Updating HUD Code to allow the removal of the chassis could both make homes more affordable and provide developers with greater design flexibility to meet the wants and needs of a diverse range of communities and neighborhoods. According to the Niskanen Center, a public policy think tank. Removing the chassis requirement could reduce the cost of manufactured homes by anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000, roughly 7% to 9% for the average, single-section manufactured home.
In terms of material costs, builders would no longer have to build one chassis per section of home, and could instead reuse a single chassis across multiple units. They could transport each section on a chassis that would be removed and reused for future shipments. Removing the requirement would also save on installation costs; builders would no longer have to dig basements deep enough to contain a large steel frame.
Without the chassis, builders could better cater to the preferences of prospective homebuyers. More cities and densely populated communities would be able to benefit as well. For multi-level homebuilders, chassis removal would allow units to stack more easily without including the additional height and weight of a steel chassis on the upper-level section in the ceiling of the ground floor.
Why manufactured homes have a permanent chassis – Unlike site-built homes, which are largely regulated at the local level, manufactured homes are built to a set of federal construction standards set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and referred to as the “HUD code.” One of the requirements is that manufactured homes must be built on a steel chassis. The origins of the requirement are not clear, but some experts suggest that policymakers felt that the chassis were essential for the home to remain movable and to increase stability if they were not on permanent foundations.
(Source: Dennis Su and Rachel Siegel – Pew Charitable Trust)
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