# Pros/Cons: Doublewide vs. stick-built



## Huntmo1

My wife and I have 30 acres in MO that we hope to build on in the next few years. We are looking to build a relatively small home (1000-1400 sq ft) as it will just be the two of us. We'd want a couple bedrooms in case we have guests or the kids/grandkids come to visit, but otherwise, we don't need a lot of room.

Anyway, we have a few floor plans that we really like, but know that the cost of building a traditional home will be more expensive than going with a modular or double-wide home. That difference could mean us having to work longer to be able to afford/build it. Lately we have been looking a little more at double-wide homes, but wanted to get some feedback from this group to see if anyone has gone through the same type of decision in the past.

Anyone on here decide to go with a double-wide/modular home vs. a traditional home? Or, anyone go with a double-wide as their primary choice? If so, what are the pros/cons that you've experienced and what are some recommendations you would have for someone like me?

Note: I'm not experienced in construction, so even though I know that would be a considerable cost savings, building our own home is not really an option .

Thanks in advance for any feedback you can provide.


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## fishhead

I would try to calculate the life time cost of each. In your climate just the air conditioning costs could tip it in favor of stick built or modular and give you a more comfortable home to boot.

I plan on building a super insulated home with 16" walls but I also plan on building most of it myself. In the long run it will lower my month bills once I retire and living on a fixed income.


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## ErinP

To clarify terminology:
Double-wide=manufactured.
Modular=Stick-built in a huge factory.

Personally, double-wide/manufactured wouldn't even be on my radar unless you buy a cheap, used one. 

Modular will be faster and probably tighter (especially if you go with a good company like Heritage Homes). 
Stick-built will probably be cheaper, but that's something that's usually site-specific, so you'll have to do some research on that one.


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## wally

ErinP said:


> To clarify terminology:
> Double-wide=manufactured.
> Modular=Stick-built in a huge factory.
> 
> Personally, double-wide/manufactured wouldn't even be on my radar unless you buy a cheap, used one.
> 
> Modular will be faster and probably tighter (especially if you go with a good company like Heritage Homes).
> Stick-built will probably be cheaper, but that's something that's usually site-specific, so you'll have to do some research on that one.


Call it what you want but if it comes in on a trailer it is still a trailer house


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## MushCreek

All of the materials for my ICF home arrived on a trailer.....

I would avoid a manufactured/mobile home unless there's just no other way. Here in SC, the resale is dismal. Modulars and site-built homes are roughly the same cost, with modulars being faster, and arguably better because they are built out of the weather. That being said, there is still a stigma attached to modulars, as some people equate them with mobile homes.


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## Huntmo1

Thanks for the feedback. My gut tells me to stay away from mobile homes as well...just wanted to see what others may have experienced.


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## Dixie Bee Acres

Just my oppinion, but even a manufactured home could be a first choice.
Sure, resale value is lower, but if you have no plans on selling it soon, what does resale value matter?
Also, a good number of manufactured homes are actually built stronger than a stick built home.
Think about this, stick built is built to sit on a foundation, manufactured is built to live in, and take a pot hole at 55 mph.
The thing with manufactured homes, even with cinder block foundations, they actually sit on pillars about an inch above the foundation, but, you can usually pay an additional fee to have it sat on the foundation.


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## Harry Chickpea

We went manufactured. Have not regretted it. Every situation is different.


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## Forcast

Uncle has a modular set on a foundation, cinder block with stone cover. Came in in 4 parts the men put it together in a day. All complete! Ocean City Md. But they love it and if you didnt see the thing come in parts you would not know the difference.


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## wharton

wally said:


> Call it what you want but if it comes in on a trailer it is still a trailer house


 As a builder I can't imagine a more incorrect statement. A state code modular is a stick built home built in a controlled environment, indoors, using assembly line techniques. A double wide or HUD code modular is a trailer. As different as night and day. A double wide is built on a permanent trailer frame, A state code modular is craned onto a trailer, and delivered to the site to be craned onto a foundation.


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## Vahomesteaders

Stay away from a double wide. Go for a prefab modular of you must. Don't overlook the cabin kits out there. We have even considered the Amish built barns. They will build then 16x52 for 13k. Then you finish the inside. They are stronger than a modular add they have to be built for a long haul with all 2x6 and 4x4. We were gonna put two side by side with a 12x14 connecting section and out was about 30k. Then another 12 to finish the inside with open lofts. So we would be in under 50k. Then add 5 for the well and 7 for the drain field and w we would be to to movein under 75k.


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## Vahomesteaders

But then we just decided I'm gonna stick build a 40x40 with open lofts on each end for bedrooms.


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## ErinP

wally said:


> Call it what you want but if it comes in on a trailer it is still a trailer house


wharton beat me to it. 

