Last updated on September 21st, 2023 at 11:38 am
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Terminologies can oftentimes get confusing in the RV world. There are many terms that are used interchangeably and it can be difficult to figure out what each word means and what is being discussed.
Mobile home and RV are terms that are often used interchangeably, but is an RV actually considered a mobile home?
Mobile home is technically an outdated term for a manufactured house that was updated after new building regulations in 1976. An RV or a recreational vehicle is a vehicle that has living quarters within or attached. Both are mobile and can be moved.
The history of mobile homes and RVs is intertwined and it’s obvious why many people call an RV a mobile home. This article will explore the history of the two and their differences.
RV History & Background
You’ve probably heard or read terms like mobile home, travel trailer, and RV used interchangeably online and in conversation. Though this is common, they are technically referring to different things.
Context clues will usually help you figure out exactly what is being discussed, but it’s useful to understand what each term means and how they differ from one another. Knowing how a mobile home is distinct from a travel trailer and how an RV is different from both of those can clear up some confusion you might have about all of these terms.
A little history lesson is necessary when diving into this subject. Mobile homes have technically been around since the 1870s, though those were moved by horses and not automobiles. A more recognizable form of the mobile home came about in the mid-1920s and early 1930s as a travel trailer. In the early 1920s, travel trailers became popular among vacationers as an easy way to haul belongings from one place to another. For some, these trailers became homes when The Great Depression hit in the 1930s.
Mobile homes became an increasingly popular choice for veterans after World War II because they were both quick and easy to build. This time period was the start of the baby boom, so it allowed these veterans and their families to have a place to raise children. Not to mention, the mobile part meant they could move to where the jobs were available easier than they could before. It was in this era that trailers started being called mobile homes.
Over time, these mobile homes became larger, and because they were so popular, the federal government created codes and mandates for building standards of these homes. It was in 1976 when mobile homes became officially recognized as manufactured homes due to the standards they now had to be built to. The biggest appeal that manufactured homes have for most people is the fact that they are one of the most affordable forms of housing, even today.
RVs, fit into this history as a take on the travel trailer. They are essentially automobiles with homes attached to their bodies. In the early 20th century, they started as cars with cabins attached to them. Today, RVs have several different classifications, and while you can live in an RV they are meant for recreational purposes, hence the name, Recreational Vehicle.
Mobile Homes Vs. Manufactured Homes
Mobile and manufactured homes have an intertwined history. As I mentioned before, the mobile home came first and after regulations were put into place they became manufactured homes.
Both types of homes can be moved, but both typically require a large flatbed truck and a crane for on and offloading. They are both mobile homes, in that they can be moved, but neither will have wheels or the ability to be transported easily as an RV or travel trailer can be.
A mobile home as we’ve defined it cannot exist if it was built after 1976, that’s when the building regulations shifted and mobile homes because manufactured homes. Most mobile homes that were built before 1976 won’t be viable for transportation anymore because they are not considered up to code anymore.
Mobile and manufactured homes might be transportable, but both are designed to be in one place for an extended period of time.
What Is An RV?
What is an RV if not a literal mobile home? It is technically a home on wheels, and honestly, easier to move than a mobile or manufactured home. Up until the 1950s, motorhome, RV and mobile home were terms that were used interchangeably, and you probably still hear that from time to time.
Today, a motorhome is an RV or recreational vehicle, and a mobile home is a manufactured home. Motorhome and mobile home are just outdated terms that are not technically correct anymore.
An RV is essentially a motor vehicle with living accommodations. There is a wide range of RVs that can be bare bones and simple in their accommodations and others can be as lavish and luxurious as a five-star hotel.
There are a few different classes of RVs as they have evolved over time. An RV from the early 1900s wouldn’t look much like what you or I think of as an RV today.
Class A
These RVs are generally larger and tend to be luxurious. This also includes commercial passenger and school buses that have been converted into RVs. A class A RV will usually have multiple rooms and a bathroom on board.
Class A RVs will usually have larger windows which are an exciting feature for avid travelers who want a good view of the outdoors.
Class B
This kind of RV is usually along the lines of a camper van with a raised roof. They’ll have smaller kitchens with a refrigerator and a gas grill. So, they have some of the luxuries of class A but not always on the same scale. Some larger Class B RVs will have a bathroom as well.
