How do I Add a Room Attachment to a Mobile Manufactured Home?
When you begin to outgrow your mobile home, it is tempting to think a room addition will be an easy solution to your problem. The truth is, there are many things which make adding a room to a mobile home a challenging proposition. If you do not follow the appropriate steps, you will risk damaging both the base mobile home, as well as the addition.
Instructions
Preparation
1. Research regulations regarding additions to mobile homes in your area. Some areas may have strict regulations on what is allowed.
2. Obtain necessary permits. If you do not obtain a permit, you may be fined and forced to obtain a permit before work can be finalized.
3. Verify if there is any work that must be completed by a licensed contractor. In many states, electrical and plumbing work must be completed by a licensed contractor in order to pass inspection.
A Solid Foundation
4. Measure the area where your room addition is to be placed. It is recommended that you place the addition near an existing exit to make connecting the addition to the base home less complex.
5. Dig trenches where you will place footers for your foundation. Footers must be placed below the frost line in areas that regularly see frost. If this is not done, the addition can separate from the mobile home as the ground expands and contracts with the frost.
6. Pour concrete into trenches. This will prevent the underpinning courses from shifting over time.
7. Build foundation for addition. This is most easily done with concrete blocks. If you are choosing to build a solid foundation rather than piers, be sure to place vent blocks approximately every 10 feet on a course in the middle of the foundation. This will allow condensation to escape.
Building Your Addition
8. Construct the frame of the addition. When doing this, build the frame as if you are building a three-walled structure that will sit adjacent to the home rather than connecting two of the walls to the mobile home. This will allow the addition to shift independently of the mobile home, reducing the risk of major issues down the road.
9. Construct the roof for the addition. This should be a sloped roof to prevent water from running between the addition and existing mobile home. Select roofing materials that match or complement the existing roof to maintain a quality appearance.
10. Insulate exterior walls to prevent heat from escaping during the winter. If you do not weatherize it, your room addition will cause an increase in utility bills.
11. Finish interior walls with drywall or paneling. Interior walls in mobile home additions do not require thick drywall and in most cases 1/4 inch drywall will be sufficient.
12. Install the siding on the addition to match the exterior of mobile home. If this is not possible, take great care to find a complementary substitute.
