View Full Version : Moving to polk county
Howdy,
My wife and I are planning a move to orlando and had been looking at real estate. We had been looking at place that had about 6 acres of land, which is nice, but had a modular on it. It would be great to build there myself on the extra land and live in the mobile home for a year or two while it's being finished, but I'm not sure what to think about living in a modular around Orlando. It's a nice modular, surrounded by trees, and I wouldn't feel horrible living in it, but again, I would hate to go to sleep, and wake up in Mississippi. ;) Is it safe to live in a modular? There seem to be people that do, but I don't know what kind of risk I might be taking.
LiesaAnna
11-01-2005, 11:47
whats a modular????????[msnembarrased]
Cruella DeVilla
11-01-2005, 12:57
Mobile home.
LiesaAnna
11-01-2005, 14:56
oh ..thanks didnt know that!
found this on the web Liesa.
To those struggling with building their own house, modular homes can seem like a miracle: They go up in a day or two and are ready to move into in a matter of weeks. The downside: There's a perception that all factory-built homes have mass-market finishing details that don't lend themselves to country decorating. So Country Living Contributing Editor Randy Florke developed a line of modular homes inspired by classic American architecture. He took the design shown here -- based on his 1820s house in upstate New York -- and further customized it with wainscoting, vintage light fixtures and farmhouse furniture.
Why Make It Modular?
More than 36,000 modular homes are built in the United States each year. They are not mobile homes, but permanent houses made in sections in factories, then transported by truck to building sites where they are assembled by licensed builders on ordinary foundations. Most modular homes can be delivered to a site eight weeks after an order is placed and be ready to move into six weeks later.
Randy Florke's 1,800-square-foot modular home arrived at the building site one morning on the back of four flatbed trucks. By day's end, the shell was in place and the roof was up. Details that distinguish his from most modular homes include rough-sawn pine clapboard siding, custom peaked frames on the lower windows and a covered front entry and back porch. After 20 days of work -- a bit faster than usual -- the house was painted, furnished, decorated and all ready to move into. To give his prefab home a farmhouse feel, Randy installed old-fashioned two-over-two windows with black mullions and added a back porch with a painted floor and beaded-board ceiling.
WR.
DarrenShort
11-01-2005, 15:51
Modular homes are also subject to greater insurance premiums than other homes, I would think that the insurance will be even higher now after last years hurricanes....
Nostromo
11-01-2005, 17:11
Are these modular homes like the 'mobile' type houses with a brick foundation found in small edge-of-the-town estates in the UK? We have a few of those around Swindon.
Cruella DeVilla
11-01-2005, 17:22
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Nostromo
Are these modular homes like the 'mobile' type houses with a brick foundation found in small edge-of-the-town estates in the UK? We have a few of those around Swindon.
[/quote]
I think that is what it is Arun, although some of these are trailers to.
jolliffee
11-01-2005, 17:29
You sometimes hear them called pre-built. They are quite nice but not to everyones taste.
Cruella DeVilla
11-01-2005, 17:40
Aren't they aimed at the over 55s communities? We saw loads of these places throughout Florida, some of them were lovely as Dave says.
Nostromo
11-01-2005, 18:35
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:[i]Originally posted by Cruella DeVilla[/i
I think that is what it is Arun, although some of these are trailers to.
[/quote]
Thanks Jaqui. The UK ones are rather too small and crowded. When I am called to visit a patient in one of those, I end up walking sideways through some spaces. Also, they must cost a lot to heat in winter with so little insulation. Not a problem in Florida I'll admit, but here??
Some of them in Florida are actually quite spacious as big as a small villa. Some did suffer in the hurricanes last year, who knows if these will be a continuing problem or a one off but yes the insurance rates will reflect this. I would think more about the area and whether you want to live there as you will be living in the house when it is finished presumably. Unless you really intend building it yourself with your bare hands ( the thing to be thinking about then is all the bureacracy hassles, material shortages etc!!) if you are using contractors, they go up pretty quckly once they are started, you shouldnt be looking at two years.
MaggieAllan
11-01-2005, 19:40
If they would let me emmigrate I would live in a tent.
so, other than the extreme premiums on insurance, which are to be expected, I probably wouldn't blow away in a modular or a double wide.
LiesaAnna
11-01-2005, 20:40
WR1 sent me details and they are really nice, cant tell you what i was imagining!, very spacious i thought, they have a really nice look about them, must put it on things to do when in florida, i would like to see one all done and set up,
[msnembarrased] this is actually quite strange, but I'm guessing this is primarily a UKmoving to Florida forum. I think that's neat. Whenever we're in Orlando, we always enjoy meeting people from Britain and they seem to be in abundance. I can only imagine that with current pound to dollar exchange rate, this would be the best time ever to try the transition. We'll see you there!
LiesaAnna
11-01-2005, 20:47
i love the Americans!!!! so friendly, polite, havent met one with attitude ......yet!:D
MaggieAllan
11-01-2005, 21:43
Try New York Leisa[msntongue]
Everyone was really nice when we used the subway in Brooklyn, the usual eye contact and smile, but once we went under the river to Manhattan, the very same people changed their stance and facial expression!!! I think they believe you have to be tough to survive???
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Caolon
so, other than the extreme premiums on insurance, which are to be expected, I probably wouldn't blow away in a modular or a double wide.[/quote]I wouldn't be quite so sure of that as residents in manufactured homes are among the first to be evacuated. So, whilst you may be safe, your home may not.
However, building time is usually only about three months so I wouldn't imagine you would be living in one for two years or anything like it.
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by MaggieAllan
Try New York Leisa[msntongue]
Everyone was really nice when we used the subway in Brooklyn, the usual eye contact and smile, but once we went under the river to Manhattan, the very same people changed their stance and facial expression!!! I think they believe you have to be tough to survive???
[/quote]
I think thats the first impression you get when going to New York but I spent 8 years spending at least two days a week there and 9 out og 10 were great!!
Nostromo
12-01-2005, 01:22
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by MaggieAllan
Try New York Leisa[msntongue]
Everyone was really nice when we used the subway in Brooklyn, the usual eye contact and smile, but once we went under the river to Manhattan, the very same people changed their stance and facial expression!!! I think they believe you have to be tough to survive???
[/quote]
Actually, we found New York a lot better than London, at least after Guiliani's reforms. But if you want to see Americans at their worst, go to LA. [xx(]
chrizzy100
12-01-2005, 02:18
A lot of the manufactured homes in Polk did well in the storms....losing the odd carport roof not much more damage than some of the houses....I'd not stay in one in a storm....but then I would lock up and leave anyway.....no matter what build of home I owned.....if the storm looked bad enough.....I found out from a local neigbour this week that a twister went through part of where my home is just taking up the palm trees....but it took out the roofs and windows of homes up the road.....so you never can tell..........
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by LiesaAnna
i love the Americans!!!! so friendly, polite, havent met one with attitude ......yet!:D
[/quote]
LOL.... you don't live here them...
LiesaAnna
12-01-2005, 11:24
have only been twice but love what i have seen so far!:D
[quote]Originally posted by MaggieAllan
If they would let me emmigrate I would live in a tent.
A tent with A/C and pool of course.:D
Sally