Lenders and agencies require that a structural engineer perform a foundation certification.
When considering the purchase or refinance of a manufactured home, lenders will require that the foundation meets HUD minimum guidelines when using a VA, FHA, or USDA home loan. It is important to realize that manufactured homes are different from modular homes. A doublewide manufactured home will have what is called a data plate tag on the outside with HUD numbers on it. A modular home will have a modular home seal which is located in two places within the home: 1) Data plate under the kitchen counter usually near the sink with the modular home seal and 2) Data plate with the modular home seal inside the main electrical panel box for the house. Learn more about modular homes
Manufactured Home Foundation Basics
- Sufficient concrete footers
- Mortar joints in the piers (or surface like “surewall”)
- 6 mil vapor barrier on the ground in the crawl space
- Wheels, tongue, and axles must be removed
- Continuous skirting covering complete perimeter of home
Suggestions when dealing with a manufactured home foundation:
If you are a realtor or owner getting ready to list a doublewide for sale, tell the seller to spend the money on obtaining a structural inspection by a structural engineer. By having this done up-front, you will be able to offer a certification that the home qualifies for government loans and increase the confidence a buyer has when making an offer.
If you are a buyer, ask the seller if they have a structural engineer foundation report and if they don’t have one, know that this will be required and account for that expense.
Structural Engineer Foundation Contacts
This information is supplied by Larry Anderson, President of Anderson Engineering & Associates, P.A., Cell 910-608-2808, Connect with LinkedIn here. Larry covers a wide geographic area around the Lumberton/Fayetteville area.