Stick-Built Homes

• Traditional house building entails erecting a building on site, using lumber pieces that are cut and glued together to make walls and roof trusses. Next, plywood is put on the exterior and drywall on the interior, and then the outside is completed using a variety of materials such as brick, stucco, clapboard or vinyl siding.
  
  

Advantages and Disadvantages of Stick-Built Homes

• A big advantage in building a stick-built home is the limitless construction possibilities. People can design any type of home they like with a stick-built home, including the number of stories they wish to have. Also, because stick-built homes are built on a foundation, they are more stable than manufactured homes. A major disadvantage to building a stick-built or site-built home is the weather. Weather can shut down the worksite or damage materials. It is also much more time-consuming to build a home on site.
  
  

Manufactured Homes

• Manufactured homes and mobile homes are the same thing---homes that are made in a factory and are delivered by truck to the housing site in one, two or three pieces. These pieces are on a permanent chassis with wheels. Manufactured homes are built to maintain the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) code regarding construction and safety standards.
  
  

Advantages and Disadvantages of Manufactured Homes

• The biggest advantage in getting a manufactured home is the price. Because of the streamlined approach to building, manufactured homes cost much less than typical stick-built homes. Because HUD regulates manufactured homes, these homes meet certain construction and safety standards under the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (HUD) Code. Manufactured homes have their disadvantages as well. While manufactured homes can have more than one story, HUD has made this difficult to do because of the HUD code that requires a permanent chassis. Some builders will remove the wheels before they are stacked, since HUD does not specify that wheels be permanent, according to ToolBase Services. People are also limited in the design features available. It is harder to customize a manufactured home than it is to customize a site-built home.
  
  

Considerations

• Stick-built homes are more structurally sound than manufactured homes because they are built on land where they will permanently stay. Manufactured homes are required to meet HUD codes, making them more structurally sound than they were prior to being regulated. Manufactured homes are faster and cheaper to build than stick-built homes are, and are less expensive to buy. The quality of some manufactured homes is just as good as stick-built homes, with features such as walk-in closets, jetted tubs and oversized showers, according to Mortgage News Daily.