Depending on the home manufacturer and the price you opt for, manufactured homes can come fully furnished, semi-furnished or completely bare to keep costs low. Be sure to compare between dealers on the types of fixtures included (such as your cabinetry), the material quality and warranty of these.
Get the showroom look
Showrooms will often be kitted out furnished and accessorized, but this is just to help you visualize the space you’re living in. Some manufacturers can sell it fully furnished, which will cost you much more than getting your own furniture. However, if you’re the type that’s in love with what you see and don’t want to stress on decorating and shopping yourself, it’s a viable option.
Brand new manufactured homes are often equipped with pre-installed cabinets for your kitchen, pantry, toilet area to make the space ready for move in. (1) They may even come with brand new appliances, more on that here.
The real name of the game is choosing what these different companies offer you in terms of price, package, material quality and warranty service. These can depend on certain promos, styles and availability of their partners.
Are the cabinets made of real wood, engineered wood or a vinyl sticker on plywood? Are the materials used of low toxicity or low-VOC content? Are the light bulbs LED?
Okay I know light bulbs aren’t furniture, but these are the little details that matter.
Clayton, one of the U.S.’s leading home manufacturers, boasts to have the following branded features: (2)
- ecobee smart thermostats
- Frigidaire® stoves and refrigerators
- Shaw® carpeting in homes with carpet
- Kwikset® door hardware
- Carrier SmartComfort® furnaces in homes with a furnace
- Rheem® dual element water heaters
- DuraCraft® cabinets
- Lux windows®
- Pfister® faucets
If purchasing one of the higher priced models, they can also include a fireplace!
Beyond the basic packages dealers will offer, there’s usually an option for a premium upgrade. Did you want a bigger chef’s kitchen with more cabinets and a stainless steel range? Maybe your dream home includes a lavish drop-in soaker tub? (2)
How Furnished Should You Go?
This highly depends on your situation.
Are you moving from far away? It might be too much of a hassle and cost to transport all your furniture.
Maybe you can keep your beloved king sized bed frame and go for the semi-furnished option of only kitchen and living room furnished.
Another reason you may want to go for the furniture packages they sell is, your current furniture might not fit in your new manufactured home. Be sure to bring that measuring tape with you to see which pieces can make the move.
Many home centers have in house designers — the ones that decorated those showrooms! So if you do opt to go for their fee with additional furniture, think of the added cost as saving your time and money from hiring a separate licensed designer. (3)
The right combination of furniture and decor though can make your “cheaper” manufactured home look like a million bucks.
References:
- Becker, J. (2021, July 2). What is included when buying a new manufactured home?: Tyrone. Tyrone Woods Manufactured Home Community. Retrieved May 2022, from https://tyronewoodsmhc.com/what-is-included-when-buying-a-new-manufactured-home/
- C, M. (2020, July 10). What’s included in a Clayton Built® Home? l Clayton Studio. Retrieved May 2022, from https://www.claytonhomes.com/studio/what-comes-standard-with-a-clayton-built-home/
- Gonzalez, G. (2018, July 9). Are all manufactured homes furnished? Information for Manufactured, Mobile and Modular Homes for Sale in Texas and Oklahoma. Retrieved May 2022, from https://blog.titanfactorydirect.com/are-all-manufactured-homes-furnished
