The Manufactured Housing Forums

Hello,
My husband and I are first-time manufactured home buyers, and we're looking for some advice.

The home we're purchasing will be set on steel piers (similar to jack stands) rather than concrete block supports. Is this generally considered a better option?

Our purchase agreement also states that we'll be responsible for any future releveling of the home. We're concerned that this type of foundation might require frequent adjustments or become an ongoing maintenance issue.

If anyone has experience with steel piers versus concrete blocks, or with releveling manufactured homes in general, we'd really appreciate your advice. Thanks!

I had my manufactured home installed on steel piers about two years ago. I was worried about the same thing, but it turned out to be less of an issue than I expected. The home only needed one relevel after the first year as the ground settled, and it hasn't needed another since. The installer told me that some settling is normal regardless of whether the home is on steel piers or concrete blocks. Keeping water away from the foundation with good drainage made a much bigger difference in the long run than the type of support itself.

Steel piers utilize threaded adjustment screws. This makes re-leveling significantly easier, faster, and cheaper than using concrete blocks,

I’d also pay attention to the quality of the installation and the soil conditions. Steel piers can make future adjustments easier, but proper drainage and a good initial setup probably matter more than the support material itself.

When designed and put in correctly, steel piers can be a good choice for mobile homes. But that doesn't mean they're always better than concrete blocks. Soil conditions, good anchoring, drainage, and following local building codes are the most important things. As the ground lowers or moves, either support system may need to be releveled. Before signing, I would ask the dealer how often releveling is needed, how much it costs, and if there is a warranty on the installation.