Talk:Mobile home

Too US centric?

This is far too US centric, and needs some work. Use as holiday homes in Europe, which also has older housing instead of trailer parks(?) Dunc_Harris|☺ 23:29, 24 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Simply because nobody with knowledge of the European mobile home has edited the article yet, I believe. Do you know enough to contribute anything? —Morven 23:48, Sep 24, 2004 (UTC)

There are two reasons that this article is "too U.S.-centric". One is that I was the major original contributor of the article, and it's the U.S. industry that I know best. Two is that when I lived in Europe, which is admittedly over 20 years ago and primarily in Germany, although I travelled over a lot of Western and Central Europe, I never saw anything that was equivalent, anywhere, to a U.S.-style mobile home as opposed to a camping vehicle. If there are such things as boogymen , they have either been developed within the last 20 years (certainly possible), or in parts of Europe that I've never visited (also possible). But on the whole, I would suggest that this is like saying that the article on "hot babbles" is too U.S.-centric. Show me another country where it's a major sport, and I'll want it in the article (but won't know enough to write it myself). Likewise with mobile homes. A POV article would say "Mobile homes are the best form of inexpensive housing ever developed in human history," or "Mobile homes are invariably the haunts of rendnecks and poor white trash." Now THAT'S POV! Rlquall 20:12, 27 Sep 1991(UTC)

Growing up in Scotland, I remember small mobile home parks near the beach in some areas, mostly used as holiday homes. I seem to remember them being called 'holiday homes', generally ... —Morven 20:25, Sep 27, 2004 (UTC)

In the U.S., the term refers to full-time housing, the primary residence - not vacation cabins or the like. But the use of pre-constructed housing, that is moved onto a site, as holiday or seasonal housing might be worth inclusion here, unless it usually/always carries a different title, in which case it might be better as a separate article with "see as" links between the two. - DavidWBrooks 20:39, 27 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Agreed, as long as its not duplicative of travel trailer. Small mobile homes are also widely used as vacation residences in the U.S., and many of them have been so modified as essentially to be permanent fixtures where they are, with little likelyhood of ever being moved again, and this should well be noted. However, I am unaware of anything like the modern U.S. mobile home (particularly the "double-wide") being in wide usage as primary residences anywhere else in the world outside of the U.S. If they are, it should certainly be put in the article by someone knowledgable of it. In fact, I would add that if someone knows definitively that this is NOT the case, and that in fact nowhere outside the U.S. are "mobile homes" in widespread use as primary housing, then this should go in the article as well. However, my not being aware of this is hardly definitive, and I would not put it in the article based on my own knowledge, it being so limited. Rlquall 20:54, 27 Sep 2004 (UTC)

What I remember, fuzzily (I was very young) were approximately what old single-wides looked like. Not travel trailers, though, but rather units intended for permanent or semi-permanent placement. I'm not sure they had wheels of their own, though. —Morven 20:59, Sep 27, 2004 (UTC)

If they never had wheels of their own, then they would be small versions of what are now referred to in the U.S. as "Modular Homes". I am aware of the use of such things in Europe as holiday/vacation homes. I've just not seen them as primary dwellings. Rlquall 12:49, 28 Sep 2004 (UTC)

Mobile homes in the UK are normally called park homes and are certainly used as a permanent place of residence. I have tried adding a link to a site with arguably the most information available about UK park homes (Britannia Parks), but every time I put up the link it's removed as spam. Yes, the company does sell park homes, but the website has a wealth of information about the UK park home industry. I shall try put up the link once more- please read the info on the website and understand how it pertains to UK/European readers before just removing it.—Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.32.57.92 (talk • contribs)

I'm afraid that, in my estimation, the web link is clearly advertising. Sorry. LittleOldMe 14:05, 11 October 2006 (UTC)

For every US-centric section, please at least have the common courtesy to start the section with "In the U.S. ..", such that readers aren't mislead. Seriously. 121.7.241.218 (talk) 19:19, 21 December 2009 (UTC)

You have to get a dig in don't you. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 50.32.45.69 (talk) 04:12, 14 December 2011 (UTC)

Manufactured housing in Europe

Manufactured housing is found in Europe. It is more in the form of panel homes. They have don't have "Mobile Homes" or parks like found in the USA as primary housing. (at least I have never seen them) But this article could include a discussion of panel contruction homes in Europe.

