Mobile and manufactured homes are not very different, which is why
the terms are used interchangeably. However, the difference is in the code used to build
them, so you can easily tell them apart by looking at the year of manufacture.
The National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Act was passed in
1974 and they established the HUD Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards in
1976. This means that the mobile homes manufactured before this time didn’t follow any set
building standards because those standards had not been established until 1976.
Mobile and manufactured homes are not very different, which
is why the terms are used interchangeably. However, the difference is in the code used to
build them, so you can easily tell them apart by looking at the year of manufacture.
The National Mobile Home Construction and Safety Act was passed in 1974 and they established
the HUD Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards in 1976. This means that the
mobile homes manufactured before this time didn’t follow any set building standards because
those standards had not been established until 1976.
The HUD Code provided a strict standard to follow that covered every single key aspect,
including design, construction, body and frame, fire safety, plumbing, electrical, and so
much more. In other words, this code formally regulated the safety and quality standards of
mobile home production. Homes built under these standards thus came to be known as
manufactured homes.
So, the big difference between these two is that mobile homes were built before 1976 and
manufactured homes were built after that year, following higher construction standards and
guidelines. When it comes to insurance, you can use mobile home insurance or manufactured
home insurance to protect your home. You can also use other kinds of insurance, such as
second home insurance, landlord insurance, dwelling insurance, renters insurance, and even
farm insurance.
Mobile homes built before the introduction of the HUD Code, which is the only
federally-regulated national building code available, were known as trailer homes. They were
mass produced which made them cheaper, but also less safe because building specifications
were overlooked.
It’s important to note that in the 1960s, consumers no longer wanted affordability and
mobility, they wanted more space and amenities, so they were willing to pay more. As a
result, mobile homes became larger and the interior became similar to standard site-built
homes. The HUD Code took things to another level and it made way for more advanced and safer
manufactured homes.
Though mobile and manufactured homes are basically the same, the difference lies in the date
of manufacture, the HUD Code, and the perception people have of them. Mobile homes are
thought to be of lesser quality because no building standard was taken into consideration.
Manufactured homes are of higher quality and people can customize them in any way they like,
which is a huge benefit. They both need proper insurance.