home on a solid foundation, and can receive better home loans and higher property values if they place a manufactured home on a solid foundation.

Pitched Roof

Roof that slopes at least four inches. Manufactured homes have traditional pitched roofs, similar to those used on single-family homes. These types of roofs make the homes safer and easier to maintain and that can withstand the elements. Mobile homes built before the updated HUD codes in 1976 typically have flat roofs that present many issues with leaking and weathering.

Restrictive Covenants

Restrictive covenants are local zoning laws that limit the way property owners can use their land. Home shoppers hoping to place their manufactured home on land they own should go over local zoning laws to make sure they can place a manufactured or modular home on the land.

Shingled Roof

Manufactured and modular homes with pitched roofs can support shingled roofs and many home manufacturers offer shingled roofs as part of their home packages.

Single Wide Plan

Single wide, or single section, floor plans can vary anywhere from 11 feet wide to 18 feet wide and can also vary in length. These floor plans can include two or more bedrooms and bathrooms.

Site Prep

Before delivering a manufactured home, debris like trash, grass and small trees must be cleared away and the ground must get leveled. Homeowners should ask their homebuilder if site prep is included in the price of the home.

Tie-Downs

Tie downs and anchors keep manufactured homes on their foundation. HUD code regulates the minimum number of anchors needed for the home and the amount of wind resistance that is required.

Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding comes standard on almost every modern manufactured and modular home. Homeowners can choose to upgrade this easy-to-clean, long-lasting material for custom siding like cedar or brick, depending on their manufacturer.

Wallboard

Wallboard is another building material made of recycled wood fiber or gypsum commonly used in manufactured homes. Homeowners can wallpaper, paint and cover wallboard with stone backsplashes or reclaimed wood.

Wind Zone

HUD wind zones rate the amount of wind pressure a home must withstand. Like all HUD regulations, manufactured homebuilders must build homes to meet the necessary wind zones.