Who must have an engineering certificate for their manufactured home foundation?

All foundation systems, new and existing, must meet the guidelines published in the Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing, dated September 1996. A certification attesting to compliance with this handbook must be obtained from a licensed professional engineer and included in the insuring file. It is applicable for all re-sales.

HUD-FHA Single Family Housing, Homeownership Center Reference Guide
Revised October 31, 2005 Chapter 1 Appraisal and Property Requirements Page 1-09d

What does this mean?

It means that the foundation must meet the criteria as set forth in HUD manual Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing, September 1996. This manual requires a site specific design for every manufactured home.

Dead loads, snow loads, wind loads and seismic loads must all be taken into account.

There must be a perimeter, frost line protected strip foundation as well as frost line protected piers under the chassis.

The stacked blocks that the unit actually sits on must not only be mortared, they must be attached with rebar to the footing and bolted and/or welded to the chassis frame, unless there is an alternate, site specific engineered design.

The design must include protection against horizontal shearing forces and uplifting forces. This can require additional strapping between the stacked blocks.

Finally, it means that this design must be stamped by a licensed professional engineer verifying that HUD requirements are met.

What can happen if a manufactured home does not have an HUD compliant foundation?

It is very likely that no US government guaranteed loan will be approved for the home.

It also may not qualify for other conventional loans.

Even though the home may currently qualify with a lesser foundation, in the future it may be required to upgrade to HUD compliance to receive any loan.

The homeowner may pay more in home insurance than necessary.

The design must include protection against horizontal shearing forces and uplifting forces. This can require additional strapping between the stacked blocks.

Finally, it means that this design must be stamped by a licensed professional engineer verifying that HUD requirements are met.

What difference does it make what kind of foundation I have under my manufactured home?

Different loans have different requirements for the foundation supporting the home. A minimal foundation can prevent your home from qualifying for a loan.

I'm knowledgeable about foundations and I know this house does not require what I'm told it needs. Why do I have to put it in?

Most manufactured homes in the past were placed on grade and sat on dry stacked cinder blocks and often no particular problems were noted. These more recent requirements for manufactured home foundations are based on national experience from manufactured housing performance in hurricanes, tornadoes and earthquakes.

When the government mandates these standards be met nationwide (there are local variations in requirements), they must be met. It is not a matter of what is needed here to support a manufactured home, it is a matter of what is required to qualify for a loan.

My manufactured home qualified for a loan before. Isn't it "grandfathered" in for future loans?

Unfortunately, no. Your current foundation may be adequate for your current loan, but new requirements must be met in order for a new loan to be issued. If it qualified for a loan previously, it may not now without the foundation being upgraded, which can be extremely expensive. HRES can provide a lower cost solution for upgrading deficient foundations to meet current government standards.

What is an HUD compliant foundation?

That is a foundation that meets the requirements of HUD manual Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing published September 1996. It also has an Engineering Certificate stamped by a licensed engineer certifying that it meets those requirements.

If you need assistance with Manufactured Home Foundation Certificates for a HUD or FHA loan you can contact me at ivcohome@yahoo.com Certificates issued by Hayman Engineering.

Michael Ivie