Issues related to moving a mobile/manufactured home

[Back2PA]

I have been looking at property for a retirement spot for when I slow down and eventually stop RVing - land prices keep climbing where I'm looking and figure I better get my foot in the door. Probably initially use the property in the summer for my fifth wheel and then eventually put a mobile/manufactured home on it.

I know nothing about the process of moving a mobile, other than assuming it's a pretty big ordeal. My plan for now would be to buy a later model used unit that needs to be moved, as this depresses the price substantially due to the fact that few buyers want to deal with moving one. I'm assuming I have RVing years ahead of me so it might be awhile before I actually purchase the mobile, however I need to know some of the answers to my questions now as they affect the suitability of each piece of property I look at.

So, my questions for those who have purchased a used doublewide and moved it:

• Please describe the process of "breaking apart" the doublewide and preparing it for travel.
• The properties I'm looking at are not level. I have seen mobiles in place on properties where it literally looked like they must have been helicoptered in, which of course wasn't the case so there must be methodologies to deal with steeper grades. I assume the movers come to the property to determine feasibility. On steeper gravel roads it's hard to imagine a single axle semi-tractor being able to pull a mobile up - how is this done? Perhaps a Caterpillar crawler or similar?
• I will be placing the mobile on a full perimeter foundation. I presume the foundation is built under the jacked-up mobile and it is lowered on to the foundation - is this correct?
• What did you pay for the move? I have some calls in, but haven't heard back from anyone as all movers and dealers are closed at this time. I've heard numbers up to about $10K for full service breakdown, move and setup for a local doublewide move.

Any other things to ask, watch for?

Thx

 

[Wizard46]

Don't know where you live but here in central Georgia, there is several company's that will disassemble and move mobile homes. I would let the pros do it all.

Other considerations would be:
local zoning laws, here single wide trailers are no longer allowed, but existing is grandfathered in
site prep, some leveling may be done before hand
utilities, water and sewage, power

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

The simplest answer is that you hire a mobile home transport & set-up firm and let them handle it. Larger mobile home dealers may do their own, but most use a professional service to do this.

Typically an in-situ mobile home has had the trailer tongue and axles removed, but that can vary. If a double-wide, the two halves are screwed together with major-size lag bolts, which require taking up some of the floor covering to access.  Also removing siding and exposing the longitudinal ceiling beans as well. Disconnect plumbing and power and any tie-down strapping, of course.  Obviously, all loose furnishings have to be secured and anything like dishes packed away safely.

The frame of a mobile is rarely at the perimeter like a stick & brick house - it's a vehicle frame where the floor and walls extend well outside the underlying frame. Thus you still have to support the frame under the home rather than at the walls.  The perimeter is "skirted" for cosmetic and heat/cool assist, but that skirt can be concrete block or whatever you like.

https://www.mhvillage.com/blog/how-are-mobile-homes-built/

https://www.thehomesdirect.com/blog/manufactured-home-construction-process

 

[Back2PA]

The simplest answer is that you hire a mobile home transport & set-up firm and let them handle it. Larger mobile home dealers may do their own, but most use a professional service to do this.

The frame of a mobile is rarely at the perimeter like a stick & brick house - it's a vehicle frame where the floor and walls extend well outside the underlying frame. Thus you still have to support the frame under the home rather than at the walls.  The perimeter is "skirted" for cosmetic and heat/cool assist, but that skirt can be concrete block or whatever you like.

Definitely will be hiring this out. Just trying to familiarize myself with the process so I can ask the right questions to vet companies I'll be talking with.

Re the frame, I guess I knew that but didn't really think about it as one of the zoning requirements in a township I've checked is a "perimeter foundation". I presume then that one would place piers under the frame where required, then build a largely cosmetic block "fountaion" around the perimeter. This makes the process simpler than I thought as one would level the unit, place the piers, then build a mostly non-structural permiter block wall around the perimeter.

Don't know where you live but here in central Georgia, there is several company's that will disassemble and move mobile homes. I would let the pros do it all.

Other considerations would be:
local zoning laws, here single wide trailers are no longer allowed, but existing is grandfathered in
site prep, some leveling may be done before hand
utilities, water and sewage, power

This would be western PA. Not looking at singlewide. And yes, site and driveway prep, water tap-in or well, septic and electric are already on the to-do list, along with checking zoning

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Once you think you know the property location, check with local zoning & inspection authorities to (a) be sure a manufactured home is permitted there , and (b) to learn the requirements for siting, connection to plumbing & sewer, tie downs, skirting, and a "foundation" (using the last term loosely).  They are all very likely to be unique to the county and specific to manufactured homes.  Don't buy the property until you are sure it can be used as you wish.