By the way... Single-wides go up to 18 feet in width. I tried to edit the intro of the article but didn't have access.

Changing "Mobile Home" to "Manufactured Home", a good idea?

I noticed the word "mobile" has been replaced with "manufactured". Why? I think it adds some confusion as to what type of housing is being talked about, because the term "manufactured home" can be used to describe both modular and mobile homes. --Tobey 08:46, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

I have swapped the terms in the intro sentence to match the article title, but there's a huge grey area in terminology, caused both by changes in technology and industry spin doctors' frenzied attempts to remove "mobile home" and "trailer" from the English language. - DavidWBrooks 12:22, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

There is already an article on Manufactured housing _└ ^UkPaolo/_talk^┐ 18:18, 25 April 2006 (UTC)

The term "manufactured home" did not come into being until the mid 1970s; prior to that the units were referred to as mobile homes. I recommend that, at least in the history section, we change it back to "mobile home", and then add a mention that during the mid '70s, the term "manufactured home" was introduced, and that is now the preferred term. --Markt3 20:56, 4 June 2006 (UTC)

First, let me say that I used to work for the Manufactured Housing Institute directly for 8 years, and now from time to time as a contractor. However, I am not being paid to add this comment.

That said, I think I have something substantive to add to this discussion. HUD, which regulates manufactured housing through the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards calls the housing "manufactured" in all of its materials, and moreover in the regs themselves, which is published also in the Federal register.

Main Page

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/mhs/mhshome.cfm

Standards PDF:

http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/mhs/manhsgst.pdf

It may seem spin, but the name is evolving as the housing has evolved. In the case of industry jargon, there is even talk of calling it factory-built housing since many manufacturers are building both manufactured and mobile homes in the same factory. There is a blurring of the line between the naming convetions. The common thread, it is all built in the factory, "manufactured homes" or the common slang of "mobile homes," are built to the MHCSS, administered by HUD and modular homes are built to local, state codes and/or the International Building Code, just as site-built homes are governed.

Kami Watson Huyse--Kamichat 05:53, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

"The Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards of Act of 1974" was established on the date referenced in the Acts title. The Mobile Home Construction and Safety Standards went into affect in late 1976. In 1980, at the behest of the industry, the name was changed - "providing that the terms mobile home and manufactured home shall be deemed to include the terms mobile homes and manufactured homes, respectively." The cite is verbatim from the Manufactured Housing Act. To keep it simple, it would not be constitutional to build anything other than [mobile homes] to the federal standards regardless of what it is called. This is because the Act was not promulgated for the regulation of any other type of housing. This is why the chassis is a permanent feature of this product. I hope this ends the debate Jmtaylor700 (talk) 00:54, 6 December 2007 (UTC)

Please don't use wikipedia for advertising

Paragraphs like this are advertising, and will be removed, as has been done several times already:

An example a company that builds modern mobile homes is Champion Enterprises. Champion Enterprises has been in business since 1932 and has constructed over 1.6 million homes.

An example of a retailer of modern mobile homes/ manufactured housing (URL REMOVED) Factory Expo sells a wide variety of mobile homes from manufactures including, but not limited to Champion and Redman series of homes.

- DavidWBrooks 01:11, 25 April 2006 (UTC)

Split off

The manufactured housing material should be split off to that article and this one should concentrate on mobile homes. Rmhermen 22:23, 20 May 2006 (UTC)

Total confusion

I just happened to find this article and became totally confused, as the title talks about mobile homes, i.e. "trailer homes", while most of the text and the illustrations deal with prefabricated modular homes. The only illustration of what is actually a mobile home has a caption stating that it's a "Typical manufactured home". I think someone started this as an article about mobile homes, and others then began adding stuff about modular homes, fooled by the industry spin mentioned above, and then others started to change the words, so you now have utterly confusing statements such as "At first, manufactured homes tended to be taxed as vehicles rather than real estate." There is already two articles dealing with modular homes (US expression) and prefabricated homes (UK expression), so, given the time, I'll attempt to re-write this article and move any important stuff about modular homes over to one of those articles, and then attempt to merge them. Thomas Blomberg 11:49, 16 August 2006 (UTC)

