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Codes & Regulations Questions
Are manufactured homes built to the same code as site-built homes?
Manufactured homes are built to a set of standards as tough as those facing the site-built home builder, The Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. The Department of Housing and Urban Development enforces these standards through the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards. The code covers design, construction, durability, strength, fire resistance, energy efficiency and more.
Is the HUD Code less stringent than state or local building codes?
No. While there are some differences between the codes, this difference has more to do with how the codes are intended to operate. While state or local building codes are basically prescriptive, meaning they prescribe what type of lumber or what type of electric wire must be used in the construction of the home, the HUD Code is more focused on performance, allowing the manufacturer to use products that are most compatible with the factory-building process as long as these products perform according to the guidelines established within the code.
Independent analysis comparing the state or local building codes with the HUD Code have found that “on balance, the codes are comparable” and “the net cumulative effect of the differences between the two codes is more likely on the order of hundreds of dollars, rather than thousands of dollars per unit.” The HUD Code is the more restrictive in situations such as ventilation, flame spread and structural loads.
Are the inspections done on a manufactured home comparable to the inspections for a site built home here in New Mexico?
No. The manufactured home is much more completely and competently inspected. Every manufactured home is inspected, not only by the quality control personnel employed by the manufacturer but also by a professional "Third Party" independent engineering and inspection company that must be approved for that function by HUD. These inspectors are required to be trained in the requirements of the HUD standards as well as the quality control procedures contained within the Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations. This is a totally separate federal standard on how the inspections are to be performed and monitored. In addition, HUD has hired companies to insure that proper procedures are being followed.
Are manufactured homes more vulnerable to fire than site-built homes?
No. Manufactured homes are no more prone to fire than homes built on-site. As a matter of fact, a national fire safety study by the Foremost Insurance Company showed that site-built homes are more than twice as likely to experience a fire than manufactured homes. The study showed that the number of home fires is 17 per 1,000 for site-built homes, while only 8 per 1,000 for manufactured homes. (Foremost Insurance Group of Companies, Fire Loss Study, 1986).
Do I have to get any permits?
As in any home-building project, local permits are needed. Your consultant and/or general contractor can assist you in the steps necessary to obtain the proper permits.
The Planning Commission where I want to build my new manufactured home has an ordinance prohibiting the use of manufactured homes. Is that ok?
No. New Mexico has a law in that protects manufactured housing from discrimination by the government entities.
New Mexico Code Section 3-21A-3, “Manufactured housing; permissible regulations” states that “[i]n the exercise of any of the powers and duties conferred by law, no governing body of a political subdivision of the state or any planning and zoning agency thereunder shall exclude multi-section manufactured homes from a specific-use district in which site-built, single-family housing is allowed or place more severe restrictions upon a multi-section manufactured home than are placed upon single-family, site-built housing within that specific-use district so long as the manufactured housing is built or constructed according to the Housing and Urban Development Zone Code II or the Uniform Building Code.
This means that if a site-built, single-family house is allowed in a certain zoning district, then the government cannot disallow the use of manufactured homes in that same district. In addition, the planning commission cannot place heavier restrictions on manufactured housing within that district.
Manufactured homes are built to a set of standards as tough as those facing the site-built home builder, The Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. The Department of Housing and Urban Development enforces these standards through the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards. The code covers design, construction, durability, strength, fire resistance, energy efficiency and more.
Is the HUD Code less stringent than state or local building codes?
No. While there are some differences between the codes, this difference has more to do with how the codes are intended to operate. While state or local building codes are basically prescriptive, meaning they prescribe what type of lumber or what type of electric wire must be used in the construction of the home, the HUD Code is more focused on performance, allowing the manufacturer to use products that are most compatible with the factory-building process as long as these products perform according to the guidelines established within the code.
Independent analysis comparing the state or local building codes with the HUD Code have found that “on balance, the codes are comparable” and “the net cumulative effect of the differences between the two codes is more likely on the order of hundreds of dollars, rather than thousands of dollars per unit.” The HUD Code is the more restrictive in situations such as ventilation, flame spread and structural loads.
Are the inspections done on a manufactured home comparable to the inspections for a site built home here in New Mexico?
No. The manufactured home is much more completely and competently inspected. Every manufactured home is inspected, not only by the quality control personnel employed by the manufacturer but also by a professional "Third Party" independent engineering and inspection company that must be approved for that function by HUD. These inspectors are required to be trained in the requirements of the HUD standards as well as the quality control procedures contained within the Manufactured Home Procedural and Enforcement Regulations. This is a totally separate federal standard on how the inspections are to be performed and monitored. In addition, HUD has hired companies to insure that proper procedures are being followed.
Are manufactured homes more vulnerable to fire than site-built homes?
No. Manufactured homes are no more prone to fire than homes built on-site. As a matter of fact, a national fire safety study by the Foremost Insurance Company showed that site-built homes are more than twice as likely to experience a fire than manufactured homes. The study showed that the number of home fires is 17 per 1,000 for site-built homes, while only 8 per 1,000 for manufactured homes. (Foremost Insurance Group of Companies, Fire Loss Study, 1986).
Do I have to get any permits?
As in any home-building project, local permits are needed. Your consultant and/or general contractor can assist you in the steps necessary to obtain the proper permits.
The Planning Commission where I want to build my new manufactured home has an ordinance prohibiting the use of manufactured homes. Is that ok?
No. New Mexico has a law in that protects manufactured housing from discrimination by the government entities.
New Mexico Code Section 3-21A-3, “Manufactured housing; permissible regulations” states that “[i]n the exercise of any of the powers and duties conferred by law, no governing body of a political subdivision of the state or any planning and zoning agency thereunder shall exclude multi-section manufactured homes from a specific-use district in which site-built, single-family housing is allowed or place more severe restrictions upon a multi-section manufactured home than are placed upon single-family, site-built housing within that specific-use district so long as the manufactured housing is built or constructed according to the Housing and Urban Development Zone Code II or the Uniform Building Code.
This means that if a site-built, single-family house is allowed in a certain zoning district, then the government cannot disallow the use of manufactured homes in that same district. In addition, the planning commission cannot place heavier restrictions on manufactured housing within that district.