All foundation systems, new and existing, must meet the guidelines published in the Permanent Foundation Guide for Manufactured Housing (HUD-7584), dated September 1996. A certification attesting to compliance with this handbook must be obtained from a licensed professional engineer. The certificate cannot be more than 6 months old. This may mean that even if you got a foundation certificate when you purchased the home, that you may need another if you refinance the home years later.
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/ metal stands that the unit actually sits on must follow a strict plan developed by an engineer, unless there is an alternate, site specific engineered design (which Hayman can provide). 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.
Pacific Crest Inspections and Hayman Residential Engineering provides these inspections and reports meeting the FHA and HUD requirements. Reports are ready in 3-5 days after inspection.
Some of the items that are inspected and verified are:
- Site layout, drainage and flood-prone area identification.
- Name, address and phone of home manufacturer.
- Date of manufacture.
- Date of foundation construction and type of foundation.
- Building permit and inspection record.
- Foundation size and tie down placement.
- Applicable loads on the foundations.
According to the FHA Website here are the manufactured home guidelines required for getting a FHA loan:
A Title I loan for a manufactured home requires one of the following:
- A certificate label attached to the home, or
- A label verification letter. Obtain a label verification letter by visiting the website of the HUD approved contractor, the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS)
A Title II loan requires all of the following:
- A certificate label or label verification letter.
- The placement of the home on a permanent foundation that complies with the Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing (PFGMH).
- A certification from a licensed professional engineer verifying compliance with the PFGMH.
The most common permanent foundation errors delaying the approval of an FHA-insured loan for a manufactured home are:
- The foundation tie downs are missing or insufficient for the home
- The dry-stacked blocks are directly on the soil instead of piers
- Ground anchors are used, because FHA does not accept these as a permanent attachment
- Any permanent foundation lacking an engineer’s certification, even if it complies with all other elements
- Skirting used as an enclosure, that doesn’t meet ALL of the following FHA requirements:
- Properly enclosed crawl space with a continuous permanent foundation-type construction (similar to a conventionally built foundation, i.e., concrete, masonry or treated wood)
- Designed to resist all forces without transmitting the building superstructure to movements or effects caused by frost heave, soil settlement, or the shrinking or swelling of expansive soils
- Adequately secured to the perimeter of the unit to exclude entry of vermin and water
- Allowance for proper ventilation of the crawl space
Pacific Crest Inspections is an licensed Home Inspection company located in Anacortes providing house and property inspections in Skagit, Snohomish, Whatcom, San Juan and Island Counties. Click here to see a map. Our Inspections include pre-listing, pre-sale and new construction inspections for residential, commercial multi-family, and condominiums. Not sure of what we are talking about? Look at our “what is a home inspection page?”
Pacific Crest Inspections territory covers Skagit, Island, San Juan and Whatcom County communities including Anacortes, Bellingham, Burlington, Camano Island, Ferndale, Mount Vernon, Sedro Woolley and Oak Harbor.
Snohomish County communities we inspect include Arlington, Marysville, Stanwood only
We will only do foundation certification in the San Juans when we are doing a whole home inspection.
