mobile homes – Champion Homes Blog

If you hear “manufactured” and automatically think of a trailer from the 70s, read this blog to see what you’ve been missing from this updated industry!

When some people think about the types of homes we build here at Champion Homes, they might envision old, bent-out trailers and want to avoid that like the plague. What those folks might be surprised to learn is how far manufactured housing has come! It’s quite an exciting path, actually.

Check out these vintage photos of our models dating back to the 60s and 70s!

How We Got to Where We Are:

According to Construction Physics, in the 1910s and 1920s, car adoption was rapidly increasing. By 1925, cars in the U.S. had increased from 500,000 to 17.5 million cars in 15 years.
Mobile homes as we know them today came about in 1926 with automobile-pulled trailers or “Trailer Coaches.”
Trailer Coaches transitioned into mobile homes after a surge in interest during World War II.
In 1976, a significant regulatory shift happened when the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development worked with the industry to enact the first manufactured housing construction code. This code really put manufactured housing on the map. It established the consistent construction parameters needed to improve overall quality and safety standards and did it at a federal level that works for all states.
Things were further refined and improved throughout the 80’s and 90’s with more advanced developments around structural load paths, installation procedures and much more. The codes continue to be advanced and improved even today through a robust collaboration process that occurs between federal agencies and industry experts using the latest in construction engineering and technology. This ensures that manufactured homes will always be built for value, performance, and great looks.

The Paris is a stunning modern home built in our Dresden, TN manufacturing facility.

What the “Big Change” Means for You:

After the industry shift in 1976, companies such as Champion Homes went on a mission to transform our collective perception of manufactured housing by consistently building quality homes that are affordable, attainable and durable. The result is a manufactured housing industry that looks completely different from what you were seeing in the 20s through the 70s.

The Aspire is built in our Sangerfield, NY manufacturing facility and is quite the looker!

Key Feature Updates and Changes

So, what are some of the main differences between the mobile homes of before 1976 and manufactured homes built to more current codes? Thanks to the implementation of the HUD code, you can expect to see changes such as:

Manufactured homes are wind-resistant. They are built to withstand similar forces as site-built homes and are as safe as site-built homes during a storm-even on the beaches.
Manufactured homes are structurally sound. The federal HUD code established structural parameters for snow loads throughout the country. This allows for the proper use of materials and assemblies to ensure a manufactured home can properly transfer heavy loads to foundations-even in the mountains.
Manufactured homes provide for fire safety. The manufactured homes of today are built with flame spread-resistant materials, smoke/carbon monoxide protection and, in some cases, fire sprinkler protection.
Manufactured homes are more energy efficient. Modern Federal codes have established provisions to ensure good thermal envelope efficiency and optimal use of heat and cooling equipment. This keeps your operation costs low and your comfort level high.

Manufactured homes are more material efficient. Well thought out construction practices within the manufacturing environment ensure that material usage is optimized by recycling and reducing waste wherever possible. This keeps the materials in your home rather than in the landfill.
Manufactured homes go through a detailed plan review and construction approval process. Federal codes require that all homes designs be reviewed and approved by engineers before construction begins. Federal and state inspectors then oversee all factory construction and site installation processes. These procedures ensure that your home meets the safety and quality standards you expect.

Under current HUD codes, manufactured homes can be installed on a variety of foundation types. From the efficiency offered with traditional manufactured home foundations to the anchored feeling of a permanent foundation just like a site-built home, Champion has a foundation system that works for you. Check out the building process in this video…it’s pretty cool!

Ready to step into the new and become a homeowner of a fabulous manufactured home? Talk to a local retailer today to find models near you!

Here are all the details you’ll need to begin your manufactured home experience

You might be seeing a lot of media about the benefits of manufactured homes and why you should consider one if you’re in the homebuying market. But you may be confused to know: what IS a manufactured home? What sets it apart from a stick-built home and why is it a smart purchase? Well, you’ve come to the right place!

The first thing you should know about manufactured homes is that they’re factory-built. This means our teams work indoors, in climate-controlled facilities, with no dependence on weather fluctuations like your typical site-built home. Because manufactured homes are factory-built, they provide assurance for details such as:

Quality control
Weather-protected construction materials
Construction speed
Energy-efficient structures
Less waste

So, you’ve likely heard manufactured homes referred to as mobile homes in your day-to-day conversations. That’s a historical reference that has changed from the past perception.

Now, let’s move on to why we call them “manufactured” homes. From the early 50’s to the mid 80’s manufactured homes were referred to as single-wide and double-wide mobile homes. In 1976, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) federal building code was developed to bring oversite to the growing mobile home industry and that lead to the new product type “Manufactured Homes.” The (HUD) federal building code continues to evolve and is updated by various government committees on a regular basis to ensure all the latest standards regarding safety, energy, structural integrity, and indoor air quality are maintained at a high level.

The Transitions 20727 makes saying "yes to the house" so easy. — The Transitions 20727 makes saying “yes to the house” so easy.

Why Should You Care? Manufactured homes offer many advantages, including:

Affordability
An independent engineering plan review and inspection process
Governed by the federal HUD code who sets quality standards for manufactured housing
Insulated for the right climate, wind and seismic criteria

With a Champion® Homes manufactured home, you get quality all-around – a premier homebuying experience paired with an elegant product. Our homes will have you thinking “premier” and “elegance” from door to door. We aim to upgrade the manufactured home buying experience by improving construction processes and providing innovative design so that you can worry less about other details and spend that time on what matters: enjoying your home. We’re all about changing things for the better and in more ways than one!

Luckily, we’ve got decades of experience doing just that here at Champion Homes. We have an array of floor plans and design options the modern shopper will love. Ready to give the manufactured life a try? Let’s build your ideal home today.