Manufactured Home Foundation FHA guidelines

[CMA28273]

I'm appraising a manufactured home according to FHA guidelines. The skirting is made up of some type of boarding with a outer coating of stucco. The skirting is not done to a point which keeps out critters and in fact there was a dead snake at crawlspace entry. The foundation load bearing supports are stacked dry blocks with no concrete footings. I'm of the opinion the entire foundation support does not conform to HUD guildlines but need some direction with what needs to be performed in order for it to comply. I have attempted to review the Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing but would like to get the report out before the end of the year. Does anyone have any experience with this? Do the load bearing blocks need to be concreted together. Is there only certain types of materials that can be used for skirting according to FHA (Brick, Stone, Block, ect? Can the partical/plyboard be used for skirting according to FHA? Any help would be appreciated!!

 

[CANative]

You don't need to know squat about foundations to do HUD/FHA manufactured home appraisals. You condition the appraisal on a inspection/certification for compliance with the requirement found in the MHPFG in every case (unless they hand you the foundation plans with a wet seal on them.)

Press the Easy Button instead of the Hard Button.

 

[Jo Ann Meyer Stratton]

Agree 100% with CANative. Every manufactured home report for FHA should be completed to verification from a licensed engineer that the foundation and installation meets the requirements in the MHPFG. Appraisers do not have the knowledge or expertise to answer that question, unless they area an engineer licensed in the state where the manufactured home is located.

 

[David S. Roberson]

Skirting

Federal Housing Administration - Frequently Asked Questions.

Is vinyl skirting acceptable for meeting FHA requirements for a properly enclosed crawl space on a manufactured home?

Section 3-4B5 of Handbook 4145.1 requires that a manufactured home have a properly enclosed crawl space with a continuous permanent foundation-type construction (similar to a conventionally built foundation, i.e., concrete, masonry or treated wood). The perimeter enclosure of the crawl space, if separate from supporting the foundation, must:

a. Be designed to resist all forces to which it may be subject without transmitting to the building superstructure any movements or effects caused by frost heave, soil settlement (consolidation), or the shrinking or swelling of expansive soils;

b. Be adequately secured to the perimeter of the unit to exclude entry of vermin and water; and

c. Allow proper ventilation of the crawl space. Non-structural vinyl skirting (the typical application in manufactured housing) does not meet the above requirements.

However, a crawl space enclosure properly designed to meet the above requirements that uses vinyl siding as an exterior cover only, is acceptable.

ML:09-16
Handbook 4145.1 REV2, Section 3-4B5

 

[David S. Roberson]

And from previous HUD correspondance

HB 4145.1 Section 3-4(B)(5) describes the "properly enclosed crawl space with a continuous permanent foundation-type construction." However, traditional vinyl skirting installed per the home manufacturer's installation instructions is not considered a properly enclosed crawl space as described in Handbook 4145.1 and the Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing (PFGMH). Section 3-4(B)(5)(a) of Handbook 4145.1 states that the properly enclosed crawl space "must be designed to resist all forces to which it may be subject." In addition, Chapter 4 of the PFGMH provides the design loads that the properly enclosed crawl must resist as part of a permanent foundation.



Traditional vinyl skirting installed per the home manufacturer's installation instructions is not designed to resist the lateral loads caused by wind that is required in Section 402-3 of the PFGMH. However, a properly enclosed crawl space may be designed to resist the loads in Chapter 4 of the PFGMH using pressure treated lumber and utilize vinyl siding as an exterior covering only (as is done on the exterior walls of the home).

 

[CMA28273]

Awesome answers. You guys are the best! I've done plenty of manufactured homes and this is the first time I've ran across this. The manufactured home was built in 1991 so I guess some surprises are to to be expected. The broker met me at the inspection and wanted to know if it complied and just started spilling the beans. I immediately started to question weather I should know anything about it and knew where to come to get some honest quick legitimate answers. Till next time...Thx again!

 

[RSW]

I agree with all of the other posts. You don't need to know anything about the foundation requirements and are to make the report subject to an inspection of the foundation as noted by CANative.

Here is some interesting reading if you just want to learn more about manufactured home foundations per HUD/FHA:

I have another one that is 60 pages long that I can email you if you want.

 

[Rob Frazier]

Mortgagee Letter 2009-16 http://portal.HUD.gov/hudportal/documents/huddoc?id=09-16ml.pdf

 

[TxArmadillo]

You don't need to know squat about foundations to do HUD/FHA manufactured home appraisals. You condition the appraisal on a inspection/certification for compliance with the requirement found in the MHPFG in every case (unless they hand you the foundation plans with a wet seal on them.)

Press the Easy Button instead of the Hard Button.

Agree 100% with CANative. Every manufactured home report for FHA should be completed to verification from a licensed engineer that the foundation and installation meets the requirements in the MHPFG. Appraisers do not have the knowledge or expertise to answer that question, unless they area an engineer licensed in the state where the manufactured home is located.

Here's another source confirming the above: From the HUD FAQ Valuation Protocol, December 2012:

Is an engineer's report (certification) still required for manufactured homes?

Yes, the engineer’s certification of the foundation’s compliance with HUD/FHA criteria is required for all manufactured homes in order to become eligible for Title II insurance. If the manufactured home is proposed, an engineer must design a site-specific foundation that complies with the Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing (PFGMH). For existing manufactured homes already installed on a permanent foundation and in cases where the plans and specifications used to construct the permanent foundation are not available, an engineer must inspect the site and foundation to confirm that the design and construction of foundation is in compliance with the PFGMH.

From the same FAQ document:

Is vinyl skirting attached to framework acceptable for a manufactured home?

There must be a perimeter enclosure constructed of concrete, masonry or treated wood. Light weight, non-load bearing skirting may be attached over the perimeter enclosure but is not an acceptable substitute.