 

[Back2PA]

Once you think you know the property location, check with local zoning & inspection authorities to (a) be sure a manufactured home is permitted there , and (b) to learn the requirements for siting, connection to plumbing & sewer, tie downs, skirting, and a "foundation" (using the last term loosely).  They are all very likely to be unique to the county and specific to manufactured homes.  Don't buy the property until you are sure it can be used as you wish.

Yes thanks, that is the very reason for this topic and the inquiries I'm making

 

[sc4668]

You will be surprised on the cost of the prep work. We just purchased a new modular home and I got sticker shock on the cost before the house is even delivered. Here is what is required:

1) Site prep , digging hole, foundation walls for the home to site on.
2) Driveway, they will not deliver the home unless you have a good driveway so they do not get stuck
3) Drill a well
4) Septic system or if there is sewer at the street the cost of a plumber to tap in and the county tap in charge. If not the cost of a septic system
5) Moving and setting up the home
6) The cost of a garage or pole barn if needed
7) Permits as required

You need to budget between $80K-$100K. The cost is there weather you buy a new or used home.

 

[Jay Dee]

You will probably need to perform a "perc test" to determine if the soil is suitable for a septic system. This should be done before you purchase the property, ideally.

 

[Back2PA]

You will be surprised on the cost of the prep work. We just purchased a new modular home and I got sticker shock on the cost before the house is even delivered. Here is what is required:

1) Site prep , digging hole, foundation walls for the home to site on.
2) Driveway, they will not deliver the home unless you have a good driveway so they do not get stuck
3) Drill a well
4) Septic system or if there is sewer at the street the cost of a plumber to tap in and the county tap in charge. If not the cost of a septic system
5) Moving and setting up the home
6) The cost of a garage or pole barn if needed
7) Permits as required

You need to budget between $80K-$100K. The cost is there weather you buy a new or used home.

Thanks, yes, for some properties I've looked at the improvement costs far exceed the initial property cost. (One nice ridgeline property required an estimated $50K driveway/site improvement.) I've done some investigating for one in which I'm currently interested, so far I've got these rough numbers:

• driveway - current driveway would need slight expansion and regrading - $5K (this may also cover site prep as building envelope has a gentle slope. Even after regrading will probably have to use a crawler to get mobile onsite
• septic - about $10K
• well - $10-13K
• electric - unknown but shouldn't be bad. Overhead runs across foot of property and nearest transformer is perhaps 300' away. I'd be installing undergound to the building envelope.
• mobile permit for this township discusses piers and skirting so foundation costs may be reasonable
• for now assuming breakdown, movement and setup at $10K, all moving companies closed until further notice

You will probably need to perform a "perc test" to determine if the soil is suitable for a septic system. This should be done before you purchase the property, ideally.

Yes. Some perk work already done but it's been awhile so may have to re-do. In the process of contacting soil engineer. Perks in this area run around $5-800. Any purchase would be subject to all of these issues being sorted out in advance

I already found a 5 year old doublewide that needs to be moved for mid $20K (not buying it, just looking to determine estimated project costs). So even with property improvement costs makes for a very reasonably priced country retirement home


Appreciate everyone's input. Still in the very early stages, we'll see how it goes.

 

[garyb1st]

There's no question in my mind that the Coronavirus will tank the real estate market.  I bought my home in 1991.  That was after two years of a contracting market.  The price continued to fall for the next two years.  Lost about 35% of market value.
The price recovered and like most of SoCal real estate, soared until 2008.  Then in about a year or two we lost 50% of the value.  Today the values exceed those of the pre 2008 high prices.  Will they tank again?  I'd bet money on it.  How much and how quickly are the only questions in my mind.

You might want to hold off on any land purchase for a while.  Prices don't rise during periods of high unemployment. 

 

[Utclmjmpr]

You may not need a "soils engineer" see the county health dept. and they will recommend a company that they normally deal with..
many times they know the area well and what to expect from that area and usually much cheaper..>>>Dan

( Also you may want talk to area residents about "catcha's" that aren't apparent,, I bought a 1 acre parcel and did not know I needed a federal permit to build or even scrape the top soil off to level the property.. The permit included a federal inspection for the presents of Prairie Dog habitats that are in our area)...

 

[Back2PA]

You may not need a "soils engineer" see the county health dept. and they will recommend a company that they normally deal with..
many times they know the area well and what to expect from that area and usually much cheaper..>>>Dan

( Also you may want talk to area residents about "catcha's" that aren't apparent,, I bought a 1 acre parcel and did not know I needed a federal permit to build or even scrape the top soil off to level the property.. The permit included a federal inspection for the presents of Prairie Dogs that are in our area)...

In this area the county issues the application and then you are referred to companies which do the work. Hardly any standard systems are allowed now, so an engineer gets involved to create a system. In this particular case I am told a "mini mound" system will likely be required but more should be known next week.

