SYSTEM BASICS

Manufactured homes, or HUD homes, are built to construction standards set forth in the Federal Housing and Urban Development Code (HUD). HUD is the only national building code in the USA.

Manufactured homes are built entirely within the climate-controlled environments of factories. They usually come equipped with fixtures, appliances, a water heater, and a furnace, and are customizable to the level of choosing wall and floor finishes, even draperies. One, two, or more sections of manufactured homes are transferred to the building site, placed on a temporary or permanent foundation, and joined together.

The homes are usually deliverable to distances of up to a 300-mile radius from the factory.

Definition
Part 3180 of the Code of Federal Regulations defines a manufactured home to be “a structure, transportable in one or more sections, which in the traveling mode is 8 body feet (2438 body mm) or more in width or 40 body feet (12 192 body mm) or more in length, or, when erected on site, is 320 square feet (30 m2) or more, and which is built on a permanent chassis and designed to be used as a dwelling with or without a permanent foundation when connected to the required utilities, and includes the plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and electrical systems contained therein; except that such term shall include any structure that meets all the requirements of this paragraph except the size requirements and with respect to which the manufacturer voluntarily files a certification required by the secretary (HUD) and complies with the standards established under this title; and except that such term shall not include any self propelled recreational vehicle. For mobile homes built prior to June 15, 1976, a label certifying compliance to the Standard for Mobile Homes, NFPA 501, in effect at the time of manufacture is required. For the purpose of these provisions, a mobile home shall be considered a manufactured home.”