Mobile homes are getting popular and the number of customers continues to increase. people find mobile home living efficient, comfortable, and economical. Many people, especially retirees, choose mobile homes over conventional housing. Mobile homes are also becoming popular as the first house of new families.

For many all-age mobile homes where a large number of mobile homeowners are new families or newly-wed couples, many of them explore the idea of adding onto their mobile homes as their family gets bigger. There are many reasons why people are adding to a mobile home and this article will educate you more about the regulations on adding to a mobile home.

Summer is approaching and adding a mobile home is the top priority on your “To Do List”. After buying a single-wide mobile home a couple of months ago, you discovered that you need more space for your visitors and this can only be achieved if you remodel your mobile home. Perhaps you want to include a porch, a bigger carport, or even a back deck. 

Whether you are an owner of a brand new or used mobile home, congratulations, it is time to look for mobile home additions and customizations to fulfill every need of your family. One of the main advantages of mobile homes is that besides being much more affordable you can add many customized additions to fit you and your family’s needs. There is a wide range of options for single-wide mobile home additions. If you have a multi-section manufactured home, there is nothing to worry about.

Although some people find it fun and easy to do a mobile home remodel project, before buying those materials, don’t proceed without reading this article. You should consider all the points below before adding to your mobile home to avoid unforeseen future problems

3 Important Things You Should Consider When Adding Onto A Mobile Home

Before adding to a mobile home, you should consider taking notes on much of the information in this article. You can do whatever you want but we only hope that after reading this article, it could spare you from unpleasant surprises. Upgrading a mobile home with the much-needed knowledge under your belt could mitigate many problems.

1. The Addition Must Not be Attached to the Main Structure

Let’s begin with the number one thing that will affect your mobile home additions. Because local housing regulations and HUD are there to protect homeowners, you cannot just do anything you want by simply drilling holes and bolting everything to your mobile home’s main construction. The addition must be built separately and could withstand on its own. 

You may “attach” it by sticking it close to the main structure and adding sealant to hide gaps and leaks so it would look like it is attached. The seal isn’t literally attaching the addition to the mobile home but it is needed to keep the leaks away and to hide ugly gaps from the naked eye.

Although there is no specific HUD regulation about attachments it is important to note that the regulations require the outer walls and foundation system of the mobile home to support the weight of its roof. In short, they are not built to support another addition like a deck with a roof. Additions like this should have their own foundation to support them. The main structure is not built to withstand all sorts of additions that give additional weight.

Failing to understand and follow this simple but logical point could void your mobile home’s HUD certificate, this certificate only approves the work done on the home at the factory. Once you attach something to your mobile home, the certificate is no longer valid and could give you a lot of trouble when the HUD inspectors find out about your non-conforming additions.

Some people may ignore their HUD certificate being voided, but don’t let this be you! Once your certificate is voided it could lead to a longer sales process as most homeowners will not want to purchase a home without a valid one!

2. State and Local Regulations are Not All the Same

If you are adding onto your mobile home you must check all state and local regulations to make sure you are in compliance with the requirements of HUD Sometimes, your local regulation tells you that “you can do this”, but your State tells you otherwise, or vice versa. This is a big headache if you miss checking both regulations.

Pro Tip: Before beginning your mobile home repair job make sure to contact the state and local housing departments so that you are in full compliance with all permits and fees that are needing to be paid for to ensure you are in full compliance with all local and state laws.” 

3. You May Not Recover Your Repair Costs

Not because your mobile home becomes bigger, has extra room, a porch, a deck, and bigger storage, which means you can sell it at the highest price you want. In fact, you may end up losing a lot of money you spent on your mobile home additions when you sell it in the future.

Remember that mobile homes are usually priced based on their size (single-wide, double-wide, triple-wide), age, location, furnishings, and furniture. It’s difficult for the mobile home buyer to assess the cost of the additional storage, porch, decks, etc. yes, additions may look beautiful but sometimes, they are just extra perks offered by the owner/seller so they can sell their mobile home fast.

If you are thinking of recovering the amount of money you spend on add-ons by selling your mobile home, you should think otherwise.

If your mobile home is less than 20 years old and can be moved, having all of these additions could pose a bigger problem if you need to move to another spot due to some unforeseen circumstances like new job opportunities. This is because additions cannot be moved as there are no wheels designed for them and they can’t be moved with the mobile home. Moving a mobile home also requires a lot of documentation and it is impossible to move a mobile home with extras added out of the factory.

