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How to Inspect Mobile Homes or Manufactured Housing for Defects: detailed procedures, defect lists, references to standards. Ver.3.4 - 04/25/07 - Steve Vermilye, New Paltz NY and Daniel Friedman, Poughkeepsie NY, Hudson Valley ASHI Chapter Seminar, Newburgh NY, January 4, 2000, NY Metro ASHI Fall 99 Seminar, Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, White Plains NY, October 2, 1999.

Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Resources. The Green links show where you are in our document & website. © Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, New York State License # 16000005303 All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left.

MOBILE HOME PIERS - Mobile Home Pier Foundations

• slab preferred; assure good drainage away (risk undermined piers); (Floating or on frost footings ok)
• missing or improper tie-downs against storm damage (Northridge disaster & in FL); tie-downs may be driven or screwed into ground; cables must be taut.
• improper masonry piers-blocks on sides, stacked debris, removed chassis, water-undermined piers; footings/piers often not below frost line; reinforced floating slab may work ok;
• piers at excessive intervals (more than 6-8 feet and/or closer than 3 ft. to the ends of the home)
• piers missing at large sidewall openings (sliders) or at tip-outs or expanded units or under fireplaces.
• masonry piers: properly-stacked blocks, hardwood or treated wood or concrete cap, shims; piers sit on 16"x16"x4" concrete pad, pre cast or poured in place, or 12" x 20" treated wood;
• Piers less than 36" high can be single-stacked 8x8x16" block with the long 16" dimension perpendicular to the frame;
• Piers 36" to 80" high and all corner piers of more than 3 blocks high shall be double-blocked with interlocking alternating courses and capped with 5x16x16 solid concrete block or equivalent;
• Piers more than 80" high must be double blocked, alternating courses, laid in mortar and steel reinforcing rods set in block cells and cells filled with concrete.

Tie downs for mobile homes, trailers, double-wides are usually expected to be placed and connected according to details provided in the mobile home installation manual (have you ever seen one?). If you know your mobile home or trailer model name and perhaps serial number, you may be able to contact the mobile home manufacturer to ask for an installation manual.

Links to more detailed mobile home or trailer tie-down installation specifications, methods, and advice can be found at Structural Advice.

MULTI-WIDE CONNECTIONS - Multi-Wide Mobile Home unit connections:

• lag screws or through bolts at adjacent mate beams, especially important if the manufacturer has support columns under only half of the home;
• hinged roof connections require that king posts be site-installed and metal uplift straps secured to the mate lien wall and roof assembly once the hinged roof is up;

[ See DRAWINGS from the NYS book]

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DEFINITIONS of Mobile Home, Doublewide, Modular, Panelized Construction
MOBILE HOMES, DOUBLEWIDES, TRAILERS
INTRODUCTION to MOBILE HOMES
PRIORITIES OF MOBILE HOME INSPECTION
MOBILE HOME LABELS
ROOFING DEFECTS
MOBILE HOME EXTERIOR DEFECTS
MOBILE HOME TRUCTURAL DEFECTS
  MOBILE HOME WIND RATINGS
  MOBILE HOME ENERGY ZONES
  MOBILE HOME ROOF ZONES
  MOBILE HOME FOUNDATIONS
  MOBILE HOME PIERS
  MOBILE HOME STABILIZING SYSTEMS
  MULTI-WIDE CONNECTIONS
  MOBILE HOME WALL DEFECTS
  MOBILE HOME CRAWL SPACES
  GENERAL STRUCTURAL
MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL DEFECTS
  MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL SUPPLY
  MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL SERVICE
  MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL GROUNDING
  COMMON DEFECTS
MOBILE HOME HEATING
MOBILE HOME COOLING
MOBILE HOME INSULATION
MOBILE HOME PLUMBING
  GENERAL PLUMBING
  MOBILE HOME SUPPLY PIPING
  DRAIN WASTE VENT
  MOBILE HOME FUEL SUPPLY
  MOBILE HOME WATER HEATER DEFECTS
  MOBILE HOME PLUMBING FIXTURE DEFECTS
MOBILE INTERIOR DEFECTS

• Mobile Home Inspections - Daniel Friedman & Steven T. Vermilye
• Trailer vs Mobile Home vs Modular vs Panelized Construction an explanation of terms and how to identify these structures.
• "Modular Home Construction, special defects and inspection methods" Dan Friedman, NY Metro ASHI Seminar, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, White Plains NY, October 4, 1996
• "Modular Home Construction, special defects and inspection methods" Dan Friedman, NY Metro ASHI Seminar, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, White Plains NY, October 4, 1996
• MOBILE HOME INSPECTIONS
• Trailer vs Mobile Home vs Modular vs Panelized Construction an explanation of terms and how to identify these structures.
• Trailer vs Mobile Home vs Modular vs Panelized Construction an explanation of terms and how to identify these structures.
• "Modular Home Construction, special defects and inspection methods" Dan Friedman, NY Metro ASHI Seminar, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, White Plains NY, October 4, 1996
• New York State: "Manufactured Homes: an installation guide for the code enforcement official," undated. [Div. of Code Enforcement & Admin. - 518-474-4073, George E. Clark, Jr., Director] - this is a guide tool, not an enforcement code or standard.
• HUD State Administrative Agency (for 36 states) (NY: 518-474-4073) - for complaints
• Manufactured Housing Institute, 2101 Wilson Blvd. Ste. 610, Arlington VA 22201 703-558-0400 www.mfghome.org
• NYMHA, 35 Commerce Ave., Albany NY 12206-2015 518-435-9859 800-721-HOME (they want the Star Program to provide for separate assessment of manufactured homes)
• Consumer Reports: www.consumerreports.org - special report 2/98
• Mobile Home Inspection Checklist, Florida, Town of Lady Lake Building Department

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