Manufactured Homes Builders

Choose Your Favorite Manufactured Homes Builders After You Decide Which State to Live In

Some Over 55 communities already feature manufactured homes from selected builders making it easier to choose:

Types of Manufactured Homes Most builders manufacture all types.

If you are buying into a community that already has a choice of homes from certain manufacturers, that is the easiest way to purchase a manufactured home.   However, if you are buying or renting the lot alone in an over-55 active adult community, and need to know what major manufacturers market there, then this list will be helpful.

Builders only market in certain states or regions and some are National.

The reason for listing them by state here is that the cost of transporting your manufactured home from the builder is very high, and, therefore, you want to minimize that cost by choosing a manufacturer located close to the site you will build on.   See the dealers for details.

Of course, you want to make that decision by comparing manufacturers and being well informed by visiting their dealers, reading books and doing your own investigation. 

A good book resource is the "Grissim Buyers Guides to Manufactured Homes and Land."  Here is a comprehensive article on their website about the outlook for manufactured homes with tips on buying.

First Step: Research Important Information You Need to Know

1. Know the Manufacturer's style
2. Learn the differences in types
3. Know the price range of the builder
   

• Each manufacturer is known for a certain style of home and price range. It is a good idea to check on this information as well as their reputation when considering which manufactured homes builder to choose.
• Know basic information: Manufactured Homes are built in a factory under federal building standards and administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Modular Homes are built in a factory and comply with State Residential Building codes, the same standards as site-built homes. This means they are priced the same as site-built homes.
• The medium price range is $55,000 to $70,000. You can go into a lower or higher price range. Builders often specialize in a certain price range.
• Most manufactured home builders also build modular homes.

If you are buying in an over 55 community, many may already have homes on the lot ready to go or have some standards for quality you need to meet. Check with your community before purchasing your home.

The date manufactured homes are called manufactured and not mobile:

Important Side Note: The Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) makes the distinction between manufactured homes and mobile homes as follows:

Any home built after 1976 is called a manufactured home and those built before that date are termed mobile homes. That is when the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) passed quality assurance standards and has upgraded them since then.

Today's Manufactured Homes

• The manufactured homes industry works with states to improve manufactured housing.
• Many manufactured homes of today are built to look like site-built homes. This has improved their acceptance and integration with surrounding communities. Federal legislation has opened up more areas to place these communities in and updated housing and construction codes.
• Manufactured homes builders are coming out with new designs to improve the appearance and be of interest to a larger segment of home purchasers.
• Manufactured housing is a more affordable option and it is my opinion that manufactured homes will be very important for seniors in retirement for the future. I am currently putting together an article to show the features of manufactured housing that will apply to seniors.

The 3 Largest National Builders of Manufactured Housing

• Clayton (now also has a tiny homes collection)
• Champion
• Cave (now owns Palm Harbor, Fleetwood and Fairmont)

With the downturn in the economy in 2006, there was a shakeout of builders of manufactured homes.  With the revival of the industry since 2011, three major builders have emerged as dominating the industry:  Clayton Homes, with approximately 41% of the market share, is the largest.  They are followed by Champion Homes and Cavco Homes.  Popular builders Palm Harbor and Fleetwood are now owned by Cavco.  Please verify all information.   

List of Manufactured Homes Builders:

The following list is of major well-known and accepted builders, many with years of experience listed by the state their main office is located in.

There are dealers in the state who will represent other manufactured homes builders who do not have plants in the state but do have sales centers in that state.

Please Note: Each manufacturer listed will have plants and dealers in other states as well as the home state listed. Not all manufacturers, however, are in all states. Some are strictly regional manufacturers while some are coast-to-coast.

We hope this list helps you find the better known builders and the areas their retail centers and factories are located in as well as their style of building:

Florida:

Jacobsen Homes - Main Plant is in Safety Harbor. Since 1959. This builder is important to mention here because it specializes in retirees and mostly in Florida. Focuses on in-park sales. Midrange prices and excellent reputation. 800-282-5389 Jacobsen Homes

Also marketing in Florida is Palm Harbor Homes, (now owned by Cavco), known for upscale homes; Fleetwood Homes; Skyline Corp., and others.

