Recent Q&A about Building Codes & standards for manufactured homes, mobile homes, doublewides, multiwides, & trailers.

This article series answers frequently-asked questions about mobile home and manufactured home standards, codes, and regulations.

Manufactured Housing & Mobile Home Codes & Standards FAQs-3

Recently-posted questions about mobile home and manufactured home codes, standards, financing - originally posted at MOBILE HOME CODES, STANDARDS & MANUALS - be sure to see that article.

On 2019-07-31 by (mod) - The minimum required ADA hallway width is 36 inches.

The minimum required ADA hallway width is 36 inches.

What is the width of your hallway?

Also see the resources at

ACCESSIBLE DESIGN

On 2019-07-31 by Patrick Wink

2019 Mid Country manufactured home. What is the minimum hallway opening in width. I am handicapped and paid to have this house built with all 36 inch door opening throughout. Grab bars, tzll toilets, walk in shower with built in seat, etc. Hall width approved by Hud should be ?

On 2019-06-13 1 by (mod) - buying an abandoned mobile home: seller expects me to pay for all fees, no clear title!

Kayeren

Please se MOBILE HOME BUYERS ADVICE https://inspectapedia.com/Manufactured_Homes/Mobile-Home-Buyers-Advice.php

where I have written a detailed reply to your question. Let me know what you think, ask more questions, and keep me posted.

DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING - read the article I suggested.

You need help from an attorney.

On 2019-06-1 by Kayeren Cannell

I WAS going to purchase a 1969 mobile home in a mobile home park. This mobile was abandoned about 2 years ago. Park owner has the court document that "officially" declares the unit as an abandonment, but did not proceed to get the title. She wants me to do it.

The 16 forms I have to fill out (each one with a $25 - $35 processing fee) to get duplicate Title; Registration; Cert of Retail Value; Pepperoni Pizza...etc; Waiver of Fees & back Taxes;

put up a Surety Bond...etc., when I'M not the one is delinquent--I haven't bought it yet, nor do I live in it! That's nothing yet & herein lies my question: I got on NADA to get a value at least & when they ask the year of the mobile, you can't enter a year prior to 1980. So then I read on & find out it's not even considered a home before 1976 when HUD initiated Code Compliance Standards. At best, I'm buying an Outhouse on wheels.

Am I suppose to put thousands of $$ to bring a cardboard box into compliance, which even their reg's say cannot be done? As I read on, I'm seeing the trouble I could end up in. So far--with fees taxes & putting up a Surety Bond, the amount is triple the asking price & from what I'm finding out, I will never get the Title anyway.

I've never done this before & it's not my area of expertise--I've always been a renter; however none of this seems right to me & I could be headed down a path I will regret. Am I correct in my assumption? So far I have not been able to accomplish ANYTHING they're wanting me to do.

I do see me paying $30k for a $5k Outhouse I'll never own. I need an expert. This is a rural area & other than a Social Security paralegal there isn't an attorney here I can go to. Anyway, any advice; info (hell, I'll take insults even) you have, I'd certainly appreciate your take on this. I'm suppose to meet with the park owner later today to sign some paperwork.

IMAGE LOST by older version of Comments code - now fixed. Please re-post the image if you can. Sorry. Mod.

On 2019-02-27 by Emanuel

Commmon Codes for elitrical and Plumbing and Ventalation

On 2019-02-21 by (mod) -

Glad to assist

Keep me posted

On 2019-02-20 by Darla

thank you so much for replying. It is very much appreciated. I will go to the websites that you suggested to see if I can find anything out. We are actually disappointed as well. But hopefully in the end it will all work out. Thanks again

On 2019-02-20 by (mod) - Magnolia mobile home identification, Model-3BR, Body-HS, Color Gry. Year-1985

Darla

Tips for getting a price / value estimate for a Magnolia (or other) mobile home

You might find help from
Alex Yeager, probably contacted via ManufacturedHomes.com
16 Technology Drive #142
Irvine, CA 92618
1 (800) 201-1585
Website; https://www.manufacturedhomes.com/

may be able to help as he has written articles about Magnolia mobile homes.

I'm disappointed in your dealer's hesitation in that your mobile home data tag identifies
Brand Magnolia
Model 3 BR (three bedroom)
Bodh HS
color gray
Date of manufacture 1985

A website popular for providing resale value for mobile homes:

https://www.nadaguides.com/Manufactured-Homes/Value-Reports/Online - this approach is most-detailed and in my OPINION very credible.

You will see that to run the NADA manufactured home report generator you will have to enter a lot of details about your home but then that makes the number more reliable.

On 2019-02-20 by Anonymous

Sorry I did forget to mention that I am in the state of Louisiana

On 2019-02-20 by Darla

I am really needing to get some help in locating some information. We were given a trailer from a family member years ago.

We did a complete gut job and remodel of everything inside of the home. We have the registration and title in our name. Now we are trying to use this home as a trade in for part of our down payment.

On the Title and Registration it says Make-Magnolia, Model-3BR, Body-HS, Color Gry. Year-1985. OK here is the problem, The dealer that we are trying to trade it in at cannot find the actual model of the home and cannot give us a value of trade. Can anyone PLEASE offer any suggestions on where we can get this info from? I even went to the NASD website, HUD website, searched every Magnolia website known to mankind. Please let me know if I am on the wrong website Thanks

On 2019-02-20 by (mod) - Tips for getting a price / value estimate for a Magnolia (or other) mobile home

Darla

You might find help from
Alex Yeager, probably contacted via ManufacturedHomes.com
16 Technology Drive #142
Irvine, CA 92618
1 (800) 201-1585
Website; https://www.manufacturedhomes.com/

may be able to help as he has written articles about Magnolia mobile homes.

