Mobile Home Addition, Do or Don't?


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Old 09-15-08, 01:22 PM
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Question Mobile Home Addition, Do or Don't?

We have a 14x56 1995 two bedroom one bathromm mobile home that we are thining about adding an addtion onto. We want to build on an addition that we can do the exterior first and then slowly work on the inside as money allows. We want the addition to be the length of the trailer. We pretty much know what we want the addition to contain as far as rooms and such but is this even a good idea? What are some of the does and don'ts about this and how do we even go about getting started. Help we have a growing family and need help fast. Also, can you help me figure out how much it will cost to do the exterior so we can slowly work on the interior.
 

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Old 09-15-08, 02:24 PM
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This is a major undertaking! It would probably be cheaper to get a doublewide then to add onto this one.

I'm going to move this into a different forum.
 
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Old 09-15-08, 04:19 PM
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A lot depends on local codes and what you have to work with. I've put additions on several MHs, in fact the 1500 sq ft house I live in has a 12x60 MH inside it

The addition will have to have a proper footer [s] and it helps to make sure the MH itself won't move any. I wouldn't trust the exterior/common wall of the MH to provide all the support for the roof. I usually build a 2x2 wall secured to the MH but supported by the addition floor. A 2x4 or 2x6 top plate will distribute the weight to both the MH and the addition.

Get some paper and figure out how many 2x8s or 2x10s you need for the floor framing, how much plywood, 2x4s, etc. Then you can go to the lumberyard with your material list and price it. Lumber prices can change daily but it will give you a decent idea as to the cost. When I built my house [added to front and back] I built a section at a time, as I had the money. Basically nobody but me, the tax man and the insurance agent know that my house isn't a conventionally built stick house. I have a block foundation, a cellar under 1 section and a roof over the entire house.

My wife doesn't like anyone to know that we have a trailer inside our home so....sshhh don't tell anyone
 
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Old 09-17-08, 09:38 AM
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How?

How do i figure up how many boards I need for the exterior and floor? Do you go by the measurements of the additions or what?
 
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Old 09-17-08, 11:32 AM
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I would proceed with caution on any addition. I'm speaking from the viewpoint of a real-estate appraiser and my concern would be in your ability to get financing on your property after an addition.
When you say mobile home, there's actually several distinctions. First, a mobile home generally refers to a structure built prior to 1976, which was on a chassis and was rolled to the site. Sometime in 1976, HUD mandated a national code for manufactured homes. Each section, (singlewide section) will have a HUD plate on the end - assuming the plates have not been removed. If you find these plates you have a manufactured home (MH). You'll be able to look underneath and see the chassis, but the wheels and tongue should have been removed.

A third type of factory built home is referred to as a "modular" home. Usually built as wall and floor panels and assembled on site. I'll assume you don't have this type.

Some questions for you (assuming you have a MH):

1) How is title held? Do you have a deed, or is the home titled through your state's department of motor vehicles? In other words, is the home considered "real property"?

2) Does the MH have a permanent foundation? In California, you'd have a 433 designation. If it's "real property" and you have a permanent foundation, you can probably obtain traditional mortgage financing for it - in which case you really don't want to screw up your future mortgage ability by a poorly done addition.

3) Assuming all this is true, you cannot do an addition tying into the walls and roofline without it being engineered. Do not rely only on your municipality's building codes - some municipalities are not aware of the special needs for a MH addition. You could easily risk the integrity of the MH as well as potential for financing and future sale of the property.
 
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Old 09-17-08, 12:02 PM
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????

We are still paying on the mortgage but it is almost paid off. Then we are going to add on. We still have the axles and wheels and tongue on the trailer but it was built in 1995. We can remove them ourselves. We pretty much have total freedom with the mortgage company. Our trailer is on blocks. We are planning on pouring footers for teh addition and eventually for the mobile home. We are not planning on financing this addition. We want to build the exterior first and then work on the interior as we have the money so we are not making payments anymore. How will I find out how to tie into the mobile home throught the walls and roof/
 
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Old 09-21-08, 12:40 PM
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We were gonna do this in upstate NY. We ran in to a road block at the building dept. so your first step may be to check with them before you go the next step. We also looked into prefab additions and found they were fairly close in price to a framed addition. Plus they hook it together. Oh and just because I ran into this issue with the renovation of our existing house in VA. Be sure the siding style and color are still available!!!
 
 

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