Manufactured Home Inspections

With more than 21 million people in the United States living in manufactured or mobile homes, it is important that these homes are safe. To ensure that these homes are livable and that they are not in the need to a major repair, you may elect to have a professional complete an inspection of the home.

A home inspection may be a complete inspection from the roof to the ground, or of more specific areas of the home that need to be inspected, such as roofs, plumbing, flooring, etc… One of the most common inspections of manufactured homes is a foundation inspection. You will need a licensed inspector or structural engineer that understands the unique issues that may arise with the foundation in manufactured homes, or Factory Built Homes (FBH). Their knowledge will be able to point out certain features of the home that may lower the value, be deemed unsafe, or even be too expensive to repair. More importantly, they will be able to provide a written response to a lender, home buyer, or homeowner whether the foundation is up to the most recent requirements.

It is very important to remember that manufactured homes are built in a factory and are much different than a typical home. Starting with the all-important foundation, you will find that the home is built upon piers. These piers are holding up the home by being attached to large I-beams, these I-beams are the home’s main support system. This is just one of the main inspection points in a Manufactured Home Inspection. Keep in mind the list below is part of what will be checked in a complete manufactured home inspection and may not be needed for the certification of the foundation. The list is also a partial list and your professional may need to check other areas of the home to complete their inspection.