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How are modern manufactured homes built?

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By StaffMay 8, 20256 min read

Inside of a manufactured home building facility with a white ceiling and concrete floor, with people working on three different home sections.

Clayton builds various new construction homes including traditional site-built, Crossmod^® homes, and our 70 years of being a leading builder of modern manufactured homes.

Want to learn more about how we’re changing how homes are built? Continue reading about our modern manufactured home construction process, from floor to ceiling.

At Clayton, we construct our modern manufactured homes inside of climate-controlled home building facilities, using new building technology and streamlined processes. All throughout the steps of a home’s construction, we use quality checkpoints and materials from trusted home building brands and our own Clayton supply, ensuring quality results at an attainable price point for our modern manufactured homes.

When constructing a modern manufactured home, the steps taken to complete the build are similar to a traditional site-built home and use many of the same materials. Take a look, step by step.

Inside a manufactured home building facility where workers are finalizing sections of the homes.

1. The home’s frame

Building a modern manufactured home starts with a steel enforced frame that can be attached to a permanent foundation. This creates a stable and strong base for the home to be built indoors and securely transported to be placed on land. This base then has layers of insulation added for energy-efficiency before plumbing and sub-flooring are installed.

Two men install interior wall of a manufactured home inside of a home building facility.

2. Flooring and walls

About Clayton

Founded in 1956, Clayton is committed to opening doors to a better life through homeownership. Clayton is a leading single-family, values-driven home builder dedicated to attainable housing, sustainable practices, and creating a world-class experience for customers and team members. The company’s portfolio includes a comprehensive range of site-built, modern manufactured, Tiny, CrossMod® and modular housing. In 2024, Clayton built more than 60,000 homes across the country. For more information, visit claytonhomes.com.

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From there, flooring finishes, like laminate, wood, or carpet, are installed over the prepared sub-flooring. Next, the home’s interior and exterior walls are framed out, electrical wiring is placed, and insulation is added before covering the walls with common materials, like finished drywall or covered wallboards. Next, the exterior walls are lifted into place using a track system to secure the overall structure of the home before cabinets and appliances can be mounted.

3. Roof and trusses

Now the home is ready for a roof. The trusses are mounted and secured together to frame out the roof before wood sheathing, a waterproof barrier, and shingles are added. During this part of the process, some of the home’s lighting is also installed.

Next, the roof is ready to be lowered onto the rest of the home and joined to the exterior walls. To complete this step, each side of the truss system is sealed before insulation is added and the ceiling is painted.

4. Siding and interior touches

Once the structural parts of the home come together, it's all hands-on deck. Our builders will mount the home’s siding, install doors and windows, and add a temporary exterior wrapping to protect the home for delivery to the home site.

And while all of this is going on, the inside of the home starts to take shape. Home systems like HVAC and power switch boards are connected and installed. Lighting finishes are added and counters installed. This is also when any customized or upgraded features are added. These can include options like fireplaces, built-in bookcases or shelves, entertainment centers, office nooks, and more - depending on the modern manufactured home’s design.

Once all of these steps are complete, the home goes through a comprehensive quality check to make sure all materials and systems are installed, connected, and operating correctly. Now the home is ready for shipping and delivery!

5. Home delivery

From the home building facility, the home is transported to the home site where land prep has already been completed, and utilities are ready to be hooked up.

This is when the home is placed on a foundation and any finishing touches are completed before the final walkthrough inspection. Then, it’s time for move-in day!

So, there you have it, an overview of what it takes to build a modern manufactured home. Interested in browsing all homes built by Clayton? Shop new construction site-built, move-in ready and floor plans online. Or, if you want to read more about our homes, visit our Learning & support page for additional articles and FAQs.