Things to consider:

Things to consider Insulation At Starks Bros. every home is ordered with a minimum of R28 roof, R11 wall and R22 in floors. This is zone 3. We pay as much as $1050 extra on doublewide homes for his feature. Always ask the dealer about the insulation of the home, it will save you money on your energy bills. Flooring We pay an additional $345 to $600 per home to have OSB flooring installed in our homes. When shopping for a manufactured home be sure and ask the dealership if their homes have OSB flooring, it does make a difference in the years to come! Concrete At Starks Bros. your family’s safety is a priority. Our installation team feels that the home is only as good as the foundation it is setting on. All of our double wide pricing includes a concrete foundation. We pay a concrete professional to do all of our concrete work. Our cost is an additional $1,650 to $1,950 for your foundation. We also offer perimeter blocking. Proper set-up of a home is critical to your family’s safety. If you are shopping for a home, be sure and ask about proper set-up and if it is included in the pricing. Air Conditioning Included in the cost of your home is air conditioning hook-up. We pay an outside air/heating specialist to properly install your air conditioning. We cover the cost of the labor, furnish the wire and breaker. When we leave your unit will be cooling. Before buying your home be sure and ask if it includes Air Conditioning installation. Home Site Evaluation Before delivery of your new home we send a member of our installation team out to inspect your site. He will inform you if trees that need to be REMOVED and make recommendations that will improve the set-up of your home. He will show you the height your home will be on the highest end and will inform you if it is going to be too high. This evaluation cost us time and money but we feel it is well worth it. We believe the customer needs to be made aware of any site problems before the delivery of the home. Our goal is the quality set-up of your home. Be sure and get details about the dealers set-up before you buy.

Indies 16x80 by Indies House:

This home has been reconditioned and looks great. It has shingle roof and vinyl siding, it has OSB wrapped under vinyl siding. It has hardwood flooring in dining room, a glamour bath and air conditioning. Price includes delivery, setup and anchored down.

ADVENTURE 28X72 by Adventure Homes #4683U

1812 Sq Ft 28x72 overall size Home is loaded. Has decorative stone snack bar, island kitchen, pantry, large den with fireplace, glamour bath, 2x6 walls, OSB wrapped, Sliding glass door, upgrade carpeting, 1 piece fiberglass tub and shower, side-by-side refrigerator, dishwasher, solid cider cabinet doors in kitchen, zone 3 insulation package and many other items....you must see to appreciate. Price includes central air and concrete piers installed.

Storm Shelters:

Before spring storms arrive protect the safety of your family with a Lifesaver Storm Shelter from Starks Bros. These shelters are made of fiberglass, stainless steel hardware, and a plastic honeycomb composite floor system that won't rot, leak or conduct electricity. Manufactured in Southern Illinois and tested at the Texas Tech University Wind Engineering Institute. Lifesaver Storm Shelters offer safer, more comfortable shelters for out customers that they will actually use if severe weather strikes. Many concrete or metal shelters go unused by their owners because the interiors are often scary places. This defeats the purpose of having a shelter which you and your family should not hesitate to use during severe weather. Other storm shelter manufacturers use wood, concrete or metal all of which over time will crack, leak, rot and rust allowing water, insects, rodents and snakes to enter the shelter as well as providing an environment for mold or mildew to thrive. Metal shelters can also be dangerous as they can conduct electricity from downed power lines or lightening. Our shelters are made of fiberglass, stainless steel hardware, and a plastic honeycomb composite floor system that won't rot, leak or conduct electricity. Standard features of out shelters include screened vents and door seals to keep out unwanted pests, non-skid steps, handrail (Storm-Tek LS10 and LS20 only), carpeting, molded bench seating and a glossy white gel-coat finish, similar to modern bathtub linings, for your comfort and safety. Easy to open multi-point door locking system with gas struts provides an easily accessible shelter for people of all ages. Lifesaver Storm Shelters only protrude eight inches above the ground and can be installed in a single day in most cases without large machinery, meaning there is minimal damage to your lawn or property. As an optional feature, phone, cable/satellite TV or electrical wiring can be added to your installation for your comfort and peace of mind. We encourage you to question our competitors' construction, features, and price and compare it with ours. We are sure you will find the perfect storm shelter to fit your needs and will appreciate the distinct advantage of becoming an owner of a Lifesaver Storm Shelter. Standard Features Built in the USA Shelters meet or exceed FEMA 320 specifications Heavy duty fiberglass construction Stainless steel hardware Gas struts for easy door opening Screened vents keep pest out Water-tight door seal Stainless steel multi-point door locking system Composite flooring will not rot or rust Carpeting Fiberglass non-skid steps Handrails Contact Us for more information about our Storm Shelters.