5 Most Valuable Additions To Transform Your Single-wide

Now that you know the regulations and limitations of adding to a mobile home, let’s see what can you add to improve the space and looks of your mobile home.

These are some of the most common and popular additions to make your single-wide bigger and look fancy.

1. Screened Porch or Sunroom: Choose Between the Two

Your porch is the perfect place in your mobile home to sip any drinks you want while enjoying the great view outside. Unfortunately, bugs, heat, and humidity might be your biggest enemy. Screened porches and sunrooms allow you to enjoy your stay inside your porch uninterrupted by unwelcome visitors and unwanted natural elements such as heat, rain, and even mosquitos.  

If you are looking for some additional living space for your home, a screened porch or sunroom may be a great place to look to expand. The two rooms can be very different, and you will need to really think through a few things before coming to a decision. For instance, what will you use it for? When will you use it? And how much do you want to spend?

2. Carport and Storage Rooms

Brand-new mobile homes do not come with carports. Obviously, the carport is the most popular addition for car owners. Just like a porch or sunroom, it is a very simple addition and since it has its own foundation and can bear its own weight without the support of the mobile home’s structure, you may not need a permit to build it (still consult your local and state housing regulations). 

The good thing about having a carport addition is, that you can build whatever size you have as long as there is enough space covered by your rented lot. A mobile home carport usually has storage rooms for tools and other outdoor appliances like washing machines, gardening tools, equipment, grills, etc. A carport can also be a workshop or a garage where you can do things like repairing your tools, carpentry projects, or even metal works like welding and fabrication.

3. Deck

If the porch is not enough for you as a relaxation space, build a deck for your mobile home. A deck is elevated from the ground with railings around the perimeter. Although most decks don’t have a roof, having it covered is a great option. take note though that many mobile homeowners build the deck improperly. The deck should have its own support and must not rely its weight on the mobile home’s main structure.

4. Extra Bedroom

Some may ask “How can you put another room inside an already compact single-wide?”. The answer is simple – build another room outside of teh main structure. 

Your growing family may need more rooms in your mobile home. Instead of moving to a bigger house, consider adding an extra bedroom. This is a cheaper and faster solution to the space crunch. What’s more, you can live in the home while the addition is built. Take note though that adding an external bedroom might not be possible if there is not enough space. Always consult with your mobile home park manager.

5. Extra Bathroom

Most single-wide comes with one bathroom. Busy mornings can be stressful if you only have one bathroom in the house and a long line of people queuing. Consider adding an extra bathroom in your mobile home to remove the bottleneck. This will also make maintenance and repairs easier to deal with since one can remain open while the other is closed. 

Why You May Need Additions To Your Mobile Home

There are several reasons why people add to their mobile homes and below are some of these:

Size: After buying a mobile home, people always think of adding additional space in their mobile home. Many people want to increase the size of their bedrooms, living space, bathrooms, and even extra space outside by building extra rooms if the land space permits. Others may not always be expecting visitors, or don’t have to expand families, but are still interested in making their mobile homes more spacious.

Location: Some people may not have plans to have additions but after living for a while in a specific location, they fall in love with the place and do not plan to move out soon. This is common in touristry areas with a lower cost of living.

Cost: People with a larger budget can buy double-wide or triple-wide but how about others whose budgets are limited to single-wide when they are shopping for a mobile home? As time go by, they can add more space without shelling out a one-time large amount of cash. For example, they can add an extra bedroom today, and add an extra bathroom after two to three months. This can give them total financial flexibility.

Value: Although additions that are improperly done can lower the value of the mobile home, upgrades that are done properly can increase the resale value of the mobile home. Extra rooms always mean an extra price. If you plan to resell your mobile home in the near future, you may consider exploring the idea of adding onto your mobile home.

Conclusion

Putting any addition to your mobile home can be a thrilling project.  It may be for practical purposes like creating a bedroom for a new baby, or purely for your enjoyment, like adding a media room, deck, or extra bathroom. 

Regardless of the motivation behind your addition, it’s critical that you take the time to do things properly. This means doing your homework, making sure you can afford the investment, finding the right professionals to work with, and following all city, state, and mobile home park regulations.