California:

Karsten - Mid to low-end featuring a site-built look. Home building facilities located in California, New Mexico, Oregon and Texas. Karsten Manufactured Homes Builder

Fleetwood Homes - Riverside - Riverside - Entry Level and High end of low price range. Coast-to-coast dealers. Affordable and simple designs. Fleetwood Homes 951-351-3500

Also see Clayton and Skyline.

Texas and Arizona (Southwest):

TEXAS MANUFACTURED HOMES BUILDERS:

Fleetwood Homes - Round Rock - 512-255-1911

Palm Harbor Homes - Dallas - Builds, sells, finances and insures. 18 plants across country. Primary focus is West, South and Southeast regions. Mid range prices - innovative designs - not the low end market - Now has a modular home line. Focuses on the high end. Model centers in 27 states. 972-991-2422 Palm Harbor Homes

ARIZONA BUILDERS:

CAVCO - Phoenix, mid range and expanding into high. Largest in Southwest and Western states. Lots of innovation. Also park models and cabins. Cavco Manufactured Homes Builder

Manufactured Homes Builders in the South/Southeast

ALABAMA:

Sunshine Homes - Red Bay - Mid price range. Mostly regional but also across US. Since 1971. 256-356-4427 Sunshine Homes

Cavalier Home Builders - Addison - Low and mid-range and some high end. Mostly in the South,Texas and some midwest. 256-747-1575

GEORGIA:

Horton Homes - Eatonton Calif. - South and Southeast areas but will ship homes further but costs more. Low to low mid-range price. Close to site-built in construction. Also features modulars. 706-485-8506  Horton Homes

MISSISSIPPI MANUFACTURED HOMES BUILDERS:

Cappaert Manufactured Housing Modular home designs.  

NORTH CAROLINA:

See coast-to-coast dealers.

TENNESSEE:

Clayton Mobile Homes, Inc. - Maryville - Low end of mid range. Manufactured and modular homes. 35 plants coast-to-coast. Received MHI Manufacturer of the Year Award six times. Over 1500 model home centers. 865-380-3000 Clayton Mobile Homes

Giles Industries - Since 1959. Low end - mostly single wide in Tennessee, Kentucky and Georgia. Midwest and Southern states. Giles Industries

Midwest Region

INDIANA:

Skyline Corp. - Low to mid range. National company since 1951. Excellent reputation. 16 manufacturing plants. Simple plans. Skyline Homes

The following over 55 communities feature Skyline homes:

• Arizona: Holiday Spa in Phoenix 602-944-5770
• California: Aloha Mobile in Oceanside 760-414-9484 Fountain of Youth Spa in Niland 619-297-1490 Sandalwood Estates, 576 North McDowell Blvd in Petaluma Grove Mobile Home Community in Oakhurst, CA 831-449-1432
  See other California communities on their website
• See many other states with communities on their website.

Fairmont Homes (now owned by Cavco - verify) - Nappanee - Over 35 years. Mid range to high end. Midwest, Northeast and North Carolina. Lots of options. Quality upscale home. Featuring Amish craftsmanship and enery efficient. Fairmont Homes

SEhomes  - Southeast and South Central but mostly Texas. 5 plants in Alabama and Texas. Southern Energy Homes

MICHIGAN:

Champion Enterprises - Auburn Hills - Nationwide mobile, modular and manufactured homes - represents several brands - they say they are the largest modular homes company for nationwide. Champion Homes

General Housing Corp. - Waycross - Modular homes based in Michigan - Wide square foot range - Green building a specialty. General Housing Corp.

Northeast Region

New Era Building Group - Strattonville, Pa. - Mid to high end - Now part of Champion homebuilders - Competes with Palm Harbor Homes. High quality design with custom and standard plans. Mostly markets in Northeast and some Southeast and midwest. Good for modulars. New Era Homes

Which manufacturer for you:

Usual Order of Deciding:

1. Decide what state you will build in
2. Decide which manufacturers you like
3. Check to see the closest retail dealer of that manufacturer (usually a list on their website)

Our list above does not represent all of the plants or the dealers of that manufacturer.  There are many more dealers than can be listed here. This is a guide to help you access further information. 

A further list of builders can be found on the MHI site listing their MHI members.

See our manufactured homes 55 communities listings