Both relocatable and modular homes are a modern concept of building homes. A relocatable home is nothing but a part of the manufactured homes. They are often confused with the term mobile homes but if seen from a technical point of view the relocatable and a mobile home are completely two different concepts. A modular and a relocatable home both are factory made homes and are not constructed digging the ground. Here I will discuss mainly about the various differences between a modular home and a relocatable home.
Relocatable homes- relocatable home building is directly under the federal code and is not related to state or municipal codes. They are built on non-removable steel frames that are placed on a fixed ground which reduces chances of refinancing such homes. They are generally transported from the factory on their own steel wheels but once they are put in the ground, then the wheels become of no use as they are made attached to the ground strongly and are covered with wooden designs so that they are not even visible. Because they are directly approved even before making therefore the building inspectors do not really need to check the building although the other facilities including electrical and plumbing needs to be checked by the inspector.
Like any other modern buildings these structures also require maintenance because of their light weighted construction. But the main problem with these homes is, that they have depreciation value instead of appreciation value. I know you might not like much the idea of a depreciating property but they are way less costly than the modular and the constructed homes. But before investing in these homes what needs to be kept in mind is that they are well advised in the short run but is not a value for money in the long run. They are most suitable to build only if you plan to build a house at a low price and for a short period of time.
Modular homes– modular homes are also factory made homes and are the most popular housing style in the modern times. They come in parts and are assembled at the site. They can be customized and built according to your choice. They come in a box structure thus making it a strong built house than the constructed homes. The best thing about modular homes is that they are cheaper and also the building time is much less. The main difference with the relocatable house is that modular homes are just like your normal constructed home and they do have an appreciation value just like other properties but as mentioned earlier relocatable homes have depreciation value.
It may often be debated that a relocatable home is cheaper than a modular home, but the point is that the relocatable homes are difficult to be refinanced which makes it cheaper only in the short run but modular homes are a real value for your money since they are the modern construction and are also built strong and can easily be refinanced if required. Another important thing is that modular homes gives a royal and elegant look to your house and thus gives a comfortable life at a lower cost.
The main motive for differentiating between the two is to clearly point the real value for your money. But that does not really mean that relocatable houses are not popular or is a complete waste of money. They too are a good option for a cheap short term and more over an affordable construction.
