Modular homes built hurricane tough

Gov.’s wife joins effort to build Gray Habitat home
May 18, 2010
Thursday, May 20
May 20, 2010
Gov.’s wife joins effort to build Gray Habitat home
May 18, 2010
Thursday, May 20
May 20, 2010

There are many things to consider when buying a home: School districts, location, but mainly the home itself.

How sound is it? How was it constructed? Will it withstand hurricane force winds?


Elite Homes of Louisiana may not be able to help with the location of the home, but it will let the buyer know what’s behind the sheetrock.


Owner Steve Layne decided to go into the modular home market in 2008. He traveled to factories throughout the South to research manufacturers and liked what he saw at Modular One in Pulaski, Tenn., and Deer Valley Homes in Guin, Ala.

In 2009, Joe Manns came on as general manager. “Our modulars are different and that’s why I came to work for Steve,” he said.


Manns claims the construction of a modular home is not the same as a mobile or manufactured home.


Mobile homes are built on a non-removable steel chassis about the size of a flat bed truck and must pass the federal HUD building code. The one-story homes are usually single or doublewide and can face limitations on their design options.

“Modular homes and buildings have no design limitations. They can be any shape or size and will meet or exceed your local and state building codes,” Manns said.


With south Louisiana residents facing a six-month hurricane season, the construction and safety of these homes factors into the purchasing decision.


Mann explained that Elite Homes’ modulars are built specifically for the region they’re going to. The factory will contact the parish to confirm what building codes they must meet before construction begins.

“I think our houses are some of the safest houses there are. I’m not saying there’s no one as good as us, but I know we do things right,” he said.


However confident he is about the construction, Manns does admit to being concerned about the homes when he evacuated for Hurricane Gustav.


“The modulars did extremely well during the storm. The Target parking lot had a wind gauge that measured gusts up to 110 miles per hour and our homes didn’t budge an inch. That’s how heavy these are,” Manns said.

He claims the homes are constructed with about 30 percent more lumber than a conventional site built home. The floors use 2-by-10-foot studs instead of 2-by-6 – the outer walls use 2-by-6 instead of 2-by-4. “We are Zone 3/140 mile per hour wind speed approved,” Manns added.


Inside the walls, reinforcing straps are placed anywhere two pieces of wood come together to strengthen the joints.


Elite Homes will sell a home from their lot, but about one out of every four homes sold is custom built using customer specifications.

“We have over 100 floor plans and customers can even draw up a design. We’ll send it to the factory and the designers will take it from there,” Manns explained.


Every aspect of the interior and exterior of the home is covered in the ordering process. The customer chooses every wall, carpet and tile color, flooring, cabinets, appliances and exterior colors.


Manns said the homes are also very energy efficient with R-30 insulation in the roof, R-19 in the walls and floors and Low-E windows.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Low-E windows not only make the interior of the home more comfortable, but block damaging ultraviolet radiation that can fade flooring, furnishings, artwork and window treatments.


How does the consumer know for certain what Manns says about the construction is accurate?


“There are more inspections on our homes than on a site-built house. We have third party independent inspectors at the factory examining the construction every step of the way,” Manns said.

If an inspector finds a problem, he stops the process until that problem is corrected. He then logs the event into a report that ultimately goes to the homeowner.


Once the home arrives on site, it faces the local permit process. Elite Homes turns in the inspector’s report plus everything else a site builder would be asked to submit.

“Every step of the way the home is being inspected to make sure it’s what it’s supposed to be,” Manns said.

While construction is under way at the factory, the site of the home is being prepared. Elite Homes’ delivery area has included sites in the Tri-parish area as well as across the state, parts of Mississippi and even the Texas border area.

For those who don’t own land, “We bought six lots on Bayou Blue about six months ago. Five have already sold,” he said.

About a third of Manns’ customers will have the site ready for their new home, but if that isn’t feasible, Elite Homes takes care of it. “We do it all from building a mound to cutting trees,” Manns said.

The home isn’t placed on a mobile home foundation. It rests on a cement chain wall with hurricane straps imbedded every 1 to 1.5 feet. Pilings are placed throughout the foundation providing support for the entire structure.

The cement chain wall has abrick look with vents and a 3-foot door to allow access under the home.

Once the home is placed on the foundation, it is secured in place using more hurricane straps.

A modular home can be placed on a slab but Manns doesn’t recommend it.

“If you should ever get a water leak, you won’t have the crawl space to get under there to repair it ,and you’ll end up having to tear up the sub-flooring. You’re creating a disaster,” he said.

The homes arrive to the site pre-wired and plumbed – about 70 to 80 percent complete. The final work is the trim out – assembling the sections, finishing the roof outside, the ceiling inside, and connecting the electricity, water, gas and air conditioning.

“The homes are assembled on site by licensed sub-contractors with liability insurance – ours are of some of the best,” Manns said.

Before the sub-contractors leave, they do a final walk through with the customer for their approval.

Elite Homes will come back one time in the first year to fix any cracks caused by shifting between the sections.

“We tell people to wait until the ninth or tenth month to allow for settling. Our warranty is just like a site-built house. One year on the house and appliances, 30 years on the roof,” Manns explained.

The base price on Elite Homes’ modulars includes construction, delivery and set up. Improvement costs such as raising the home to meet FEMA elevation certificate requirements will add to the cost.

Manns claims owners will get the same home appraisal value and insurance rates as site-built homes.

“Your interest rate is the same instead of being a half to one and a half percent higher on a mobile home,” he said.

However, if a modular home is set up on site like a mobile home – still on the frame and on cinder blocks – that could cost the owner when resale comes into play.

“If a house inspector sees that it’s still on the frame, it takes about 20 percent off the resale value of the home. We don’t do that. Our frame is just for transportation,” Manns said.

Business in Houma has been good for Elite Homes. So good that Manns finds himself in the market for more salespeople and looks to add two more in June.

Not doing so “Would aggravate my customers and I don’t want to do that,” he said.

A 2,460 square foot, three bedroom, two bath modular home with central heat and air, fireplace, recessed lighting and all appliances included sits ready for purchase on the Elite Homes lot. * Photo by JENNIE CHILDS

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