Local entrepreneur wins gold
One of only 12 in nation
By SHARON KERR
local entrepreneur has achieved national distinction: Randy Milford, owner of Twin Lakes Housing, was recently awarded the "CSI gold," a customer satisfaction index rating. He's the only independent dealer in Texas, one of only 12 in the nation, to be have earned this level.

THE TEXAS-SIZE KITCHEN in this modular home features an island that looks like a landing field and an Austin stone decorative arch over the stove.

No doubt the need for housing after Hurricane Rita contributed to Twin Lakes meeting the minimum sales requirements, but according to Clayton sales manager Steve Fulton it was Milford's "no nonsense approach and unbelievable commitment" that made his business a success.

Clayton Homes is one of the market leaders in what the Freedonia Group market analysts say is an $8.8 billion dollar industry. They predict that the market will continue to grow. "Positive factors include the cost advantages of factory production and designs that better resemble site-built homes."

To try to untangle the differences between mobile, manufactured and modular housing would require volumes of specifications. The least complicated version is that a modular home is built in a factory to the same or better standards as site-built homes. The mod is transported to the site where it is installed on an engineered foundation and becomes a permanent part of the real property value.

At the International Builders Show, modular manufacturer Genesis impressed experts by building a 2,130 square foot two-story home in less than a week. Experienced builders said it was indistinguishable from site-built homes.

"I don't recommend two-story mods because the set up is so much more expensive," Milford said.

Most of the homes sold from his lot on South Wheeler cost less than $50 per square foot, while a site-built home in this area is usually $100 or more.

"Prices can vary a great deal depending on cosmetics," Milford says.

The "cosmetics" are what surprise people who haven't seen newer homes coming off assembly lines. Optional features are whatever the customer is willing to buy. That might be a brick foundation, attached garage, textured sheetrock walls, skylights, tile floors or a wood-burning stone fireplace.

"Customers have complete control over what they want in their home. Most plans can be customized any number of ways," Milford says.

Modular homes also come standard with many safety features like smoke detectors and a fire extinguisher, but it is the construction materials themselves that are remarkable, according to Milford. Fulton said Milford is one of a select group of retailers chosen to help in new product development. Milford recently examined a modular home that the owner tried to burn down.

"There was about a three-foot hole in the floor, but then the fire smoked itself out before the fire department arrived," Milford said.

A recent customer commented on her new home. When Sarah Pellerian's house near Port Neches was destroyed by Hurricane Rita, she wanted to move to land just south of Jasper. Contractors could not begin to meet the demand for housing in those months after the storm.

"I hadn't had any experience with mobiles or modulars and didn't really know what I was looking for," Pellerian said. "We've always built our homes before, but I can honestly say the craftsmanship in these homes is not lacking."

She commented on the crown molding, the professional carpet installation, and the fact that her very short punch list of minor problems was handled promptly, sometimes by Milford himself.

"I love my home, and it's easy to keep." Pellerian said.