HUD Code vs. MOD Code

What’s the difference between a HUD and a MOD home?

Purchasing a home is a big investment, so it makes sense that you’d want to make sure you are purchasing the right home, with the right standards, for you and your family. 

There are three main types of homes - Manufactured (HUD) homes, Modular (MOD) homes, and Site-Built homes. 
Site-Built homes are the easiest to define - they’re homes built directly on-site. Site-Built homes often require you to work directly with an architect or contractor, and tend to be more expensive than HUD or MOD homes. 
The other two require a bit more explanation: 

What is a Manufactured Home?

Manufactured homes are homes built in the controlled environment of a manufacturing plant and are transported in one or more sections on a permanent chassis to their final destination. Clayton Middlebury has been specializing in manufactured homes since 1936 - since which there have been a lot of improvements. 

Manufactured homes were originally known as mobile homes, but were officially separated from the “mobile home” name after the HUD Code Act of 1974. Now, modern manufactured homes are extremely different from mobile homes, both in terms of construction and design. Manufactured homes are constructed using quality materials inside climate-controlled building facilities. They also typically come in three sizes — single, double and triple section — and can range from under 1,000 sq. ft. to over 2,000.

What is a HUD Home?

HUD homes are manufactured homes built to the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (HUD Code) established in June of 1976. All HUD homes are required to display a red certification label on the exterior of each transportable section and a 8 ½” x 11” data sheet affixed to the side of the cabinet under the kitchen sink that shows that the home was constructed to the HUD code. The drain lines are all connected under the floor of a HUD home before it arrives at its final destination.

What’s the Difference between a Manufactured and Modular Home?

There can be a lot of similarities between HUD and MOD homes including floor plans! The main difference between manufactured and modular homes is that manufactured homes are built to the national HUD code, while modular homes are built to all applicable state and local building codes. This is similar to the way traditional site-built homes are constructed. The codes and standards a modular home is built to can vary based on the state as well as the county, city or township the home will be located in.

The individual State certification seals are attached in each half of the home, usually under the kitchen sink and in a closet. Modular homes are constructed and delivered to their final destination on a steel carrier which is returned to the factory. Drain lines are installed under the floor of a modular home by a licensed plumber after it is removed from the carriers and placed on a permanent foundation. HVAC systems may also be omitted on a modular home and installed on site by a licensed HVAC contractor.

Residence Series Home Standards

HUDMOD

Interior

  • Shaw Carpeting w/ 5# ReBond Pad & Tack Strip
  • 8’ Flat Ceilings, ½” Drywall & Builder-Grade Primer Throughout
  • Stipple Ceiling Finish
  • Finished Ceiling Joints
  • “Closet Maid” Ventilated Wire Shelving in Closets
  • LED Recessed Can Lights Throughout
  • MDF 3” Door & Window Casings & 3” Base Trim
  • 32”, 2-Panel White Interior Doors where Applicable
  • GFCI Protected Receptacles
  • Pfister® Metal Faucets
  • Argon Low-e Vinyl Windows w/3 Over Clear Grids
  • Kwikset® Doorknobs w/Microban Antimicrobial Technology
  • Energy Star 3.0
  • Whole House Ventilation Fan

Kitchen

  • 30” Hardwood Cabinets w/Crown
  • LC Wrapped Cabinet Stiles
  • Concealed European-Style Counter-Sunk Hinges
  • ¾” Adjustable Shelves in Overhead Cabinets
  • 8” Stainless Steel Double Bowl Sink
  • Frigidaire® Appliances
    •     30” Free-Standing Electric Range
    •     18 CU FT Frost-Free Fridge w/ Ice Maker
  • 4” Laminate Backsplash
  • Bank of Drawers & Drawer-over-Door Construction

Bath

  • 60” Fiberglass Tub/Shower in PB & B2
  • High Pressure Laminated Countertops & Backsplash w/ Microban Antimicrobial Technology
  • Porcelain Commodes
  • Square Porcelain Lavs
  • Power Exhaust Fans
  • 36” Tall Vanities

Exterior

  • Nominal 3/12 Roof Pitch
  • 25-yr, 3-Tab Fiberglass Shingles
  • Metal Facia
  • 36” 6-Panel Front & Rear Doors w/Deadbolt & Exterior Lights
  • 4 ½” Dutch Lap Vinyl Siding w/ Vinyl Vent Soffit
  • 2 Exterior GFI Receptacles & Frost-Free Faucets
  • 15” Shutters (FDS)

