Mobile Homes Defects

Consumer Reports points out common weak spots surveyed and recommends that buyers hire a home inspector.

• Price: $15-$70K; 15 million in U.S.;
• "mobile homes" aka "manufactured housing" per the industry - confused with modulars & panelized.
• single mobile home vs. double-wide trailers (specs)
• single wide mobile homes
  • typical 1000 sq ft, $24,000.,
  • more problems with floors, roofs, windows, doors
• multi-wide mobile homes, double wide trailers, popout trailers and manufactured homes
  • typical 1600 sq ft, $43,000.
  • more problems with joining of the sections
• 1x lumber and siding "trailer" construction vs. more recent

• land often not-owned; rented 50% of the time

Fire Safety Defects in Mobile Homes

• Electrical - aluminum wiring, owner-modified or otherwise unsafe wiring
• Heating, flues, chimneys
• Safety Exits - doors and push-out windows; unsafe steps and rails at entry doors;
• Smoke detectors critical - short exit time for this construction

STRUCTURAL & SAFETY DEFECTS

• Movement (impacts electrical & flues)
• Storm Damage
• Floor Collapse (particle board, exterior & plumbing leaks)
• Mobile home & manufactured home tie-downs - to secure the structure against wind damage

OTHER COMMON MOBILE HOME & TRAILER DEFECTS

• Roof leaks
• Leaks at windows and doors (photo at left)
• Plumbing leaks
• Heating systems not maintained, possibly unsafe
• Rot and insect damage at points of leakage into walls and floors
• Wet or contaminated crawl areas, especially where enclosed

Mobile Homes and Manufactured Housing Labels & Certifications

• INSTALLATION MANUAL - For new/recent mobile home, every manufacturer is required to provide instructions on site preparation, installation and anchoring.
• Manufacturer's CERTIFYING LABEL - on rear section outside or near the main entry door, HUD Insignia

• DATA PLATE - near the main electrical panel or other visible & accessible location (under sink for many manufactured homes): name of mfg., serial and HUD ID, zone information (see Structure discussion)

• DAMAGE DURING TRANSPORT: if the unit was damaged during transport it no longer conforms to the standards and should not be accepted by the code official;