No prairie dogs here, just ground hogs, and I think there's a bounty on 'em 

 

[Rob&Deryl]

For underground electrical service, there are 2 costs that are much higher than overhead service. The obvious is the trenching. In my 350? run it required 5 days with a rock hammer. Cost was basically a dollar per hit. Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, $5.
The other big cost is price of wire. Underground wire has to be code all the way to the utility hook up. Aerial service is utility to weatherhead on house. The wire size in the air is much smaller and often the utility supplies it. We used aluminum wire one size bigger than 0000. I think 375000 circular mils.
Expensive but glad I did it. Oh, the PVC pipe is the cheap part. While you have the trench open, run a pipe for phone and one for cable, one for driveway lights and maybe a spare. The utilities will not share a pipe.

I plan to move next year. The places I have looked do not classify a single wide or double wide as a manufactured home. They are called a mobile home and many communities do not permit them. We have been looking at manufactured, or modular homes. Even new, they are reasonably priced. As you have discovered, site prep can far exceed the cost of the building and land. Septic, well, foundation and excavating add up. We plan on a full basement since that becomes cheap floor space once you need to dig and place foundations anyway.

Good luck.

 

[Rene T]

Re the frame, I guess I knew that but didn't really think about it as one of the zoning requirements in a township I've checked is a "perimeter foundation". I presume then that one would place piers under the frame where required, then build a largely cosmetic block "fountaion" around the perimeter. This makes the process simpler than I thought as one would level the unit, place the piers, then build a mostly non-structural permiter block wall around the perimeter.

That township may be talking about modular homes. They are different than manufactured homes. Manufactured homes are double wide trailers. A modular home is a stick built home built in a factory under ideal conditions. Then they are loaded on a trailer and trucked to the job site. Those have to have a standard foundation.  They hire a crane to pick up each half called boxes and position them on the foundation. This is what I have right now.

 

[Back2PA]

That township may be talking about modular homes.

Could be. The one I'm dealing with now is talking about mobile homes - I've looked at the permit application and there are three foundation options, one is piers and skirting, so seems clear it's mobiles. But if I get that far everything will be contingent on permits etc

 

[Back2PA]

Expensive but glad I did it. Oh, the PVC pipe is the cheap part. While you have the trench open, run a pipe for phone and one for cable, one for driveway lights and maybe a spare. The utilities will not share a pipe.

As I mentioned there is overhead (and a pole) across the foot of the property I'm looking at - but no transformer. I'm guessing they may want to use the next pole over because it already has a transformer but maybe not. If I could come off the pole on the property with a new transformer, the underground run would be 100' or so.

Good points on the extra conduits

 

[Rob&Deryl]

As I mentioned there is overhead (and a pole) across the foot of the property I'm looking at - but no transformer. I'm guessing they may want to use the next pole over because it already has a transformer but maybe not. If I could come off the pole on the property with a new transformer, the underground run would be 100' or so.

Good points on the extra conduits

They often run several homes on one transformer. The pole where my wires come out of the ground doesn?t have a transformer. It is a pole away.

 

[Back2PA]

They often run several homes on one transformer. The pole where my wires come out of the ground doesn?t have a transformer. It is a pole away.

That's what I'm thinking may happen. If it does it will triple the underground run. Before I can get the answers I have to have a street address for the power company to create a work order to come up with an estimate, and only the owner can apply for one. So that won't happen until, and if, we come to agreement (subject of course to acceptance of utility and other costs).

 

[Rob&Deryl]

That's what I'm thinking may happen. If it does it will triple the underground run. Before I can get the answers I have to have a street address for the power company to create a work order to come up with an estimate, and only the owner can apply for one. So that won't happen until, and if, we come to agreement (subject of course to acceptance of utility and other costs).

Just run to closest pole. Utility may already have low voltage (120/240) at the pole. If not, they will run it.

Are there other houses in both directions on the road?

 

[Back2PA]

Just run to closest pole. Utility may already have low voltage (120/240) at the pole. If not, they will run it.

Are there other houses in both directions on the road?

I was wondering about what voltage they were running. There's only two wires (plus phone etc lower) so I assumed they were probably running 440 or higher, hence the neighbor's transformer. There's another neighbor 800 feet-ish the opposite direction of the one with the transformer, on the same side.

I'm actually the least concerned with the electric. Will it be kinda expensive ? Yes. But given a possible $13K well (which could always be a dry hole) and $10K septic plus guesstimated $5K ish grading, a few thousand for electric that I know 100% is available is less of a concern.

An interesting aspect of this possible property is that the seller is a reputable excavator (recommended by a zoning compliance officer in a different township where I was looking at property). Plus he knows some of my in-laws' extended family. It's very likely he would do much or all of the dirt work at reduced prices, and he is friends with the soil engineer. Property isn't even listed for sale, he just brought it up while looking at a different piece he had. So there are a lot of pieces that could come together nicely. Or not.