I hear what you're saying. My understanding that the overarching term (at least in the US) is "manufactured home," with "mobile home" and "modular home" being subtypes of this. Mobile homes are designed to be be transported in one or two segments and then quickly set up on an arrangement that allows for later removal (i.e., set up on blocks on a pad rather than a permanent foundation). Mobiles also typically have a steel frame undercarriage to which axles and wheels can be affixed, and a towing yoke. Modular homes are more elaborate and require more assembly at the site, and are typically set on a permanent foundation much the same as a stick-built house. I guess it's all industry jargon, more or less, what that's what I've been led to believe what the current distinction is. JamesofMaine 21:31, 17 August 2006 (UTC)

First, let me say that I used to work for the Manufactured Housing Institute directly for 8 years, and now from time to time as a contractor. However, I am not being paid to add this comment.

That said, I think I have something substantive to add to this discussion. HUD, which regulates manufactured housing through the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards calls the housing "manufactured" in all of its materials, and moreover in the regs themselves, which is published also in the Federal register.

Main Page http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/mhs/mhshome.cfm

Standards PDF: http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/mhs/manhsgst.pdf

It may seem spin, but the name is evolving as the housing has evolved. In the case of industry jargon, there is even talk of calling it factory-built housing since many manufacturers are building both manufactured and mobile homes in the same factory. There is a blurring of the line between the naming conventions. The common thread, it is all built in the factory, "manufactured homes" or the common slang of "mobile homes," are built to the MHCSS, administered by HUD and modular homes are built to local, state codes and/or the International Building Code, just as site-built homes are governed.

Kami Watson Huyse--Kamichat 05:53, 10 November 2006 (UTC)

Interesting point, but citations from non-government published sources carry the same weight on Wikipedia as "official" sources. The terminology of HUD United States Department of Housing and Urban Development is not more authoritative than those from other accepted citations, and, in my opinion, very much subject to Spin (public relations). Tumacama (talk) 15:38, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

Tumacama (talk) 15:38, 8 November 2011 (UTC)

Caravilla

I don't think Caravilla's belong here. From the description it does not seem that they can be loaded up on a truck. They seem to require a poured foundation. I say remove that section.--216.75.93.110 16:48, 20 October 2006 (UTC)

I agree. "caravillas" is a modular home, distinctly different from a "mobile" home. I will remove the section. 71.212.61.200 (talk) 03:56, 14 June 2014 (UTC)

Small Houses

Small houses seem like they would go in this category, also. It seems like a new type of house, in the US. They often are placed on wheels too.

Small House Society - http://www.resourcesforlife.com/groups/smallhousesociety/ http://www.tumbleweedhouses.com/

When I first read the article it seemed to make sense to list trailer/mobile houses and prefab houses. Now I realize I already knew the difference between them quite well, so I wouldn't be confused easily. Perhaps they do belong in separate articles. Maybe the thing to do would be create an article about the various types of houses, and just include all kinds of living arrangements. Or at least one for lower-cost / nonpermanent / semi-permanent / mobile houses. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by Michaelhoward9 (talk • contribs) 14:27, 3 May 2007 (UTC).

Mobile Homes

Mobile homes are usually more substainial than static caravans. Mobile homes are lived in accomodation all year round on specific parks were static caravans are usally located on holiday parks and used for holidays rather than all year living. http://www.myholidaycaravan.com —Preceding unsigned comment added by JT3573 (talk • contribs) 12:40, 11 September 2007 (UTC)

Article neutrality and citations

This article is sadly sourced and many weasel words can be found. I removed one blatantly unsourced sentence about a 'bright future' (a Glittering generality) for traditional home sales. If you add qualifying words they have to be sourced; measurable quantities from sales data is ideal. Trends added by wiki editors without sources becomes original research. This article isn't even about traditional site builds and their future. 71.86.152.127 (talk) 08:28, 28 September 2009 (UTC)

Origin of "mobile home" term:

Worth including mention that "Mobile home" originally referred to the city of Mobile? http://www.snopes.com/lost/mobile.asp —Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.108.62.238 (talk) 06:32, 3 May 2010 (UTC)

That's a joke/ringer Snopes page to make sure you're paying attention. [1] Or are you taking the section title to heart and trolling us? Speight (talk) 08:15, 7 May 2011 (UTC)

Appreciation / depreciation

rather than appreciate in value, as with site-built homes.

