Each type of home is built to different building codes.

Manufactured Homes are built to the Federal Construction Safety Standards Act or HUD/CODE. These home are designed with a permanent steel frame that is part of their floor system. Manufactured Homes come with a complete heating system, water heater, flooring and are generally ready to move into once they are delivered and set with minimal on-site hookups required. Manufactured Homes have 2×6 exterior walls, insulated floors, optional hardwood trim, vinyl single hung windows, vinyl wrapped sheetrock walls or finished tape and texture walls.

Manufactured Homes come as either a doublewide or a singlewide. Doublewide homes are typically 24’ to 30’ wide and singlewide homes are typically 14’ or 16’ wide. Manufactured Homes also carry a Title and are typically not considered a permanent structure.

Manufactured Homes do require a frost protected foundation which can be piers, engineered slab, basement, or a crawlspace. When a Manufactured Home is placed on a basement, it does not make it a Modular Home.

Modular Homes are built to the International Residential Code or the IRC. This is the same code that site built homes are built to. Each state has either adopted the IRC code or has their own state code that they work with. Each Modular Home is built to the exact code that is required by the state, county and specific locality.

Modular Homes are built with “all wood” construction. There is no metal frame found in the modular home like the Manufactured Home. They have 2×10 floor joists, 2×6 exterior walls and 2×4 interior walls. They are finished off with ½” fully taped and textured sheetrock on the interior walls, hard wood trim, wood cabinets and many other options. Modular Homes are typically 28’ wide and vary in length up to 76’ long. They also build two stories, lofts, T-ranches, with many other combinations and sizes.

Modular Homes are required to be placed on a permanent foundation of a basement or a heated crawlspace. There is no furnace, or water heater included with a Modular Home unless it is ordered with them. There is more work to finishing off the plumbing and electrical work in a Modular project. This cannot be finished until the home is placed on it’s permanent foundation and is the responsibility of the purchaser.

We work with 4 different builders at Anderson Homes. Each builder has many plans drawn up for you to choose from or you can have a custom Modular Home built to your specs. There are also hundreds of options you can choose from to make your Modular Home the home of your dreams.

Modular Homes are built to the same IRC building codes and State Building Codes that site built homes are. The difference is that all Modular Homes are built in a controlled environment and third party inspected at the factory before they are delivered to your site to make sure they comply with all local building codes. Site built homes are constructed out in the elements and only have the electrical system inspected unless you are in a code-enforced area. The contractor may say it is built to the IRC code but no one is inspecting the home to make sure it actually is.

Modular homes are built with the efficiency and quality control only found using factory assembly line techniques. Each home travels through departments staffed with specialized workers who represent every building trade. Work is never delayed by weather, subcontractor no-shows or missing material. Materials are also protected from the weather instead of being piled outside. The average typical waste of building a 2,000 sq ft. home is in excess of 8,000 pounds. In Modular Home construction that waste can be recycled.

Quality engineering and modular construction techniques significantly increase the energy efficiency of modular homes. After Hurricane Andrew, a FEMA study showed that system built (Modular Homes) construction stood up better than site built homes in the storm-ravaged Dade County. “Overall relatively minimal structural damage was noted in system-built homes. System-built construction provides an inherently rigid system that performed much better than conventional residential framing.” Along with quality control processes, inspectors and code compliance you are assured your new home will be every thing you dream it will be.

1.A Manufactured Home placed in Minnesota requires the installation of a frost protected foundation. This can be obtained by the installation of frost piers, engineered slab, crawlspace or a basement.

• Frost Piers are typically 24” round 5’ deep columns of concrete placed under the Manufactured Home at all points that will be blocked. A soil test needs to be done at your site to determine the size and number of piers required for each home. Anchors are then placed in the piers and the home is anchored down to the piers.
• Engineered Slab is a 6”-10” thick concrete pad placed under the entire home. The slab will have drain tile around the perimeter. Again anchors are place into the slab so the home can be anchored down. This type of foundation works well in areas with a high water table, rocky soil or where local codes require a specific type of foundation.
• Crawlspace is a 4’-5’ deep foundation that includes a 10” thick footing and a 4’-5’ high wall. Most crawlspaces do not have a poured floor but will have a 6mill poly placed on the floor and be covered with a few inches of pea rock. The wall can be made of concrete blocks, 8” thick concrete poured wall, wood or a ICF foundation block. They also will have insulated walls, and drain tile around the perimeter.

 

2.Modular Homes must be placed on a perimeter support frost protected foundation. This includes either a crawlspace or a full basement. Both the crawlspace and the basement must be fully insulated and heated on a Modular Home because your water and sewer lines are exposed under the home. Both types of foundations can be constructed with concrete blocks, 8” poured concrete wall, wood, or ICF foundation walls. The depth of your foundation depends on your local codes and the height of the water table.

Anderson Homes, Inc. works with many licensed Contractors who can install the proper foundation for your home. Please speak with your Sales Representative and they can assist you with finding the right Contractor.

This will all depend on what you order with your home. All of the lot model homes that we have on display and for sale include:

• Appliance package
• Flooring
• Lighting package
• Many interior options including:
  • Built-in cabinets
  • Fireplaces
  • Whirlpool tubs
  • Vaulted ceiling
  • Patio doors
  • Upgraded cabinetry
• Siding and shingled roof
• Delivery to your site (price will depend on your location and site)
• Placement on your foundation
• Finishing of sheetrock, trim, siding, flooring, and roof work
• Sales tax

Manufactured Homes also include a furnace and a water heater that are installed at the factory. Modular Homes need to have the furnace and water heater installed after the home is placed on its permanent foundation. This is to be done by a licensed installer and is the responsibility of the purchaser.

When you order a home you can add or omit any options you want as long as it does not interfere with the homes building codes. Each builder has hundreds of options to choose from.

Most of our builders typically take 6-8 weeks to build a home. Depending on the time of year and the number of orders the factory has the time can be shorter or longer. A custom plan that needs to be drawn and worked on by the engineering department will take longer. You can speak with your sales representative to find out the current lead-time you home may take.

Each builder we work with carries a different warranty. They vary from one year to ten years. Certain building components that are on your home will carry separate warranties with the actual builder of the item.

Anderson Homes, Inc. has our own warranty department. We assist our customers in working with each of the builders and also do warranty work on the homes we sell.

This will depend on the builder you have chosen through Anderson Homes to build your home. With most homes you can make a variety of changes as long as it does not cause problems with the structural integrity or building process of the home. This can start by changing a floor plan we have on our lot or starting from scratch on a plan you have in mind.

Certain plans are built by the manufactures to be very price competitive. These plans can be changed but the builder will charge a “custom fee” for the changes you make. Options such as cabinet styles, flooring, lighting, windows, and appliances are not considered changes to the floor plan and do not constitute a custom fee. Moving a wall or rearranging a bathroom are considered changes that will result in a custom fee.

As a general rule – No! All lending institutions have different criteria used for their lending. Know that there are many places to check with for financing. Anderson Homes’ staff can give you ideas for financing once they know what type of home you would like to buy. You also need to check with local insurance personnel to see what they have for rates, etc. on the type of home you would like to purchase.

Anderson Homes has been in business since 1950. We have many years of experience and knowledge in the manufactured and modular home business. Currently, Anderson Homes is run by the third generation of Anderson’s, who care about “you the customer” and the quality and professionalism of working on a home project. It is worth the drive to come and see the many models homes on display in Sebeka and work with our sales staff on your new home project.