Jim Walter Homes

Ralphy

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 7, 2004
Messages
280
Howdy ya'll!! First time posting this year so a belated Happy New Year to all, and thanx for this great forum. <br /><br />We are in the beginning stage of building a home on our acre lot on the banks of the San Gabriel river. Have been researching area builders and am a bit overwhelmed at the cost of a custom home. Jim Walter Homes are by far the most affordable and Im sure there is a good reason for this. Has anyone had any experience with them? Thanx in advance for your input.
 

Kenneth Brown

Captain
Joined
Feb 3, 2003
Messages
3,481
Re: Jim Walter Homes

I don't know about the affordability of JW. I looked at some of their homes. For the same or less money you can get a Palm Harbor built in modular style. The JW does not include any site work. The JW price that you see is for the CHEAP version, upgrades are very costly. I don't know what Austin has but Waco has a JW dealer, it is just North of town off of 35 in Elm Mott. I do know that the PH plant is in Austin, you may want to check them out.
 

Twidget

Commander
Joined
Jun 16, 2004
Messages
2,192
Re: Jim Walter Homes

My step sister had a house built by them. She went the fully built house route. She has been happy with it, it is 10 years or so old now.<br /><br />I know that once you get past the frame/siding everything seems to be an option.
 

Stumpknocker

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 11, 2003
Messages
774
Re: Jim Walter Homes

I vote for JW over Palm Harbor. I've had both. Would never buy Palm Harbor again and I paid a bloody fortune for all the upgrades and amenities they had to offer.
 

beezee28

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 3, 2004
Messages
804
Re: Jim Walter Homes

Done a price survey on JW and local supplier, there are certain thing that are cheaper with JW and certain things cheaper with the local supplier. If you want less headache than go with a local builder. KB siad it right, JW does not cover site work.
 

Kenneth Brown

Captain
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Feb 3, 2003
Messages
3,481
Re: Jim Walter Homes

Gil- What is it about a PH that you didn't like? You7 have to be the first one to say you don't like them that I have heard about. In the next few years we will be building or a double wide so I am seeking all the info I can get. I have pretty much made up my mind that if we do get a double wide it will be a PH. My only problem with them is to get what I want I will be spending right at $100,000. If I am going to spend that kind of money i would prefer a site built home. I never plan on moving after the build so the resell doesn't bother me its just that no matter what they call it its still a trailer house. I'm pure redneck, but I don't want to live in a trailer again. My current home is site built, way back in 57. I have thought about moving it but don't want to deal with the hassle.
 

agitator

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 29, 2004
Messages
194
Re: Jim Walter Homes

I own a lot of homes, both site built and doublewides. Every year my site builts are worth more and the mobiles less. Several are Jim Walters and I wish I had more. They are an honest straightforward house built to site built code. After a few years mobile homes are virtually worthless. Maintenence will kill you. Everything that you can't see such as piping, hot water heater, faucets, sinks, locks, doors etc. are skimpy and nonstandard. Replacing them which you will do often is ridiculously expensive and time consuming. Rather have a sorry house than a good mobile home. A frame house can be maintained and upgraded at reasonable cost from now on. Seems like mobile homes just melt from the elements and being out of date. That is if a tornado or hurricane doesn't find it first.
 

dhammann

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 25, 2002
Messages
299
Re: Jim Walter Homes

Anytime that you contract a site built house it is a going to be a crap shoot. JW has built good and not-so-good houses. They are just like any general contractor, they depend on their sub-contractors which are often under supervised and unpredictable. I would suggest that research the net on modular homes. I’m referring to system built modular, not the kind that are made by converted mobile home manufacturers. This type is stick built in a factory, delivered on a carrier and set onto a FHA foundation via a crane. I am very pleased with mine, since it is 90% completed when set the sub-contract work is minimal. In fact, my only problems were with the subs. The materials in these houses are superior to a spec site built house. Show me a site built house that could be lifted 60 feet into the air with a crane and held by a sling on each end.
 

lakelivin

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Aug 19, 2004
Messages
1,172
Re: Jim Walter Homes