There are different characteristics of a Class B RV depending on if you are in the United States of America or Canada. It can even vary by state in the USA, in California, a vehicle has to meet four of the six following features to be considered a Class B RV.
- Cooking system
- Water system
- Refrigerator
- Toilet
- 110-volt electrical system or fuel
- Air conditioning system
Class C
This kind of Class C RV is one that has an alcove that typically fits on top of a truck cab. They will usually have a kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping rooms as well.
They have a distinct cab-over profile. Older versions were constructed using a wooden frame that was covered in thin metal. Newer versions will be constructed with fiberglass, composites, or plastics.
These are not the only types of RVs out there. There are also 5th wheels, truck campers, pop-up campers, and travel trailers. All of these you can live in full time, but they are not necessarily designed for that purpose. All RVs are designed for recreational purposes first and as living quarters last. They are made for travel and leisure but can be lived in full-time.
Differences between an RV and a Mobile Home
The biggest difference between an RV and a mobile home is the fact that an RV has a chassis and wheels, while a mobile home does not.
For the sake of this article, I’m going to use mobile and manufactured home interchangeably, even though we’ve already dived into their differences. Remember, a mobile home built after 1976 is simply a manufactured home.
Mobile homes will require you to hire professionals to move the home on a flatbed truck and usually with the help of cranes. They are mobile but are ultimately designed to be put in one place and remain there.
An RV is a vehicle that either has a living area contained within it or the living area is towed behind your vehicle. RVs do not have the same regulations that mobile and manufactured homes have, and vice versa.
They are both not as well insulated as a permanent home, which means they can get uncomfortable in the winter. It is possible to live in both during the colder seasons, as you can see in our article that offers tips on how to winterize your RV to live in it.
You’ll often hear people calling RVs mobile homes, but it’s not often that a mobile home would be called an RV. I wouldn’t say that you are wrong if you call an RV a mobile home because most people will understand what you mean, but it is not technically correct.
Is a Travel Trailer Considered a Mobile Home?
A travel trailer can be considered a mobile home in the same way that an RV can be. They are not technically the same as manufactured or mobile homes, but they are literally a home on wheels.
The travel trailer was really the first iteration of a mobile home and an RV. As I mentioned earlier the travel trailer first gained popularity in the 1920s as an easy way for families to travel with all of their belongings.
Travel trailers still exist today in a similar form to when they first came about. The main difference is that they are not only designed to tow belongings but to house people as well. They will usually have kitchens, bathrooms, and sleeping areas.
A travel trailer is a type of RV, and while its history helped lead to the invention of the mobile home, it isn’t technically one.
What Holds Its Value Best?
If you are looking into the differences between an RV and a mobile home as a permanent living solution, then you should understand which might hold its value best.
A traditional home will typically appreciate in value, and both mobile homes and RVs will depreciate, but not necessarily at the same rate or in the same way. The different types of classes will depreciate differently.
A 5th-wheel RV will depreciate the quickest and a Class C RV will depreciate the slowest, but a mobile or manufactured home will depreciate even slower than any type of RV will.
Supply and demand will impact RV pricing more than manufactured home pricing, but the housing market can affect the price of a manufactured home. Typically, a manufactured home will cost about half as much as new construction.
Another factor in if a manufactured home will appreciate or depreciate in value is if the home is on its own property in which case the land will add value. If it is in a mobile home park, then it is likely to lose value over time.
RVs will always depreciate, just like vehicles, as soon as it is driven off the lot. After about 5 years, the depreciation will plateau. No matter how well it is taken care of, it will lose value and will lose it rather quickly.
A Class B RV will keep its value best of all the types of RV. A general rule of thumb is that the larger the RV, the more quickly it will depreciate.
Even though RVs and mobile homes might depreciate, they have some great benefits such as mobility and cost. You can decide where either goes and how long to stay there for and both will cost you quite a bit less than a traditional home. Keep in mind that an RV is much easier to move than a mobile home though.
This video will explore the pros and cons of buying an RV or a mobile home.
Conclusion
When asking the question if an RV is considered a mobile home, you have to consider the history behind the terms. They have a long history, starting well before the 1900s, though they came into more popularity after The Great Depression and then again after World War II.
They have an intertwined history and while they came about for similar reasons, they are not technically interchangeable terms. That being said, in casual conversation, no one will fault you for calling an RV a mobile home.