Construction

  • Steel I-Beam Recessed Frame w/Detachable Hitch
  • 2”x6” Floor Joists – 16” O.C
  • T&G OSB Floor Decking; Glued & Fastened
  • 20# Roof Load
  • Ridge Vent Roof Venting
  • 7/16” OSB Exterior Sheathing w/Windwrap
  • Zone III Insulation Package
    • R-38 Blown Ceiling Insulation w/Vapor Barrier
    • R-21 Fiberglass Insulation in Walls
    • R-27 Fiberglass Insulation in Floors
    • Fiberglass Heat Ducts with In-Floor Crossover

  • Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detector
  • Linked Smoke Detectors w/Battery Backup in Main Living area & all Bedrooms
  • 200 AMP 40/40 Service Panel
  • Carrier® Electric Furnace
  • Ecobee® Wifi Smart Thermostat
  • 40-gal Electric Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater
  • Water Heater Pan w/Exterior Drain
  • PEX Plumbing
  • Wire, Plumb, and vent for Washer/Dryer
  • Recessed Whole House Water Shut-Off
  • Water Shut-Offs Throughout
  • VBP Furnace Close-Off & Water Heater Doors
  • Conduit Drop for A/C
  • Solar-Ready Conduit Drop

Interior

  • Shaw Carpeting w/ 5# ReBond Pad & Tack Strip
  • 8’ Flat Ceilings, ½” Drywall & Builder-Grade Primer Throughout
  • Stipple Ceiling Finish
  • Finished Ceiling Joints
  • “Closet Maid” Ventilated Wire Shelving in Closets
  • LED Recessed Can Lights Throughout
  • MDF 3” Door & Window Casings & 3” Base Trim
  • 32”, 2-Panel White Interior Doors where Applicable
  • GFCI Protected Receptacles
  • Pfister® Metal Faucets
  • Argon Low-e Vinyl Windows w/3 Over Clear Grids
  • Kwikset® Doorknobs w/Microban Antimicrobial Technology
  • Whole House Ventilation Fan

Kitchen

  • 30” Hardwood Cabinets w/Crown
  • LC Wrapped Cabinet Stiles
  • Concealed European-Style Counter-Sunk Hinges
  • ¾” Adjustable Shelves in Overhead Cabinets
  • 8” Stainless Steel Double Bowl Sink
  • Frigidaire® Appliances
    • 30” Free-Standing Electric Range
    • 18 CU FT Frost-Free Fridge w/ Ice Maker
  • 4” Laminate Backsplash
  • Bank of Drawers & Drawer-over-Door Construction

Bath

  • 60” Fiberglass Tub/Shower in PB & B2
  • High Pressure Laminated Countertops & Backsplash w/ Microban Antimicrobial Technology
  • Porcelain Commodes
  • Square Porcelain Lavs
  • Power Exhaust Fans
  • 36” Tall Vanities

Exterior

  • Nominal 3/12 Roof Pitch
  • 25-yr, 3-Tab Fiberglass Shingles
  • Metal Facia
  • 36” 6-Panel Front & Rear Doors w/Deadbolt & Exterior Lights
  • 4 ½” Dutch Lap Vinyl Siding w/ Vinyl Vent Soffit
  • 2 Exterior GFI Receptacles & Frost-Free Faucets
  • 15” Shutters (FDS)

Construction

  • 2”x10” Floor Joists – 16” O.C
  • 2”x4” Interior & Mateline Walls
  • Metal Cross Bridging
  • T&G OSB Floor Decking; Glued & Fastened
  • 30# Roof Load
  • Ridge Vent Roof Venting
  • 7/16” OSB Exterior Sheathing w/Windwrap
  • Insulation Package
    • R-49 Blown Ceiling Insulation w/Vapor Barrier
    • R-21 Fiberglass Insulation in Walls
    • Fiberglass Heat Ducts

Utilities

  • Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Detector
  • Linked Smoke Detectors w/Battery Backup in Main Living area & all Bedrooms
  • 200 AMP 40/40 Service Panel
  • Carrier® Electric Furnace
  • Ecobee® Wifi Smart Thermostat
  • 40-gal Electric Water Heater
  • Water Heater Pan w/Exterior Drain
  • PEX Plumbing
  • Wire, Plumb, & Vent for Washer/Dryer
  • Recessed Whole House Water Shut-Off
  • Water Shut-Offs Throughout
  • VBP Furnace Close-Off & Water Heater Doors
  • ConduitDrop for A/C