What Big Dee said. Modular built under cover so no weather issues, more supervision & quality checks, better materials (e.g., can't use warped lumber cause it has to fit jigs), frame nailed AND glued, etc. Don't need to worry whether any subs are working after/ while drinking, etc. <br /><br />I haven't built one, but looked into it over 15 years ago and would prob go modular if I were to build again. State of the art is that they can pretty much build your plans if you want, you're not stuck with just a few designs. <br /><br />One link to check out for more info:<br /> http://www.buildingsystems.org/buildingsystems/tellmore.html <br /><br />Do a google search to find more info on the concept from sources INDEPENDANT of the actual modular companies. Then research particular companies in your area if still interested. <br /><br />Like BD mentioned, make sure you're checking out modular companies, not mobile home ones that have started doing modular houses. I saw one modular over 15 years ago that had a customized architectural design, very contemporary, kind of thing you'd see in Architechtural Digest magazine. Cost over $700K at the time, in a neighbor hood of million dollar homes. Awesome house.
 

Barlow

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 11, 2003
Messages
1,794
Re: Jim Walter Homes

careful guys ... materials is materials .. good bad er indifferent they're respective to purchasing.<br /><br /> Those guys that work in the 'component plants' can come in hung-over beyond belief too.. nothing stopping them other then the fact that most are pullin' less then $15 an hour. As far as jigs in panelized construction goes with warped lumber .. you've obviously never built anything dealing with panels or components.<br />These places for the most part give a rats turd about crowning studs or 1/2" dimension fluctuations.. order tusses sometime and ask to re-spec dimensions to job site measurements.. you'll get laughed at!! <br /><br />I better stop here.. no insults are meant.. just careful on how you state things cause I've read some serious falsities!
 

dhammann

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 25, 2002
Messages
299
Re: Jim Walter Homes

Barlow, I suggest that you visit a modular plant. Most will let people in for a tour, everthing you stated is untrue. The tolerences are +/- one-sixteenth. Remeber, these modular units have to fit precisely together: a half inch would be disasterous. You don,t go to work drunk in an industrial plant unless you plan to get fired. Quite contrary the site builders can drink and smoke dope all day long since the general contractor is rarely around. And when the inspector makes his final inspection the mistakes have been covered up. Modulars are state inspected at every assembly stage along with in house quality control inspectors. Another interesting point is modulars weigh about 20 to 30% more than a comparable site-built...they have 30% more framing in them. One more thing...every joist is put in a machine and stress tested to make sure it will support its engineered load before it is accepted by a modular builder!!
 

Barlow

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Mar 11, 2003
Messages
1,794
Re: Jim Walter Homes

Been to many plants Big Dee (Wausau Homes, Wick Homes are just a stones throw from me). Been in the building industry the majority of my professional career and hold certifications in both civil and structural engineering with product manufacturers certifications in the likes of Trus-Joist, Weyehauser (they've owned trus-joist since '97 when they purchased MacMillian/Blodel - originators of the 'Silent Floor Syetem' and engineered I-Joists), Georgia Pacific, USG, Owens Corning and several more.<br /><br /> I'll be breaking ground next Monday 2/7/05 on the first of 4 homes I'm building this winter so I tend to have an understanding of whats what. <br /><br />I've got a few opinions, yes! ... but, I don't openly type crap on here to read my own words or lead folks in the wrong direction. - Never had, never will. <br /><br />re-evaluate what you've said/typed so far .. you sound like you're the proud owner of one of these homes.. and good for you if you're happy with it. But, don't list things that are so debateable its silly. I've had guys on crew that have worked for these places and I've heard fisrt hand what goes on in them from central Florida to here and in-between outside of plant tours. I've set some also.<br /><br />Here in my area in Wisconsin with a four man crew thats been working together for at least a year can build the average 1600-2000sqft home - dried in (floor system/walls/ roof system+papered w/exterior doors and windows installed) in a week (up to two dependant on many variables) - stick built. w/o the aid of much heavy machinery (cranes and lifts). Face it this stuff ain't rocket science. If you're worried about your home blowing away, USP and Simpson hardware companys have the solutions for this from strapping and diagnal wind bracing to truss ties etc.,.<br /><br />As 'per joist' testing is concerned (SPF/Dimensional members are what your talking about).. don't need it - point blank. They (joists) shouldn't be pushed or stressed to their 'potential' in ANY application.. sales spoof at best. "20-30% more lumber?".. ummm .. waste! in a typical house now days there are roughly 200LF of exterior wall. Within this are a normal 16"o.c. spacing. Calculating corners and partition junctures roughly 210-220 precut studs will be used. In the same home you can assume roughly 140-180LF of interior wall .. which will cause close to 160-200 interior pre-cuts to be burned up. plate material will run @ 800lnf exterior and slightly less for interor. Floor systems can get slightly complex but for this example assume a single stairwell to the basement and midspan support beams with solid blocking assumed at bearing points. .... no changes.<br /><br />exterior sheething and floor sheathing is a sqft covering dependant design, layout and waste. so thats moot. <br /><br />the only reason these houses could/would have more lumber is becase they need extra for strength being bounced around and hoisted.<br /><br />I'm tired ... need lunch
 

