As with other myths about modular construction, this concern results from the common confusion of modular homes with mobile homes. Trailers are indeed more vulnerable to extreme weather because they are designed to be moved. Modular homes are not the same as mobile or “manufactured” housing. Homeowners considering building with modular construction in an extreme weather region can rest assured for a number of reasons.
Modular Homes are Permanent
Unlike mobile homes, modular homes are as permanent as site-built homes. Mobile homes are at higher risk because they are set on temporary foundations.
Modular homes, on the other hand, have permanent foundations to which they are secured, so there is no point of weakness between your home and the ground that wind or water can exploit. In fact, modular homes are indistinguishable from site-built homes of a similar design. Unless you saw the house being installed, there’s no way to tell. Manufactured/mobile homes, on the other hand, are easily distinguished by the skirting hiding the foundation.
Sometimes mobile homes are permanently secured to foundations, but they are still not generally built to the same standards as site-built or modular homes.
How Modular Homes Came to Be More Reliable Than Mobile Homes
We’ll start with why there’s a stigma about modular housing when it comes to safety during storms.
Mobile homes built prior to the 1950s were used as temporary housing for workers who needed to travel far distances to work during WWII. After the war, mobile homes were an affordable option for people with lower incomes to achieve homeownership.
On June 15, 1974, Congress passed the National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards Act which led to building code regulations that are now required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
Prior to this act being passed, there was little oversight in the building process of mobile homes which is why there is a stigma attached to homes built inside home building facilities. Homebuyers were concerned about the strength and durability of homes built without any required building code or construction standard in a facility.
After this act was passed, the HUD Code was implemented and is followed by every manufactured home builder in America, including our home building facilities. This code ensures that every manufactured home builder follows the standards enforced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Inspections
Since modular homes are inspected not only by state and local building inspectors but also at every step of the manufacturing process, they are subject to far more inspections than a site-built home. This is a huge plus since the report also states that “Inadequate training of the inspectors and supervisors are factors that may have contributed to the poor-quality construction observed.”
Site-built homes only have one inspection once the home is completed. In some states, the inspection doesn’t even have to be carried out by a licensed inspector. This one inspector is responsible for checking everything from the roof to the basement, to the electrical wiring, to the plumbing, and everything else as well. With a modular home, a specialized inspection takes place at every step of construction. These inspections aren’t mandated by the government, but by the manufacturers themselves to make sure that quality is kept as high as possible. Then, once the house is built, it will be given a final inspection just like a site-built home.
Colorado’s Quality Modular Home Builder
At the core of the modular home, the advantage is the fact that our homes are bolted together. Unlike traditionally built homes that are nailed together, it is simple to envision which of the two types of construction is better prepared to stand up to mother nature. This is particularly meaningful for those homebuyers who will reside in storm-prone areas in Colorado. Modular homes here in Colorado Springs can handle the strongest storms and high winds.
Rocky Mountain Modular Homes.com is excited to answer any questions you may have and walk you through the process. Our valued off-site preferred manufacturers offer hundreds of options for every home buyer’s tastes and preferences.
