You’re not alone if you’ve been thinking about buying a mobile home. Mobile home sales are on the rise, and the industry experienced a 15% increase from 2015, according to the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI), with 81,169 new mobile homes shipping out in 2016.
In your hunt for a new manufactured house, you’ve undoubtedly heard the words “single-wide” and “double-wide,” which refer to types of mobile homes.
While only .07 percent of Americans lived in mobile housing in the 1950s, according to the US Census Bureau, 22 million people now call a manufactured house their permanent home. Manufactured houses now come standard with sports porches, garages, breezeways, and steeped roofs.
Mobile home designs are gradually getting more ornate and unique features ranging from Cape Cod to Victorian style. With the trend toward bigger houses, it’s no surprise that just a fraction of new mobile home sales were single-wide trailers in 2016, according to the MHI. So, what is the distinction between a single-wide and a double-wide trailer?
Factors to be considered when choosing Single wide vs double wide
While the choice between a single-wide and a double-wide house is ultimately personal, there are six things to consider when purchasing your new home.
Size
When it comes to prefabricated or modular houses, size does matter. The lot requirements, transportation, and assembly difficulties will be determined by size. Despite the name, most mobile homes are not very mobile, so the dimensions of your new house will determine the amount of space you’ll need on your property.
Small can be difficult to define in a single wide house, and square footage may range from 600 to 1,300 square feet. Single widows are usually 18 feet or less in width and 90 feet or less in length. The most frequent size for a single-wide house is 72 feet long by 15 feet wide, with a total of 1,080 square feet. Because they are narrower than the typical doublewide, a single-wide home may be transported on one semi-truck.
A double-wide home is a house that measures between 1,000 and 2,300 square feet. A typical double-wide residence is 20 feet long and 20 feet wide, with an average length of 26 by 56 feet. Due to their size, a double-wide house must be transported as two separate units and then constructed on-site to construct a doublewide residence.
Single-wide houses are shorter and more narrow, whereas double-wides are wider and longer, which gives them a site-built appearance. The size of your house will be determined by the number of people in your family and your particular demands.
Interior Space
The most significant distinction between single and double-wide houses is their floor surface area. A typical single-wide home with a size of 25 feet by 72 feet will range from 400 to 1,400 square feet, as opposed to a larger footprint of 26 feet by 56 feet for anywhere from 1,100 to 2,400 square feet of living space.
Land/Lot Size
Because of its larger footprint, a double-wide home takes up more room than a single-wide home. They can be built on land you own or rent, but keep in mind that you may need to relocate at some point if you rent. Also, bear in mind that the double width is considerably heavier than the single width, thus requiring a more robust.
Mobility
A single wide and a double wide manufactured home can be towed by trailer to your lot, but a single wide is easier to pick up and move when you need to relocate any time soon.
A double-wide house consists of two halves that must be moved separately, and separating the two is far more difficult than moving a single-wide home. If you decide to sell your property, a single-wide home’s greater mobility may appeal to purchasers.
Cost
The overall expense of a smaller, single-wide home will usually be lower than that of a larger, double-wide dwelling. However, the cost will vary depending on which options and features you pick. Today’s prefabricated houses can be made to fit any budget and have amenities such as granite countertops.
Adding porches, decks, architectural designs, and interior renovations may be very costly to increase the house’s value. Remember to consider the cost of transportation. If you buy a double wide, you will need to pay for two trailers instead of one.
Floor Plans
Because of their long, thin form, traditional single-wide houses do not have as many room layout alternatives. In contrast, a double wide has more flexibility to be arranged in a manner that mimics the appearance and feel of a site-built home.
Finally, your budget, lifestyle, and financial goals will determine the winner of the double-wide vs single-wide debate. Modern modular homes come in a wider range of designs for every budget. To decide which floor plan is ideal for your family’s space and style preferences.
Single wide vs double wide
Single-Wide Home
A single-wide manufactured house can range in length from 15 to 90 feet. These homes are often simpler to move and may fit on a single semi-trailer, making them more accessible to people with limited resources.
Because the space is so small, a single-wide house is perfect for people or couples without children. Because of its tiny size, one of these houses may be less expensive than a double-wide home.
Double-Wide Home
Double-wide manufactured homes are about twice the size of typical single-wide properties. As a result, the floor plan is considerably larger and can easily accommodate families of all sizes.
However, their wider footprint requires more land, potentially raising the overall purchase price. These houses are transported in two separate trailers and erected on-site, so they might take longer to finish. Because double-wide homes are larger than single-wide homes, buyers may pick from a wider range of options to fit their specific requirements.