A trailer will forever after _still_ be moveable, just by putting wheels back on. 
A modular is permanently attached to any foundation you could want, just like any other house. The only way anyone would ever know it wasn't site built is because people will remember "the day they brought Jones' house in."


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## Molly Mckee

A trailer generally depreciates, a stick built appreciates, a modular usually will appreciate, sometimes a little more slowly than a stick built.


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## Forcast

Vahomesteaders said:


> But then we just decided I'm gonna stick build a 40x40 with open lofts on each end for bedrooms.


you might rethink the open lofts bedrooms thats what I did and it ok if you live alone but not very private. the sound travels better to have walls for bedrooms and doors.


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## ChristieAcres

I'd never want to live in a doublewide again! They depreciate and are not built nearly as well as a stick-built home or modular. You will spend more on heating a doublewide, too.

Something to consider... If you slate this to be your retirement, i.e. last home, it would be wise to consider the floorplan to be one conforming for disability. There should be a walk-in shower, for example, wider hallways, wider doorways, and the room sizes should be ample enough to roll a wheelchair/use a walker in. Now, not knowing the future of your health, it is also wise to have a master on the main floor, along with all the main living areas. Any extra bedrooms/bathrooms could be in a loft or 2nd floor. This would be a home, you would never have to leave...

We are designing our home this way, a log home, and are going with a loft.


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## Harry Chickpea

Sorry lorichristie, but other than your opinion and personal experience, I have to disagree strongly. Our home is larger and costs LESS to heat by far than any home I have owned. The construction is "heavyweight" construction and stronger than most of the area homes we looked at. I made a point to do a walk through at the factory WHILE the home was being built, so I was able to see the framing before it was covered over.

It is by nature a single story, the floor plan is almost precisely what I would have designed, and for us the depreciation wasn't a big factor. We knew that stick builts were going to be depreciating for another two to three years at least (we moved in 2007 at the last of the real estate inflated market) and we also recognized that taxes on a depreciating dwelling would not rise as they would with a stick built. With an uncertain and limited income stream, that was important.

As I said before, every situation is different.


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## Vahomesteaders

Forcast said:


> you might rethink the open lofts bedrooms thats what I did and it ok if you live alone but not very private. the sound travels better to have walls for bedrooms and doors.


Yeah I know what you mean. We lived in an open loft cabin several years ago. lol But thats why I will build a kids play room with a door and bose surround sound. We are open with them and they know mom and dad need alone time. lol But we are considering closing in the loft areas and just leaving an open overhang about 4x20 in front of each bedroom with railings.


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## Bellyman

Dividing homes up into 1) trailer, 2) modular, and 3) stickbuilt is a lot like dividing cars up into 1) economy, 2) midsize and 3) fullsize and trying to tell someone which one they should buy.

Different people have different needs to start with. Some would be happy with 800 square feet and feel like they have lots and lots of room. Some would feel like they were on top of each other if they had to live in less than 2500 square feet. Some wouldn't even want to deal with steps and would only want a single story. Others would absolutely demand more than one story or it wouldn't be a home. 

And then there is the quality of what's available in any of the possibilities. I've seen some really well built trailers. And I've seen some downright awful construction on some stickbuilt houses that would have me wanting to live in a trailer. 

I really think you have to go a little deeper than the trailer vs. modular vs. stickbuilt to arrive at a solution that will be a good one for you. Any of them can be good and any of them can be bad. 

FWIW...


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## mrs whodunit

Then there is the seasonal settling. I have noticed that in a number of trailer houses.... doesn't matter if they are on a foundation or not.


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## obleo+6

We live in southern MO. We live in a "mobile home", aka "trailer". I would NOT suggest getting one unless it's temporary and newer. Our property came with the mobile home, it's older. All the previous owners did not do any upkeep in/on it. It's been a pain to cool in the summer and keep warm in the winter.

The newer ones are great, but stay away from the older ones. Barely any insulation, they allowed rats and whatever else could get under the house to tear all the underside insulation and build nests...that's been a chore to deal with...laid down new flooring without fixing the weak spots in the under layment, ugh, it's just been one thing after another.

You're probably asking why we bought the place in the first place, well, it's a long story but it's not about "me"...it's my opinion that you should stay away from OLDER mobile homes...spend the little extra, if you get one, to get a newer model. They're built better and sounder than they were 15-20 years ago.

We moved my dad on to our property and got him a much newer model and he loves it. Easy to cool and warm, very cost efficient, and he can squeeze a nickle til it hollers...he's a happy camper. And he came from a lifetime of stick and brick homes.

There's pros and cons to each but always go with what will be less of a headache down the road.


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