Manufactured Home Foundation

Judy Kelly · 12-01-2011, 11:33 PM

I am having a manufactured home placed on a foundation. A perimeter foundation was put in. A double-wide manufactured home has been placed over the foundation. It doesn't actually sit on the foundation. There are approximately 1 inch (diameter) by approximately 8 inch spikes coming up out of the top of the foundation. They are several feet apart along the perimeter. The house is sitting on the spikes, not the foundation. This is worrying me. Why isn't the house sitting on the foundation instead of the spikes. I'm worried the house may shift off the spikes. Is this a standard way to put a manufactured home on top of a foundation? I appreciate your help. The contractor is about to move forward and I just want to make sure this is the correct and safe procedure.

Similar Threads:

**wayne soper** · 12-02-2011, 03:06 AM

please take some pics so we can give you the correct answer.

typically the wood plate is set directly on top of the foundation with the treaded pins extending through the plate and fastened with nuts.

**Joseph Ehrhardt** · 12-02-2011, 04:55 AM

If am reading this correct, it sounds like these monkeys laid your home on the foundation anchor bolts, Like Wayne mentioned a picture would be nice and if whats painted in my mind correct would be priceless... I always see modulars set with foundation sill straps, theres no way someone is going to drill holes while a crane has half your home suspended over them.

What would amaze me more is the company would set it and forget it like thats a normal installtion, we need a picture of this one.

**Scott Patterson** · 12-02-2011, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by Judy Kelly

I am having a manufactured home placed on a foundation. A perimeter foundation was put in. A double-wide manufactured home has been placed over the foundation. It doesn't actually sit on the foundation. There are approximately 1 inch (diameter) by approximately 8 inch spikes coming up out of the top of the foundation. They are several feet apart along the perimeter. The house is sitting on the spikes, not the foundation. This is worrying me. Why isn't the house sitting on the foundation instead of the spikes. I'm worried the house may shift off the spikes. Is this a standard way to put a manufactured home on top of a foundation? I appreciate your help. The contractor is about to move forward and I just want to make sure this is the correct and safe procedure.

Judy, Judy, Judy (Sorry I just could not help myself

) You have a problem that needs to be corrected ASAP.

It sounds like they put the wrong type of foundation in.

You should have a perimeter footer and then you should see an additional footer or individual pads down the center. There are many ways to design a foundation for a manufactured home.

The home should not be sitting on anything but the concrete footers or the block foundation wall.

Pictures would be helpful, but I can tell you that what you are describing is not correct.

**George Hallaron** · 12-02-2011, 08:19 AM

This certainly sounds like a situation in which the ahj should be involved. I would call your local inspection dep't.

**John Kogel** · 12-02-2011, 08:51 AM

If this is truly a manufactured, not a modular, home, Manufactured homes have narrow steel frames, not easily visible. The weight of the home should be supported by piers under those frames. Maybe they are. The perimeter walls are skirting, not needed for support.

**Joseph Ehrhardt** · 12-02-2011, 07:29 PM

You have us curious Judy, send a picture of what you discribed

**H.G. Watson, Sr.** · 12-02-2011, 07:47 PM

From your description it seems you have a chattle (personal property) non-afixed) installation. If your intention is to have it afixed and incorporated as real property (chattle is personal property - titled like a vehicle) perhaps your "dealer" is awaiting funding and planning on setting/afixing/incorporating after a "C" (HCD 433C) certificate is filed and after funding via escrow.

Do you own the land and engineered foundation yet? Is it being placed in a park? Will the park be converted "condo" style title in the future? Or could it be that the lender Greentree or similar funding will be as chattle (personal property) not as real property [Calif. 18551(b) installation]? If HUD funding or Conventional (freddie mac, etc.) then it might be pending the "afixed-ness" via a waiting period via escrow or title (the HCD 433-C certificate/notice filing route).

Check with the California HCD site and review your contracts, including the engineering specifications for your foundation and if afixed or set.

This (clickable) link glossary covers the distinctions with differences, pertaining to California:
Glossary of Terms | Retrofit Foundations Mobile Homes | 433A Financing | HUD Foundations

Expect you will find this discussion has been moved to an appropriate area (Questions from Home Owners, Home Buyers and DIYers).

HTH.

**Gregory Booth** · 12-03-2011, 06:43 AM

Originally Posted by John Kogel

If this is truly a manufactured, not a modular, home, Manufactured homes have narrow steel frames, not easily visible. The weight of the home should be supported by piers under those frames. Maybe they are. The perimeter walls are skirting, not needed for support.

