Manufacture foundation

[Michael Neto]

I inspected a manufactured home today. The home is on a block foundation. I did not find any straps from the frame to the columns in the middle. Does a manufactured home still require these straps still or is not necessary now that it is on a block foundation. Any advise will be great!

[Gregory Booth]

..........need more information! Full basement or crawlspace? Perimeter frame or steel beam? What do you mean by "columns"? Pier supports? A picture would help a great deal........Greg

[Jerry Peck]

By manufactured home are you referring to (by old terminology) a 'mobile home'?

Typically, manufactured homes are placed on concrete block piers which are placed at specific locations per the installation instructions supplied with the manufactured home.

The manufactured home is typically strapped to ground anchors which are screwed into the ground.

The strap locations and angles to the ground anchors are also specied. I have a couple of documents in my office I can post when I get back to my office ... while each manufacturer has specific engineering and installation instructions, they basically follow these documents.

[Jerry Peck]

I figured I would just post links to documents instead of the documents themselves, besides, I didn't have the Michigan document (still don't, didn't download it).

Hopefully, these will help - but the real guide is the manufacturer's installation guide (which likely resembles the HUD guide with additional requirements for various states).

For Michigan: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dleg/dleg_bcc_techbu2_223393_7.pdf (okay, no drawings here, but there are in the HUD and Florida requirements, so the drawings may help where the same requirements are in place).

For HUD: https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=225hud.pdf

For Florida: http://www.flhsmv.gov/dmv/Forms/BMHRV/15C1Finl.pdf

[Gunnar Alquist]

I inspected a manufactured home today. The home is on a block foundation. I did not find any straps from the frame to the columns in the middle. Does a manufactured home still require these straps still or is not necessary now that it is on a block foundation. Any advise will be great!

When I inspect a manufactured home on private property (CA), occasionally, there will be a perimeter foundation. Often CMU (block), the purpose is generally to provide seismic resistance and the home will be attached to the perimeter foundation in some way (typically anchor bolts - I assume there is some kind of engineering document, but I don't see it). The primary support for the home is still provided by the chassis and the supporting columns (typically dry-stacked CMUs, but can be jacks or even wood posts on concrete piers are occasionally used).

I am guessing the straps that you refer to are those metal bands that are attached to the chassis and then to an anchor that has been driven into the ground. To the best of my knowledge, these are not necessary (in CA) if the home is attached to the perimeter foundation. If set only on blocks/jacks, then the strap is usually required. In my area, because we have expansive soils, the strap is often not required (expansive soils can cause problems with the interior floors, doors, etc.) in mobile home parks.

Not sure if this is what you are describing or if it will fly in Michigan though.

[Jerry Peck]

After multiple searches changing search terms around and trying different things, this is the only link I have found so far which address the actual installation in any way: https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dleg/dleg_bcc_mfghsg_general_rules_236989_7.pdf

And it does not address a lot - start on document page 24 (file page 31 of 58) it at least provides a few things to be aware of (rather than basically licensing that the other link provided).

[Gregory Booth]

...........if you would like some help, specific to your situation, post a couple of pictures.........Greg

[Paul Douglas]

I inspected a manufactured home today. The home is on a block foundation. I did not find any straps from the frame to the columns in the middle. Does a manufactured home still require these straps still or is not necessary now that it is on a block foundation. Any advise will be great!

Photos and/or sketches, and location would be useful in providing you any advice. The main thing is that all structures must have some type of lateral bracing system to resist wind and seismic loads. There are many types of different bracing systems that can be used.

If the home is adequately attached to perimeter concrete masonry block walls which are designed to be shear walls (In addition to being designed for vertical loads and out of plane loads) then that would be one method of bracing the structure.

[Jim Robinson]

I think he's gone.

[Paul Douglas]

I think he's gone.

Gone from the site or gone gone? Hopefully not gone gone. I would assume that photos are usually taken during inspections for the reports and/or documentation and use in preparing inspection reports.

[John Kogel]

We can answer the question for the benefit of lurkers seeking an answer.
The need for tie-downs may depend on the location. That is, there may be a few areas in your country where the authorities do not require tie-downs. It may be difficult to get insurance for a manufactured home that lacks the basic safety features. Best to check with the local authorities.

A concrete block wall around the perimeter of a manufactured home is skirting, not a foundation.
A manufactured home has the steel frame capable of having axles attached.
If the home is bolted to the foundation wall, then straps are redundant, obviously. But that would probably be a modular home, lacking the metal frame, different requirements.

[Garry Sorrells]

Here are 2 nice links :

https://www.huduser.gov/portal/Publications/PDF/foundations_guide.pdf

HUD/FHA Manufactured Home Foundation Requirements | Criterium-Sollie Engineers (http://criterium-sollie.com/hud-fha-requirements)