Industry Segment Information - Percentage Allocation of Manufactured Housing and Recreational Vehicle Net Sales (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Feb. 28, 2014	Feb. 28, 2013	Feb. 28, 2014	Feb. 28, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales in percentage	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Net sales
Net sales	$ 38,772,000	$ 36,986,000	$ 134,029,000	$ 128,742,000
Operating Loss
Gain on sale of idle property, plant and equipment	300,000		462,000	1,411,000
Total operating loss	(5,737,000)	(5,390,000)	(9,379,000)	(10,595,000)
Interest income	25,000	25,000	75,000	37,000
Loss before income taxes	(5,712,000)	(5,365,000)	(9,304,000)	(10,558,000)
Housing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales in percentage	71.00%	60.00%	76.00%	63.00%
Net sales
Net sales	27,641,000	22,114,000	102,235,000	81,571,000
Operating Loss
Total operating loss	(3,841,000)	(3,132,000)	(4,931,000)	(6,502,000)
Housing [Member] | Modular Housing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales in percentage	9.00%	10.00%	12.00%	14.00%
Net sales
Net sales	3,603,000	3,476,000	16,698,000	18,512,000
Housing [Member] | Domestic [Member] | Manufactured Housing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales in percentage	62.00%	50.00%	64.00%	49.00%
Net sales
Net sales	24,038,000	18,638,000	85,537,000	63,059,000
Housing [Member] | Domestic [Member] | Modular Housing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales in percentage	7.00%	8.00%	9.00%	11.00%
Net sales
Net sales	2,819,000	2,840,000	12,533,000	14,632,000
Housing [Member] | Canadian [Member] | Modular Housing [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales in percentage	2.00%	2.00%	3.00%	3.00%
Net sales
Net sales	784,000	636,000	4,165,000	3,880,000
Recreational Vehicles [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales in percentage	29.00%	40.00%	24.00%	37.00%
Net sales
Net sales	11,131,000	14,872,000	31,794,000	47,171,000
Operating Loss
Total operating loss	(1,709,000)	(1,721,000)	(3,696,000)	(3,974,000)
Recreational Vehicles [Member] | Domestic [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales in percentage	21.00%	30.00%	20.00%	29.00%
Net sales
Net sales	8,012,000	11,124,000	26,554,000	37,517,000
Recreational Vehicles [Member] | Canadian [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales in percentage	8.00%	10.00%	4.00%	8.00%
Net sales
Net sales	3,119,000	3,748,000	5,240,000	9,654,000
General Corporate Expense [Member]
Operating Loss
Total operating loss	$ (487,000)	$ (537,000)	$ (1,214,000)	$ (1,530,000)