I'm disappointed in your dealer's hesitation in that your mobile home data tag identifies
Brand Magnolia
Model 3 BR (three bedroom)
Bodh HS
color gray
Date of manufacture 1985

A website popular for providing resale value for mobile homes:

https://www.nadaguides.com/Manufactured-Homes/Value-Reports/Online - this approach is most-detailed and in my OPINION very credible.

You will see that to run the NADA manufactured home report generator you will have to enter a lot of details about your home but then that makes the number more reliable.

On 2019-02-20 by Darla Magnolia, Model-3BR, Body-HS, Color Gry. Year-1985

I am really needing to get some help in locating some information. We were given a trailer from a family member years ago. We did a complete gut job and remodel of everything inside of the home. We have the registration and title in our name.

Now we are trying to use this home as a trade in for part of our down payment.

On the Title and Registration it says Make-Magnolia, Model-3BR, Body-HS, Color Gry. Year-1985. OK here is the problem, The dealer that we are trying to trade it in at cannot find the actual model of the home and cannot give us a value of trade. Can anyone PLEASE offer any suggestions on where we can get this info from?

I even went to the NASD website, HUD website, searched every Magnolia website known to mankind. Please let me know if I am on the wrong website Thanks

Sorry I did forget to mention that I am in the state of Louisiana

On 2019-02-17 by (mod) - type of drywall in manufactured home baths

Sorry, John but no.

In my opinion the ONLY useful document for your needs would be the manufacturer themselves or the builder of a specific building or unit.

No third party from far away can provide an authoritative certification about what sort of gypsum board was used in your particular mobile home.

And frankly I am doubtful that one could make a generic statement such as yours that all factory-built mobile homes make no use of greenboard.

It might be useful for us to understand just what is your concern: durability, code compliance, evidence of specific problems? Attach some photos of the issue and perhaps we *can* comment usefully on that.

There are multiple options for making durable walls in bathrooms including not just moisture-resistant drywall but also cement board, tile board, and other water-resistive measures in wall construction. For example a tub surround of fiberglass or plastic might be superior.

On 2019-02-17 by John - Skyline mobile home factory specs on drywall type used in bathrooms

I spoke to the builder of Skyline MH factory, and said they use 1/2 inch regular gypsum drywall, in the bath area.

And every MH bath I remodeled never had green board, from the factory. I'm trying to get a document, stating that MH from the factory only uses 3/8's or 1/2 inch regular drywall. Can you accommodate this request?

On 2019-02-14 by (mod) -

Who asserts that?

On 2019-02-14 by John

Mobile homes, that are built at the factory, do not use green board drywall, in the bathroom areas. Fact.. can I receive a document, stating that?

On 2019-01-31 by (mod) -

Roger
The transported office trailer, IF it were being used as a residence, would be expected to comply with local codes, and probably it would, as the manufacturer typically manufactures their homes to be permitted for sale across multiple states.

However for a office trailer I'm not sure that any of those constraints apply as it's a temporary-use structure that probably falls under different code enforcement concerns.

Here is an example from the ORLANDO TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION/OFFICE TRAILER PERMITTING document that we cite in the article above, or that you can read at

https://inspectapedia.com/Manufactured_Homes/Orlando-FL-Temporary-Office-Trailer-Permits.pdf

Construction trailers shall not be required to meet development standards for
permanent structures (parking, landscaping etc.) but shall meet applicable
setback requirements.

On 2019-01-30 by roger dauenhauer

as a company if we bring a office trailer from another state what do codes mean to this ?what are the codes and what do they mean?

On 2019-01-06 by (mod) - buildings are not required to be brought up to current codes until they're being modified or built-on-to.

Nice question, Bill, thanks.

In very general terms, buildings are not required to be brought up to current codes until they're being modified or built-on-to.

I don't think the issue is age per-se, but if you need to obtain a certificate of occupancy or "CO" approval for the old mobile home at a new site, it may have trouble complying with local codes that might pertain, for example to

- emergency egress windows or doors

- tie-downs to reduce storm damage

- proper support piers or slab

- IF your older home was not rated for Florida Wind Zones it will be not compliant

On 2019-01-06 by Bill - age limit on relocating a park model or mobile home in Florida?

Is there a age limit on relocating a park model or mobile home in Florida?

On 2018-12-30 by (mod) -

Sounds very odd to me, Tom. There must be a circuit breaker for each electrical circuit in the trailer - at least for all 120V or 240V circuits.

Start with the trailer's brand and model, then let's find the operation and maintenance manual for it.

Therein will either be details about its electrical system and controls or there will be manufacturer support contact information such as a help line telephone number.

Keep me posted.

On 2018-12-30 by (mod) - There must be a circuit breaker for each electrical circuit in the trailer

Sounds very odd to me, Tom. There must be a circuit breaker for each electrical circuit in the trailer - at least for all 120V or 240V circuits.

Start with the trailer's brand and model, then let's find the operation and maintenance manual for it.

Therein will either be details about its electrical system and controls or there will be manufacturer support contact information such as a help line telephone number.

Keep me posted.

On 2018-12-30 y tom

bought new travel trailer. master switch in closet feeds water heater and main living room lighting. no other wall switches in room

On 2018-09-24 by (mod) - codes requiring pressure balancing valves in the showers and tubs of mobile homes

Please see your question and our reply at https://inspectapedia.com/plumbing/Building-Plumbing.php#FAQ

On 2018-09-20 by Anonymous

Are there any codes requiring pressure balancing valves in the showers and tubs of mobile homes

...

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• BUILDING CODE DOWNLOADS - free downloadable PDF files of building codes & standards
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