.............some manufacturers build a HUD code home with a recessed steel frame that installs exactly like a mod. That is to say, with weight bearing on the perimeter wall and the marriage line supported by lally columns. Typically they're called "easy set" basement models--installers laughingly refer to them as Hudulars and they are anything but easy set.
All that being said, what Judy describes is incorrect for any type of install.

...........Greg.

**Billy Stephens** · 12-03-2011, 06:51 AM

Originally Posted by Gregory Booth

..
All that being said, what Judy describes is incorrect for any type of install.
.

.
. My Guess is Judy saw the site before the Unit was set , but did not see them place and bolt up during Installation.
.

James Duffin · 12-03-2011, 06:13 PM

The only modulars I have seen installed on a perimeter foundation is an off-chassis modular. An on-chassis sits on piers under the steel frame.

**John Kogel** · 12-03-2011, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by Gregory Booth

.............some manufacturers build a HUD code home with a recessed steel frame that installs exactly like a mod. That is to say, with weight bearing on the perimeter wall and the marriage line supported by lally columns. Typically they're called "easy set" basement models--installers laughingly refer to them as Hudulars and they are anything but easy set.
All that being said, what Judy describes is incorrect for any type of install.

...........Greg.

Thanks, Greg. The link provided by HG describes that type of installation. I've not seen steel framed manufactured units installed that way, but they are out there. I can see the reasoning in earthquake country.

Pier Systems

The pier and pad system has long been the common and accepted manufactured home support system. It adapts easily to local site conditions, does not require a great deal of dimensional precision, and goes into place quickly. In the most frequently used configuration, piers are installed under the main beams of the home sections, under the mating line of multi-section homes and at other points designated by the home manufacturer.

Pit Set, Subterranean Set, Crawl Space Foundation

The pit set/crawl space foundation system described here has two main distinguishing characteristics it incorporates full perimeter wall support together with internal, independent support points; and the space itself is not habitable. Within that very broad definition, there are many styles, designs, and ways to build crawl space foundation systems. This is popular because the low profile appearance resembles a "site" built home on slab foundation. In the best case scenario, the perimeter wall rests on an excavated footer. The wall itself maybe constructed of one or more conventional building materials (such as poured concrete, concrete block, or treated wood) and the entire perimeter of the manufactured home floor bears directly upon this wall. The chassis also is fully supported, but with relatively economical piers. The manufacturer-designated ridge beam support points are carried by economical piers or posts. The home's resistance to horizontal or uplift forces is achieved through attachment of the floor joists to the exterior foundation wall. Ideally, the structural walls form a barrier to the entry of water underneath the home and act as a short retaining wall. However, in developments where there is terracing or hydrostatic pressure, it is common for water to percolate under the home and these types of foundations because they are historically poorly ventilated actually trap water underneath. In some of the older developments, the low profile appearance was achieved by digging a whole for all the pier and pad components but there is no supporting perimeter wall. In those cases, only the interior piers support the home. If water is a factor, ongoing review of these understructures is necessary to maintain proper support. The perimeter load-bearing enclosure wall support system provides excellent gravity load resistance. The perimeter wall carries much of the roof load directly to the earth. The chassis main beams and piers carry only the interior floor loads. The perimeter enclosure wall supports the full perimeter of the home. Further, homes set in "low profile" offer less wall exposure to high winds, thus reducing the loads required to be resisted by the connections. The perimeter load-bearing enclosure wall support system combined with a deep stemwall provides adequate seismic load resistance. The structural connection of the home to the perimeter foundation wall can be designed to effectively transfer the forces to the earth around the foundation.

**Garry Sorrells** · 12-04-2011, 09:13 AM

It must not be real major concern since Judy did not rush back with some pictures.

But does have my curiosity up a little. Descriptions can be so misleading at times.

**Rick Bunzel** · 12-06-2011, 10:17 AM

I regularly do FHA Foundation inspections. Manufactured vs Modular. Two different animals. The easy definition is Manufactured have steel frames and roll to the site on their own wheels. Most of the time Modular's are trucked to the site in pieces and assembled. Manufactured home have rails that go down the center of the unit that supports the weight and do not use perimeter walls for support. I occasionally will see a stick built perimeter wall installed between the footing slab and manufactured home which is mainly used to keep the rodents and animals from nesting underneath.

I have a web page that talks about the differences Manufactured-Modular Home Inspections - Pacific Crest Inspections located in Anacortes offers inspections in Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom and Island Counties