For manufactured home + land buyers
See the real cost of a manufactured home on land before you make an offer.
The price on the listing is only the first line. The True Cost Calculator adds up the land, site work, utilities, setup, and financing, so you know the whole number and your monthly payment before you commit.
Instant download · Works in Excel + Google Sheets
A real example
A $98,000 home. A $257,540 project.
This is the filled example that comes with the calculator: a manufactured home on 2.5 acres with a well and septic. The home is less than 40% of the total. Most buyers don't see the rest until the quotes start coming in.
About $1,890 a month with $30,000 down, a 25-year loan, taxes, and insurance. Sample numbers from the filled example. Your costs will be different, and that's the point of running your own.
- Home price$98,000
- Land + closing costs$54,500
- Delivery, installation + foundation$20,500
- HVAC, steps, skirting + permits$16,400
- Site prep + driveway$17,800
- Well, septic + power$31,400
- 10% cushion for surprises$18,940
True project cost$257,540
Sound familiar?
If you've ever thought…
- “The home is under $100,000, so we can afford this, right?”
- “How much does a well and septic even cost?”
- “Is this land really a good deal once it's ready to build on?”
- “What will our monthly payment actually be?”
- “Which of these properties is the better buy?”
…this calculator was made for you. Every one of those questions has its own tab.
Inside the tools
Everything in one workbook
One dashboard, the whole picture
Your true project cost, monthly cost, and budget buffer at a glance. Change any number and everything updates.
Know what the land really costs
Land price per acre next to all-in cost per acre, so a cheap lot that needs thousands in site work doesn't fool you.
See your real monthly payment
Loan payment plus taxes and insurance, your budget buffer, and debt-to-income.
Swap guesses for real quotes
Start with estimates. As quotes come in from dealers and contractors, move each cost from estimate to quoted to actual.
Compare before you choose
Three land options, three homes, and three complete projects side by side.
Catch problems early
Risk flags show what still needs research, and the decision score sums it up.
The difference
Guessing vs. knowing your numbers
Guessing
- Adding up the home and the land and hoping
- Finding out about septic and power after you buy the land
- A monthly payment from a quick online estimate
- Comparing properties in your head
- Quotes scattered across texts and emails
With the calculator
- Every cost in one place, from closing costs to skirting
- Site work and utilities priced before you make an offer
- Your payment with taxes, insurance, and a budget buffer
- Three land options and three homes side by side
- One tracker from estimate to quote to actual
What's included
Everything in your download
- True Cost Calculator workbook (.xlsx) with 18 tabs: Dashboard, Property Profile, Land Calculator, Home Calculator, Site Work, Utilities, Financing, Quote Tracker, Scenario Planner, Home Comparison, Land Comparison, Budget, Long-Term Cost, Risk Flags, Decision Score, Purchase Checklist, Printable Report, and Read Me
- Filled example workbook that shows a sample project in every tab
- Getting Started guide (PDF): what each tab does, a step-by-step walkthrough, and a simple routine from first search to move-in
- Works in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets
- 18 connected tabs with a dashboard
- Blank workbook plus a filled example
- 7-page Getting Started guide (PDF)
- Instant digital download
Spreadsheet · Excel + Google Sheets
$14.99
Get the calculator · $14.99Instant digital download. Your link arrives on screen and by email.
Questions before you buy? Email hello@landandhometools.com.
Want the whole set?Manufactured Home Buyer BundleManufactured Home Buyer's Guide + Manufactured Home + Land True Cost Calculator. $24.99 instead of $29.98.A good fit if
- First-time buyers planning a manufactured home on their own land
- Anyone comparing land parcels, homes, or dealer quotes
- Families who want to know the monthly cost before they commit
- Buyers who already own land and need to price the rest of the project
Not the right fit if
- You want someone to give you a quote. The calculator adds up your numbers. It doesn't replace local written quotes.
- You've already signed contracts and paid for the site work. It's most useful before you commit.
Who's behind this
We're a military family with three young kids, planning our own move to land and a manufactured home. We built this calculator because we kept finding costs nobody mentioned until later. It's the tool we wished we'd had.
Read our storyQuestions
Frequently asked
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets. It also works in Microsoft Excel.
I don't love spreadsheets. Is it hard to use?
You only type in the gold cells. Everything else calculates for you, and the Getting Started guide and filled example show you what goes where.
Will it tell me what my project will cost?
It adds up the numbers you enter. Start with reasonable estimates to see if a property is worth pursuing, then replace them with written quotes as you get them.
I already own land. Is it still useful?
Yes. Leave the land purchase costs at zero and use the site work, utilities, home, and financing tabs to price the rest of the project.
Can I adjust it for prices in my area?
Yes. The Decision Score uses a few cost benchmarks, such as land cost per acre and home cost, and you can change them on the Decision Score tab.
How do I get the files?
Right after checkout you get a download link on screen and by email.
Know the whole number before you sign anything.
One missed cost, like a well or a septic system, can run more than the calculator costs many times over. Spend an evening with your numbers first.
Get the calculator · $14.99The calculator is a planning tool, not a contractor quote, appraisal, inspection, financing commitment, or legal, tax, or lending advice. Costs vary by property and location, so use local written quotes whenever you can. See the license and refund policy.