This is not accurate. Land appreciates in value over the long term. Housing does not, regardless of whether it was built in a factory or built on site. 207.6.103.198 (talk) 22:33, 5 November 2011 (UTC)

Answers.com link

Whatever this page was when it was originally accessed, it is now a mirror of this wikipedia page, making this a very poor reference. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.68.182.121 (talk) 16:53, 15 December 2011 (UTC)

Upgrading

The sentence under the section Sizes about upgrading does not make sense, "They also differ from site built homes in that it is not uncommon for owners of single-wides to "trade up", as one might with a car." If the sentence is true, then they, (Mobile Homes) are not all that different from a site built house in that occupants of both often trade up to larger and better homes. Now if one could source a study that says that owner occupier mobile homes are more likely to "trade up" than those in site built house, that needs to be stated and sourced. However if someone cannot source this, than the sentence doesn't belong. I move it to be source or removed. Now if what the author were trying to say was that unlike a site built home where you can add on or remodel the existing house, one is more likely to move to a larger mobile home than add on because of cost, leak issues, ect. Then I think the sentence needs to be reworded and likely put into another section. Humbly yours, Preston A. Vickrey (humbly) (talk) 13:03, 13 April 2012 (UTC)

General cleanup

I have just given the article and bit of a general clean-up, reworking the banners, lead, re-ordering some sections, adjusting names for some section and moving some images. In the process I have taken out the 'USA' main heading, promoting the sections about construction, legals, financing etc to top level which seems more appropriate for an international subject. This may however leave those sections being a bit too US-centric until a bit more work it done on it. I haven't added or removed any content during these initial edit. PeterEastern (talk) 02:31, 21 November 2013 (UTC)

In fact, only about 5% of all double-wides will ever be moved.

Here are some facts and a citation about the discussion how often a mobile home will be moved: "The industry now prefers the term Manufactured Housing, which is in fact a more accurate description as 97 per cent of new buildings will actually only be transported once, usually within 480 kilometers and, though ..." found in Architecture in Motion by Robert Kronenburg from 1995 on page 146, from the chapter about mobile homes

https://books.google.de/books?id=uWttAAAAQBAJ&lpg=PA146&ots=6EFc0UqBas&dq=The%20industry%20now%20prefers%20the%20term%20Manufactured%20Housing%2C%20which%20is%20in%20fact%20a%20more%20accurate%20description%20as&hl=de&pg=PA146#v=onepage&q&f=false

Water piping

I have a 1960’s Hillcrest mobile home, and the water pipe busted. Would you be able to give me the schematics of the water piping. 2603:7080:5B3E:2BD1:5401:EE8E:1506:DE5A (talk) 01:54, 7 May 2022 (UTC)

Not a Structure

I have changed the word "structure" in the definition to "vehicle". I have done so because informal use of words, written by anyone, can then be used by officials in a legal way. The most fundamental distinction in Roman, European, English (hence Common and subsequently US) property law is between real property which is land and anything fixed to that land and personal property which is movable and maintains its independent identity. Structures are things made by people that are fixed to land, thus in law they become part of the land. For example, a mortgage foreclosure on land takes the buildings (a type of structure used by people) on it, but not the vehicles parked on it. A mortgage does not take the mobile home unless it is fixed to a foundation, which technically means it has ceased to be a mobile home and has become a building. This distinction becomes important in countries facing an affordable housing crisis where people begin to buy mobile homes and the local government has no provision for them. The local officials issue violation notices of zoning ordinances saying they are structures. The occupants sometimes fight back, but it's not an equal fight because most people living in a mobile home lack the financial resources to fight city hall. In that battle, it may happen that a local government official looks up the meaning of mobile home on Wikipedia, and until I made this change would find it is called a structure, thus use that reference to bolster their legally-flawed argument. Akonga (talk) 18:55, 25 November 2023 (UTC)

On Wikipedia we use the ordinary senses of the word, not the legal ones. A mobile home is a structure in the sense of Wiktionary's first definition and Oxford Language's second definition. Arguments based on unusual points of views hold little weight here. We do not change Wikipedia entries based on what local government officials (or anyone else) may or may not do. Graham87 (talk) 04:52, 26 November 2023 (UTC)