Requirements for Manufactured Home Foundation Inspections

Over 20 million Americans live inside 8.5 millions of constructed homes. Therefore, this type of home accounts for 77% of the total owned-owned homes in the US. Due to the growing demand for manufactured houses, it’s crucial to ensure that they’re compliant with the latest HUD and FHA specifications.

Millions of dollars of property damage are reported each year as a result of hurricanes. For instance, the hurricane Isabel in 2003 that hit North Carolina, caused a loss of around 450 millions of dollars in property damages. So, FHA and VA have set standards for the foundations of home manufactured structures.

You’ll have to locate an engineer with experience and expertise who is well-versed in the most common problems that could arise with the foundations of manufactured homes. They’ll have the expertise in the requirements for a home that can ensure the approval of an FHA and VA mortgage. . Following the inspection, the expert will send a written report to the homeowner, mortgage lender or buyer informing them of whether the home foundation is compliant with the most current standards.

In this article we’ll walk you through these guidelines. If you’re contemplating the possibility of a manufactured foundation inspection for your home located in Florida Be certain to take these into consideration.

Requirements for Manufactured Home Foundation Inspections

As per the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, FHA manufactured foundations for homes must meet certain standards. Here’s a list of fundamental specifications:

• Straps, anchors and earth that protect against hurricane winds
• Tongue, axles, as well as wheels must be removed
• A vapor barrier must be 6 millimeters thick within the crawlspace
• Stabilizer structures that prevent the house from moving both in transverse and longitudinal directions
• Piers either end of the doors to the side of the house and window openings greater than 48 inches”

Once you’ve mastered the basics of what you need to know Let’s look at the details of the requirements:

Excavation

Excavating for foundation walls or footings must extend beneath the soil that is subject to the characteristic changes in volume or seasonality to a soil that is unaffected and provides adequate bearing. For areas that are susceptible for frost damage, the footings must be placed at a level below the highest frost depth, which is below the grade. If you’re dealing in expansive soils, alternating drying and wetting during the season is crucial. The soils are excavated and trench-filled with gravel and sand that has been graded.

Foundation Material

Foundation and footings are made of solid materials like concrete or ABS foundation pad.

Structural Requirements

All exterior walls and marriage wall posts marital walls, piers and columns need to be supported by a suitable foundation system with adequate design and structure to be able to withstand the load imposed depending on the nature and soil. To make it easy to access the crawl space the ceiling’s height above the level of the completed grade from the foundation in all times is usually 18 inches.

Footings for Pier Foundations created of pre-cast concrete or ABS pads that are set below the frost penetration level on a firm, un-removed soil with adequate capacity to bear. They can be placed on a the compacted, engineered fill after having it endorsed by a professional engineer licensed to work. If the region is characterized by peculiar conditions, the dimensions of piers as well as the load-bearing capability of soil, and the distance between piers should be specifically determined to the specific conditions.

Typically they are dry stacked cement masonry units (CMU) that measure sixteen” x 16″ x 8″.

Moving forward, the floor level should be 12 inches lower than the top of the chassis beam, and 18 inches below the top of the floor joists. If you require access to the space beneath the floor to repair or maintenance on mechanical machinery there, the level of the ground beneath the floor joists on the affected area must be at least 2 feet.

Furthermore, the inside ground level should be higher than the exterior finish grade, unless an automatic sump pump system, drain tile with enough gravity drainage to create an outfall that is positive. This is not required if the placement on the table and soil’s permeability are sufficient to ensure that no water will build up on the crawl space.

Foundation Design

When developing the foundation, every load lateral, including wind or seismic loads, as well as all gravity loads, like dead, snow and occupancy loads must be satisfied.

In the event of wind or seismic activity, for example, the vertical anchorage can be crucial. That means the constructed home needs to be secure with the ground. The structure should be able to withstand uplift and turn from wind that blow in the direction of transverse. Vertical anchorage can be achieved in conjunction with the longitudinal wall location or on the chassis beams or at both places.

Additionally the home manufactured must not be subject to the forces of horizontal sliding — in both transverse and longitudinal directions. Horizontal forces usually result from wind or seismic activity. The transverse or longitudinal direction is related to the resistance elements’ orientation and direction of force application, like the wall’s longitudinal direction or the transverse X-bracing vertical planes.

FHA Manufactured Home Requirements

If you’re thinking about the possibility of a manufactured foundation inspection of your home to be eligible for the purpose of an FHA mortgage the property must also meet these requirements:

• The manufactured home has to be constructed after June 15, 1976.
• The minimum floor area is at a minimum of 400 square feet.
• It is recommended to be a single-family residence
• If it’s a brand new manufactured house, it has to be covered by a one-year guarantee from the manufacturer
• It must be equipped with an FHA-approved water source and sewer system.
• It must be in compliance with the requirements for manufactured home installation that are set out by the HUD
• Each part of the manufactured home has to include a HUD red certification label that is visible through the coating of paint.

If you’re familiar with the FHA credit guidelines for foundation inspections for manufactured homes, let’s determine why you might require an inspection of your manufactured home’s foundation.

Why You Need a Manufactured Home Foundation Inspection

There are a variety of reasons to think about an foundation inspection for a manufactured home within Alabama, or other states in your present or future home. For example, prior to deciding to purchase a manufactured home you’re required to have the foundation inspected by a certified professional. The lender or bank will require a written statement to confirm that the manufactured home’s foundation is in compliance with HUD requirements.

Additionally, after your manufactured home is constructed in the factory, it’s going to need to be erected at the desired location. In addition, the lending institution will need a certificate from an approved inspection company to confirm that the foundation is in compliance with the rules in force. This is the same when you apply to your lender to refinance or purchasing a manufactured property.

If you’ve now understood the reason to think about the possibility of a manufactured Foundation inspection for mobile home in Florida, let’s discuss how it works.

How a Manufactured Home Foundation Inspection Works

It’s crucial to recognize how manufactured houses are vastly different from normal block homes. The base of manufactured homes is based on piers which help support the structure that is connected with I-beams. This is why it’s an essential checkpoint during the construction process.

If you’re looking for a manufacturer-approved foundation inspector for your home, make certain to take into account:

• If they are holders of the Alabama Board of Professional Engineers License
• If they check if the home is properly attached to the foundation, or not.
• What is the procedure to file Engineering Certification

Manufactured Home Foundation Inspections in Alabama

You should have a thorough knowledge of the specifications that apply to the FHA as well as a VA guaranteed loan that is used for foundation inspections on manufactured homes, in what circumstances you might need this, and how the procedure operates. Therefore, you’re prepared to have your manufactured home examined. The firm you select can make a big difference in the inspection process and you should make your choice carefully.

Work with manufactured home dealers and individuals and title firms as well as real estate agents along with mortgage brokers to help facilitate an approval of loans. To make sure that the foundation meets with VA as well as FHA loan requirements We conduct an extensive examination of the footings foundation materials, and the foundation design. We then issue a certificate of the findings.

We only use certified professionals to perform the inspections. We understand the importance of quick time to complete the inspection, our staff is willing to go the extra mile to help our customers. Our electronically sealed and signed reports are accepted in all State bodies of engineers who are professional. Within a couple of days we send them out to the institution, lender or the individual you wish to notify.