28x56 by Fleetwood Stoneridge

This Fleetwood Stoneridge, 28x56 has 3 bedrooms and two full baths. It is all electric, shingle roof and vinyl sided home, with Zone 3 insulation(up north), it has blackboard behind the vinyl siding for even more insulation factors and for sturdiness. It has vinyl clad thermapane windows, oak window sills, 1 piece fiberglass tubs in both bathrooms, new carpets installled, 19' refrigerator, dishwasher, ceramic lavs and 3 ton central air conditioner. This home is priced with delivery and setup included, central air installed and concrete piers installed per state code to set home on. For pricing and other details you might need, call David or Paul at 800-455-3001.

32x56 by Canyon Lake #32523K :

This 32x56 home has full drywall throughout with OSB wrap, 2x6 walls, R38 in roof, R19 in sidewall and R22 in floors, to meet ENERGY STAR® requirements, 26'cu.ft. refrigerator, deluxe electric range, 40 gallon water heater, low E thermal pane windows, built to ENERGY STAR requirements, wood surround fireplace, programmable thermostat, entertainment center, hardwood cabinet doors, 48" shower stall and Glamour bath, dishwasher, deluxe molding, deluxe lighting package. All of this and much more! Price includes delivery and setup, drywall finished, anchored down, central air installed and wired ready to use. Call David or Paul at 270-527-1451 or visit us on visitstarks.com

Simple Landscape Ideas:

Da Vinci said, "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication", and landscapes clear and straight forward in design are those that are as vibrant today as they will be a century from now. Problems arise when we complicate a design project with things we want but don't necessarily need. The more wants that go into the project, the more challenging it becomes. If you can pare your needs down into a perfectly simple project, it will manifest uncorrupted by costly, problematic whims and impulses. Simplify the LayoutThe layout of your project is the site plan, which is like the floor plan of your home. The more simply and logically it is designed, the easier it will be to build. Think back to homes fifty years ago before the whole outdoor kitchen craze or the advent of McMansions with all the bells and whistles. Back then everyone had a single large patio where they dined and barbecued and generally hung out. The larger the family, the larger the patio. In rainy climates it would have a weatherproof cover, and perhaps a shade arbor in hot dry regions. Simplicity in layout is best understood if you consider some of the impacts of complexity. Forming excessive curves and corners for concrete work takes time and a good deal of carpentry skill to build the forms. This is where the costs accumulate due to the need for skilled labor and the extra days required to build the forms. A rectangular patio in contrast is easy to build without specialty carpentry. The same applies to lawn and planting areas. If these are roomy and well thought out, the cost of edging, mow strips and most of all irrigation becomes far more efficient. Complicated edges and tight curves make it difficult to design the irrigation because heads and piping don't easily lend themselves to sinuous forms. They were developed for a rectangular lawn beside a rectangular patio inside a rectangular yard. Pro Tip: Don't feel you need curvy walks to create a naturalistic garden. The key is choosing the right plants and positioning them properly relative to constructed elements however rigid in form they may be. Simplify the DetailsIf you were to study a set of working drawings for a landscape, the pages contain boxes filled with detail illustrations. A detail is anything the designer must show the contractor how to build. This might include a step face with a bull-nose brick tread or the way a deck railing is put together. Details can be standard and simple or custom designed so that each one becomes its own mini design-build project. This complexity may even require a specialty sub-contractor. You pay the designer more to build it on paper, then the contractor charges you extra because it takes more time to build that "special" step than one with standard construction. Plus, there's always the chance the contractor will make a mistake implementing an architect's special detail drawing. Places where details often appear: Custom outdoor kitchen tops. Caps for walls with specialty materials. Columns and pilasters in high profile locations. Outdoor lighting built into any structure, particularly masonry. Special wood joinery and craftsmanship. Tile or stone accent bands on paving or masonry. Simplify the MaterialsFifty years ago almost all landscapes featured one of two basic paving materials: concrete and brick. A patio was either concrete or brick laid on a packed and leveled bed of sand. At any time in the future this patio could be expanded without concern for matching the original materials. If you needed to replace broken bricks or if the concrete cracked badly, it would be a fairly easy fix too. But if your patio features a special new tile with unique color or texture, you will pay high prices to install it and there's no way to be sure it's going to be available in the future. If your patio was stained with a specialty finish color or texture, future changes or repairs get very complicated as well. Maybe that company no longer exists. Perhaps they've changed the brand of stain they use. Your stain could have faded so much the original coloring no longer matches. When you stick with basic materials and minimize the amount of construction, you are assured that the landscape will be easy to maintain, repair and expand on in the future. The long term presence of such materials in the industry means a lot of different companies manufacture the same product. That creates competition that results in lower prices for you both at the time of construction and in the future. Material Choices to Beware of: Imported paving materials that may suffer spotty availability due to global trade. Faux finishes that are hard to replicate in part or overall. Specialty accent materials that may not hold up outdoors over time. Small boutique manufacturers that may disappear overnight. Hand-made tiles and other decorative items created by individual artists. Simplify the Planting-in recent years the U.S. Patent Office allowed newly developed plants to obtain a patent which allows only the breeder or designated growers to propagate and sell the plant. A royalty payment goes back to the breeder for every new plant created and sold. This has caused an explosion of new plants to flood the market, many with significant marketing campaigns. They make you feel that plants are just as trendy as fashion, and that you should utilize these new varieties because you see them in advertisements. Truth is, very little has changed in the plant world over the past few decades and these new plants have not been on the market very long. In terms of landscaping, a decade in cultivation is just the beginning of proving its worth. Landscape architects are very uncomfortable in specifying newer plants because they don't want surprises in the future that can come back to haunt them with a lawsuit. Solid, disease resistant, well-adapted trees, shrubs and vines are the backbone of your garden. Limiting your choices to well-tested, widely available plants is the best way to simplify your planting. Tips for Simple Planting: Stick with well tested varieties you and your contractor can depend on. Avoid plants not widely available because they are impossible to replace. Don't push the climate envelope and force plants where it's too hot or too cold. Beware of special packaging due to patents that often sell at higher prices. Avoid special needs plants unless you're willing to give them extra attention. Contributing Author: Maureen Gilmer, contributing writer for Landscaping Network, author and syndicated columnist Source: http://www.landscapingnetwork.com/landscaping-ideas/simple.html

