Champion Homes Home Buying

Not Your Trailer Home Anymore: Meet the New Prefab Homes of Today 

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! 

The Innovation 3266F kitchen…WOW!!

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!  

Champion Homes Home Decor

Designing a Kitchen That Screams YOU!

When it comes to the heart of the home, here’s how to nail it on the décor! 

Each part of a home serves a purpose of its own. The bedrooms are where you lay your head after an eventful day to get some rest for the days ahead. The family room is pretty self-explanatory; and does its job well when it comes to providing space for quality family time. Then there’s the kitchen. It’s been called the “heart” of the home for as long as we can remember, and for good reason! The kitchen is where nourishing meals are prepared, bonds are strengthened over breaking bread, last minute the-bus-comes-in-5-minutes waffles are devoured and so much more.  

That’s why the interior design of the kitchen is so important to so many existing and prospective homeowners alike. If you’re trying to figure out how to infuse a bit of yourself in your kitchen design, keep reading!  

The dark tones in the Odyssey Kitchen perfectly complement the cool-toned appliances. 

START WITH…

You’ll want to begin perfecting your kitchen design by taking the whole home into account. Think about how each room in the home is connected to the others. We’ve spoken in other blogs about the “flow” of a home, and that flow should definitely be considered when you want to design a kitchen that won’t stick out like a sore thumb, but still has a vibe of its own.  

Will the kitchen be traditional like the rest of the home with unique pops of color to stand out? 

Will the kitchen take on a nautical feel like your bathroom? 

Will the kitchen employ neutrals like the bedroom, but feature some brass details to emphasize the appliances? 

These are all the types of questions you want to start asking yourself when thinking of designing your kitchen.  

Carved arches and an expansive island in the Cypress Manor 5644A Kitchen make it a truly standout part of this home.

THEN YOU… 

Mix a little bit of reality with your dreams. You want to think about the layout of the kitchen and surrounding space, but you also want to think about key elements you’ve just GOTTA HAVE.  

Maybe the kitchen is separate from other rooms in the house, and you must take that into account with the big monstera plants you want in the room. Or maybe it’s an open flow layout where the kitchen naturally leads to the family room or living room, and you’ve got to think about where you’ll be aesthetically placing things. 

Maybe you want to make the backsplash the focal point of the room. If it’s an open plan home, you’ll want to make sure the design doesn’t clash with the surrounding rooms/spaces.  

Do you NEED to have a farmhouse sink? Do you really want your cabinets to be white? Really think about your feature priorities and try to balance those with the space and layout you’re working with. 

Image of the inside of our Laurel II model. The kitchen has blue accenting.
The blue tones in the Laurel II Kitchen will have you thinking about the usage of color! 

FINALLY, YOU WANT TO… 

Get to business! A local retailer can help you by presenting your best options. When you purchase a Champion® home, your local retailer will be able to take your kitchen needs and make suggestions on the best models to suit those needs.  

Ready to find the kitchen of your dreams? Get in touch with a retailer near you today!

Champion Homes Home Building

All About Prefab Homes 

Get the 4-1-1 on Prefabricated Homes and Their Benefits

Though they’ve been around for over 100 years, prefab homes are becoming an increasingly popular housing option for homebuyers looking to make a purchase that’s affordable and sustainable. As their popularity soars, your curiosity is sure to grow with it! If you want to know what there is to know about prefabricated homes and how to get your own, keep reading! 

Model 2444 will bring all your #coastalvibes dreams to life! 

First thing first, what is a prefab home? Well, another term for prefabricated homes is “factory-built homes.” This second term might shed more light on what a prefab home really is: a home built and designed in an off-site facility and then transported to the site for assembly and finishing. Prefabricated homes are brought to their final site about 90% already done.  

The World of Prefab Homes

So, now you know “prefabricated” refers to how and where a home is built. Now it’s time to learn about the different types of prefabricated homes available to you! 

  • Manufactured 
    • Factory-built homes built to the HUD code. To learn more about manufactured homes, click HERE.  
  • Modular 
    • Factory-built homes built to local and state codes. To learn more about modular homes, click HERE.  

The Claremont

Why Are Prefabricated Homes More Affordable? 

Factory-built homes are more affordable because they are more efficient. Let us explain. Having the luxury of building homes in a climate-controlled facility means a lot of great things. One of those means being able to pre-plan and pre-buy materials according to what we know we will build each day. This means fewer materials are wasted because we can allot what we buy to our standard building output. Also, using a skilled labor force means workers are assembled efficiently as well. This means multiple homes are finished in our building facilities every day!  

What Are Some More Benefits of Prefabricated Homes? 

Sustainability, energy efficiency and timeline, just to name a few! 

And there you have it! As you can probably see, prefab homes are pretty darn cool! And at Champion® Homes, we like to think ours are the coolest. Ready to make the leap into factory-built housing? Talk to a retailer near you for your best options today!