Mobile homes are built in a factory, with climate control and a slow-motion assembly line system. This enables a manufacturer to maintain more consistent quality than most site-built homes, that are subject to the inclement weather and can’t take advantage of computerized industrial equipment for assembly. 

    But a HUD mobile home is intended to be a low-cost option for homebuyers. They are priced on average less than half as much per square foot as a regular single-family home. Manufacturers try to keep the sale price low while maintaining quality as high as possible within the price range. All major manufacturers have price tiers with corresponding levels of quality of the siding, doors, windows, roof, appliances, and interior detailing. Higher priced homes are going to last longer. See our blog post How can I tell if a mobile home is well constructed? for tips on how to determine the quality level of a particular mobile home.  

    HUD estimates that a mobile should last 30 to 55 years, depending on maintenance, and the Manufactured Housing Institute, an industry organization, pegs it more optimistically at 55.8 years. Visit out blog post What is the life expectancy of a mobile home? for more on this.
     We suggest going on a factory tour to get a better idea of what’s behind the walls and under the floor of a mobile home. One manufacturer in Central Florida offers free factory tours twice-a-day, three days a week. To learn more, see our blog post Are mobile homes well built?

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Here’s links to a collection of our blog posts about MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOMES:

• Where can I file a complaint if I have problems with my new or used manufactured/mobile home in Florida?

• What are the most common defects in mobile/manufactured home foundation piers?

• How do I determine the age of a very old mobile home?

• What is a "HUD label verification letter" for a mobile/manufactured home?  

• When did a ground cover vapor barrier (plastic sheet) become required under a mobile/manufactured home? 

• Is it safe to go under a mobile home? 

• Are older mobile homes unsafe? 

• What do I need to know about buying a foreclosed mobile home? 

• Does it make sense to buy an older mobile home and remodel it? 

• Where do I find the vehicle identification number (VIN) on a mobile home? 

• How do I find out how old a mobile home is and who manufactured it?

• What is the right price for a used mobile home?

• How energy efficient is a mobile home?

• When were the first double-wide mobile homes manufactured?

• How do I upgrade my old (pre-1976) mobile home to meet HUD standards?

• What size air conditioner is right for my mobile home? 

• Can you move an older mobile home in Florida? 

• What does the HUD tag look like and where do I find it on a mobile home? 

• Can you put a zone 1 mobile home in Florida?

• How can I remove water under my mobile home?

• How can I tell if a mobile home is well constructed?

• How can I tell the difference between a manufactured home and a modular home?

       Visit our MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOMES  page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.