The Manufactured Housing Forums

Hi all! Boy am I glad I came across this site!

Here's my question (I'm VERY naive about modulars):

I'm buying a NEW modular that's already been delivered and set up. But, there are no phone jacks or CATV jacks. Is this normal? I thought all homes have at least one phone jack. I was told that they stopped ordering them since the buyers usually wanted them in a different spot than when they ordered.

So, now I guess I have to install them. When I checked out Skyline's site, I saw that there was some sort of plastic sheeting underneath (confirmed when I took a peek underneath, too.) So, how do I install a new line? Do I just cut through the sheeting? Do I need to detach it from the sides? This is much different than my current 100yr old brick home.

I checked with Verizon and they want $95 for the first jack and $54 for each additional jack. Unless there are "extra circumstances". (Did she mean "modular home?") Perhaps Skyline would provide me with schematics or blueprints of the home so I don't cut through a pipe or something?

Thanks for any suggestions!

PatrickK

I have installed many phones over the years as a residential installer in the past. Your MH dealer was correct that most MH's do not come with phone jacks unless ordered at time of manufacture.

You can add these phone jacks by having the local phone company install them (as you have already found out), check your local paper for ads by retired ATT phone installers (I advertise in local "free" paper). Also, check your yellow pages for Telephone System Suppliers.

Whom ever you choose, they need to be aware of four things before they drill a hole in your floor: 1.)Be aware of the heating/cooling duct runs 2.) Check the line of site for the bathrooms in the MH. Generally, plumbing pipe is run in a straight line between kitchen and bathrooms. Do not drill in that line of site area. 3.) Most important, when drilling into the floor the installer MUST drill only thru the sub-floor. When he/she feels the drill pass thru the wood, they should push the drill the rest of the way thru the belly board, not continue to drill. This keeps drill from accidentally going thru wire, pipes, or ducts. 4.) Know the location of the electric service outside the home AND the tel service box from the local phone company.

Hi,
We did not know either that our new MH did not have cable/phone jacks until we did one of our walk throughs for the same reason as stated in previous posts. Our dealer gave us the number of a person who does this specifically for MH in different parks in our area. He charged us $150.00 for 3 phone jacks and 2 cable outlets. This was cheaper than having the phone and cable companies do it.

Hi, Patrick! I know your module situation sounds a little confusing. This happens, especially if the technical details do not match expectations. I myself have encountered similar situations, for example, when my MacBook stopped working. It turned out that the problem was with the motherboard. In your case, it may be wise to contact the module manufacturer for schematics or drawings to avoid unnecessary installation problems. Regarding the price from Verizon, it seems a little high, it might be worth looking into alternative options as well, or trying to install the connectors yourself if you have the appropriate skills. Hope this helps!