dhammann

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 25, 2002
Messages
299
Re: Jim Walter Homes

You Know your stuff Barlow and I respectyou for that but I have been in industial engineerig for over 30 yrs so don't smite my profession either. Like I said before, Iam not talking about converted HUD manufactures such as the ones you refer to. My advice to you is hang on because yours is an old fashioned and fading technology...look around,how many site built commercial structures are being built today? This industry is growing by leap and bounds. The hold back has been the stigma set by the uneducated public. Would you let someone site build your auto? The site built contractors today are really modular assemblers anyway, pre-hung windows and doors, truss roofs, ready made cabinets, engineered floors etc. The days of being a real carpenter are long gone. Thats all I have to say about that.
 

toomanyboats

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Sep 5, 2003
Messages
88
Re: Jim Walter Homes

I'll agree with Barlow,I build and sell in Calif,I live in an area of both stick built and other tracts of modulars,ive been in the modulars and seen the quality of them,my kids do better!<br />its good entry level homes,when the economy failes the modulars prices will be first,then site built,in calif,we are in the forefront of the industry,most professional builders here prefer site built,<br />the real carpenters are at site built homes and the rookies and illeagals are in the plants!<br />Dee with all due respect YOUR WRONG,
 

rwise

Captain
Joined
Jul 5, 2001
Messages
3,205
Re: Jim Walter Homes

Roun here, JW homes are poorly built, studs on 24" only one nail in each end etc. maybe your area is differant. Just what I have seen.<br /><br />illeagals are everywhere.
 

dhammann

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 25, 2002
Messages
299
Re: Jim Walter Homes

I was referring to system built homes, stick built in a factory under strict quality control and engineering guidelines. How many site builders have an engineering degree and hire quality control personnel? Modulars have an unfair stigma due to the mobile home (HUD) industries…they are two different entities. Sure there are some crappy modulars just like there are some crappy site built homes. You get what you pay for, if you pay substantially less for a modular than a comparable site built home, chances are good that you will get a crappy home. But dollar for dollar a spec builder cannot compete with system built homes. When comparing one against the other the system built modular will have higher quality amenities, tighter construction and a factory backed warranty.
 

Barlow

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 11, 2003
Messages
1,794
Re: Jim Walter Homes

Big Dee -- what's your position at one of these companies? an engineer / owner / stock holder??
 

dhammann

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Mar 25, 2002
Messages
299
Re: Jim Walter Homes

Barlow,<br />Not this industry but I’ve been involved in other types of manufacturing for 30+ years. My expertise has been in Engineering, Maintenance, Quality Control and R&D at one time or another. Most industries today are in a “fight-for-life” situation. They have to report good news to their shareholders, meet ISO standards, and control costs while maintaining high quality standards. Our greatest fear is to go up against hundreds of other competitors who may beat us on quality and value. Bad quality losses customers and I am not talking about the general public, a loss of just one distributor can close our doors. Today an industry cannot survive unless they can provide quality and value.<br /> A site contactor that loses one customer may be out 100 grand but a systems built modular home plant can lose millions by the loss of one customer!
 
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