Southern Lifestyle 16x80 by Southern Lifestyle #40326

16x80, 3 bedroom, 2 full baths, all electric, Zone 111 insulation, shingle roof, vinyl lap siding, 2x6 walls, hardwood cabinets, laminate flooring, side-by-side refrigerator(black appliances), French doors, glamour bath and more. This one is a beauty and won't last long. Call David or Paul @270-527-1451 for pricing and other details. Price will include delivery and setup, anchored down, central air that was with home hooked up and ready to use and new vinyl underpinning installed.

Adventure 14x70 by Adventure Homes #2623X

This home is a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, with a shingle roof and vinyl siding. It has R30-11-22 insulation which is zone 3 plus and storm windows. The price includes delivery, set up, a/c installed and underpinning installed.

Landscaping Ideas for a Manufactured Home

Landscaping can make your manufactured home look customized. A good landscape design can make an ordinary manufactured home look customized rather than commonplace. The trick, as with all landscaping projects, is to plan ahead as much as possible. Drive around and find landscape designs that excite you. Consult a professional if possible, and sketch out your ideas on paper. Even if you think you can't draw, that last step will save you time and money down the road. Does this Spark an idea? Other People Are Reading How to Add a Porch to a Manufactured Home Landscaping Idea on a Limited Budget Drainage The first thing to consider when landscaping a manufactured home is drainage, according to M&T Bank's modular home website. To keep moisture away from the home's foundation, make sure the land--including the driveway--is graded away from the house. To keep irrigation water away from the foundation, only choose plants requiring minimal amounts of water for foundation plantings. Hardscaping The most permanent part of any landscape design is hardscaping--"hard" elements like brick pathways, stone walls, and fences. Because hardscaping is usually more expensive and is the foundation for the rest of the landscape, it pays to develop a hardscaping plan right away. As HGTV's website points out, even if you can't implement all hardscaping before plants are added, knowing where the hardscaping will eventually go saves you the time, effort, and money of rearranging your landscaping later. Lighting Although lighting is part of hardscaping, take special care to consider it. Exterior lighting is a safety issue, as well as an aesthetic one. Solar lighting is often the least expensive way to add light to the landscaping, but may not be effective in areas where sunlight isn't prevalent all year long. Softscaping Plants are the "soft" part of landscaping. To save effort later, plan their positions carefully, advises Landscape America. A common mistake is to not consider the mature size of a tree, shrub, or plant. For example, a young rhododendron bush may fit under a window now, but in a few years' time it will block sunlight from coming through the window and will require constant pruning in order to keep it to a reasonable size for the location. Other areas to be especially careful about are downspouts and the foundation. In addition, deciduous plants, or those that drop many blooms or fruits, require more clean up time if planted near decks, patios, pools, walkways, or driveways. Problem Spots If there are areas of your manufactured home you find unattractive, come up with special plans to conceal those with landscaping. For example, if you have a heat pump at the front of the home, you might be able to conceal it behind a grassy berm or a grouping of tall plants. Source: http://www.ehow.com/list_6957211_landscaping-ideas-manufactured-home.html

Reflection 16X60 by Fleetwood Homes #6562R

This home was sold new by us in 2007. It has been taken care of and it looks great. Ideal floor plan with 2 big bedrooms, one on each end. It has central air, shingle roof and vinyl siding and new carpets and is ready to move into. Price includes delivery, setup and anchored down using the Oliver System, a/c installed. Call Paul/David for pricing and other information.

