Important Aspects of Manufactured Home Installation
Manufactured home installation is perhaps the single most important consideration to assure durability and long term satisfaction from your new home – so important that the manufacturer’s warranty may be void if your home is not installed consistent with the written instructions that are provided with each home. Listed below are some of the key elements of installation that can have an impact on the performance of your home.
Site Preparation
Proper grading of the site around your home to provide ground water run off is critical. Make sure the ground under your home has no depressions or areas where water can collect.
Support
Your installer must ensure that the ground where your home is sited has the proper soil conditions and bearing capacity to properly support your home. The supports must be protected from the effects of frost heave. Improper support of your home may lead to bowed floors and walls, cracked walls or ceilings, doors and windows that do not operate properly and other structural defects that can lead to permanent damage to your home.
Assembly
Most manufactured homes, especially multi-section designs, require assembly to be completed on site. Until a home is assembled properly, it can not perform as designed. The ability of the home to resist wind, rain and snow, functioning of the plumbing, electrical, heating/cooling systems, to name a few are only assured by proper assembly on site.
Stabilization
To ensure that your home can withstand the forces of windstorms, which can cause sliding and overturning of the home, it is imperative that your home is properly anchored with suitable anchoring devices that are properly installed.
Installation shortcuts to save money
There are none. There may be several methods approved by the manufacturer for properly installing your home. One method is explained with the instructions that come with each home. Alternative methods of installation require the manufacturer’s approval before they are used. Proper installation is a wise investment – insist on it!
In Pennsylvania, effective October 1, 2020, all manufactured homes must be installed by a HUD Licensed Installer. You can obtain a list of licensed installers by clicking here and scroll down for the “HUD-licensed installers ” link.
