Prefab Homes Under $100K: What Is Excluded?

Quick answer

A prefab home advertised under $100,000 is real, but the price almost always describes part of the job. Depending on the offer, it may be a kit of unassembled materials, a shell with a finished exterior and an empty interior, a home delivered to your site, or a home installed on a foundation you have already paid for. Land, site work, the foundation, utilities and permits are usually extra, and they can cost as much as the home.

For context, the Census Bureau reported an average sales price of $82,200 for a new single-section manufactured home in May 2026, a price dealers are told to report including dealer set-up. HomeGuide’s tiny-house guide (January 2026) lists unassembled prefab kits at about $4,000 to $30,000 and fully finished prefab tiny houses at about $25,000 to $80,000. This guide explains what each kind of offer leaves out and how to check before you pay a deposit.

Four kinds of sub-$100K offers

Offer type	What you usually get	What is usually excluded	National context
Kit (precut or panelized)	Plans and structural materials to assemble	Assembly labor, foundation, roofing in some kits, insulation, mechanicals, interior finishes, appliances	Tiny-house kits $4,000–$30,000; mid-range house kits $30–$90 per sq ft (HomeGuide)
Shell	Assembled, finished exterior	Insulation, wiring, plumbing, interior finishes, fixtures	Tiny-house shells $15,000–$40,000 (HomeGuide)
Delivered finished unit	A finished small home or single-section manufactured home brought to your site	Land, site prep, foundation or piers, utility connections, permits; sometimes set-up	Single-section manufactured average $82,200 incl. dealer set-up (Census, May 2026)
Installed	Delivery and setting on your prepared site	Land, site prep, utilities, permits; check the foundation	Varies by seller; check current quote

On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see all columns.

Sources: HomeGuide tiny house cost guide (modified January 27, 2026) and modular home guide (modified December 1, 2025); U.S. Census Bureau Manufactured Housing Survey. HomeGuide also notes that some cheaper house kits require buying roof shingles separately and that assembly service adds at least 10%.

Kit-only offers

A kit is a materials package. HUD’s research office classes precut homes, including kit homes, as factory-built homes that must meet local building codes, so you need permits, plan approval and inspections just as for a site-built house. Before ordering, ask whether the plans are stamped or code-ready for your state, whether the kit includes roofing, windows, doors and insulation, and who is responsible if inspectors require changes. Budget the assembly labor even if you plan to do much of the work yourself.

Shell offers

A shell gives you a weather-tight exterior. Everything that makes it livable comes after: insulation, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, drywall, flooring, kitchen and bath. Those trades usually need licensed contractors and permits. Ask whether the shell’s wall and roof framing are designed to carry the finishes and fixtures you plan to add.

Delivered and installed offers

A delivered price gets the home to your lot; an installed price adds setting it. HomeGuide notes that many manufactured-home dealers include delivery within about 100 miles while others charge by the mile, with typical rates of $4.00 to $5.50 per mile for each towing vehicle plus $1.50 to $2.00 per mile for pilot vehicles on oversized loads. Ask for the free-delivery radius and the per-mile rate in writing.

Check the delivery footprint too. HUD advises making sure trees will not block the transporter and that the site drains away from the foundation. A narrow road, a tight turn or a soft driveway can add cost or make delivery impossible. If you need a new driveway, see our driveway cost guide.

Illustrative example: an $89,000 home

Illustrative only. These are invented round numbers for a small home on rural land the buyer already owns. They are not a quote or an average.

Line	Amount
Advertised home price, delivered	$89,000
Land (already owned)	$0
Survey, clearing and gravel driveway	$9,000
Foundation or pier system	$8,000
Set-up not included by seller	$4,000
Well and septic	$18,000
Electric service extension	$6,000
Permits and inspections	$2,000
Steps and skirting	$3,000
Contingency (fixed amount)	$6,000
Cash move-in budget	$145,000

In this example the costs outside the advertised price add $56,000, more than 60% of the home’s price. Run your own figures in the total move-in cost calculator, and see our septic installation guide if your land has no sewer.

Five checks before you pay a deposit

Classification: ask which code the home is built to (HUD Code, state modular code, or something else) and get the label or certificate. It decides zoning and financing.
Zoning: confirm with the local planning office that the exact type and size of home is allowed as a dwelling on your parcel.
Exclusions list: ask the seller to mark foundation, delivery, set-up, utilities, permits, steps, skirting and appliances as included or not, in writing.
Warranty: HUD notes that most manufactured-home makers warrant the structure and factory-installed plumbing, heating and electrical systems for a set period. Read the exclusions, and ask who warrants on-site work.
Deposit terms: find out when the deposit becomes non-refundable and what happens if your permit or loan is denied.

FAQ

Can you really buy a prefab home for under $100,000?

Yes, especially kits, shells, tiny homes and single-section manufactured homes. The total cost to live in one is usually higher once land, site work and utilities are added.

What does a prefab kit not include?

Often the foundation, labor, mechanical systems, interior finishes and appliances, and sometimes roofing materials. Each seller differs, so get a written list.

Is delivery included in cheap prefab prices?

Sometimes, within a set radius. Ask for the radius, the per-mile charge beyond it and whether crane or set-up is included.

Do I need a permit for a prefab kit home?

Yes, in general. HUD’s research office says kit and other factory-built homes must meet local building codes, and HomeGuide notes that local building permits are required for kit homes.

Can I finance a home under $100K?

It depends on the classification and whether you own the land. Small loans and non-standard homes can be harder to finance; ask lenders before committing.

Is a tiny house on wheels a manufactured home?

Not automatically. A manufactured home must meet the HUD Code and be at least 320 square feet. Other units may be regulated differently; ask the seller and your local building department.

Bottom line

An under-$100K price can be a good starting point, but treat it as one line of the budget. Find out exactly which stage the price covers, confirm zoning and classification, and price the site before you sign.

Next, compare the types in our manufactured vs. modular guide.

Reviewed by the Home Cost Desk editorial team on October 20, 2026. Prices are national planning figures from the dated sources below; they are not quotes.

Part of our Prefab Homes guide. For the full site-work picture, see the cost to put a manufactured home on land; for a placed-on-foundation alternative, see the modular home cost guide. Comparing written quotes? Print the free prefab home quote comparison checklist.