Sandalwood 14x70 by Fleetwood Homes #2663N

901 Sq. Ft. This Fleetwood Sandalwood 14x70(overall size) is a 3 bedroom with 2 full bathrooms has shingle roof with vinyl siding, has Zone 3 insulation(R30-R11-R22), Cider Cabinets, Deluxe Black appliances, and this one comes fully furnished ready to move into. It also comes with central air conditioner installed and hooked up ready to turn on. It comes with vinyl underpinning installed.

Spring Super Savings WMV

Preparing your Mobile Home for Spring and Summer Severe Weather

Preparing your Mobile Home for Spring and Summer Severe Weather SCC Stormy Weather Icon As the spring and summer storm season approaches, we all need to take steps to prepare our mobile homes (and traditional site-built homes as well) for thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes. Aside from basic mobile home safety measures, we'll also discuss some things to keep in mind for your family and pets. If your home was built prior to 1994, the home and tie-downs were designed for winds up to about 90 mph (Category 1 hurricane). Those built after 1994 are designed to hold, with tie-downs, in winds up to 110 mph (Category 2/3 hurricane). This upgrade in mobile home manufacturing was due to Hurricane Andrew in 1992. The office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) imposed stronger building codes due to the punishing force that Hurricane Andrew unleashed on mobile homes. Check your mobile home's data plate for date of manufacture as well as the strength of winds that the home is built to withstand. The anchoring systems are vital in keeping the structures from flipping over or being blown off supports during disasters such as tornadoes or hurricanes. Anchor the mobile home with over-the-top, or frame, ties. Get frequent inspections as anchors, straps and tie-downs can become corroded or loose over time and have them replaced when necessary. Mobile homes are particularly vulnerable to hurricane-force winds and require special precautions. The cost of replacing anchors is far below the cost of replacing your mobile home and most states have certification programs for mobile home installers who will have experience in inspecting and replacing these anchors. When a storm threatens, do what you can to secure your mobile home, and then evacuate. If you have time before you leave, shut off propane tanks, leave them outside and anchor them down. Frequently during spring storm season and especially during hurricane season, clear porches, patios and yards of all objects that could become projectiles in high winds. Keep your landscaping trimmed and clear of dead tree branches as well. Hurricanes We all know that hurricanes are destructive forces of nature and according to www.weather.com the Atlantic Hurricane Season officially opens on June 1st and continues through November 30th. While we are now some time away from it's official opening, it is NEVER too early to heed some basic safety precautions for our mobile home owners. Frequently throughout the hurricane season: map safe routes inland and keep an up-to-date list of official shelters. Since most shelters do not allow pets, be sure to make emergency plans for pets too! Also, keep family members apprised of any evacuation plans you make. Since storms tend to knock out power, always keep an appropriate amount of cash on hand as credit cards may not always be accepted at grocery and convenient stores. During a hurricane, ordinary objects inside your home can become a hazard. Anything that can move, fall or break may cause damage. Inspect your home at least once a year and address potential hazards, by securing bookshelves to the wall and anchoring water tanks. When the hurricane is threatening, Close and lock shutters and secure other items before leaving. Turn off and disconnect water, gas, electricity and sewer lines. Go door to door to make sure everyone's out. Tornados Identify shelter options by locating the nearest building of solid construction for possible use in the event of a tornado. Consider whether the shelter provides 24-hour public access and is less than ten minutes travel time from your mobile home or mobile home park. Know where the nearest emergency warning siren is located and whether or not you can hear it at your home. Although most cities maintain an outdoor siren warning system, homes and businesses are encouraged to acquire a tone-activated Weather-Alert Radio with a battery backup. Weather-Alert radios provide the most constant and reliable source of information on severe storms broadcast directly from the National Weather Service Forecast Office. These alerts are specifically tailored to your location so you'll know you're getting the most accurate weather for your area. Weather-alert radios are available at most electronics retail stores and staff there can help you program it for your locale. A battery-powered AM/FM radio should also be maintained for emergency information. Above all, no matter the type of storm you're facing, always develop evacuation/shelter plans for your family based upon the various amounts of warning time that might be available. Additional Resources Check out the following link from the National Weather Service for more information on hurricane preparedness and post-storm warnings: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/hurricane/pdfs/hurricane-safety_flyer.pdf FEMA has published an informative brochure called Against the Wind. To order a free copy of Against the Wind, call FEMA toll-free at 1-800-480-2520. To view online, visit www.fema.gov and type in the search field: FEMA publication Against the Wind. For more information on disaster preparedness, visit www.ready.gov, www.fema.gov or www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem. Source: http://www.stdins.com/byart.php?art=scc0036