What's possible at the marriage line?

[Rita]

My Skyline 28X48 has a huge, floor-to-ceiling opening, between the living and dining rooms, where I would like to have a smaller archway-type opening, primarily for better use of space. Is this possible/practical at the marriage line? I just imagine the possibility of bad things happening!

[Bill Fry]

You can reduce the size of the opening if you wish.Just don't take out any of the support that is already there.Whe you frame in the new opening work down from what is there.If your home has standard taped drywall the finished product should blend in seamlessly.

[Tom]

You cannot span the marriage line. In other words, you would have to make it so the arch did not cross the marriage line, it would be two independend sections. Otherwise if you move the home, it would have to be removed. Or if it was leveled, it may damage the arch. The two section cannot cross the marriage line. Im sure thats what you were getting at, but just making sure.

[Bill Fry]

Just to throw in a few "Ifs" on Tom's post.
Most people are used to dealing with homes that are on shaky foundations that may require releveling.To the orginal poster,if your home is on a solid foundation(poured footers underneth the block piers),is not shifting or out of level at the time and you have no plans of tearing it apart in the future to relocate it you can join sections when remodeling.The whole key is the foundation and the original set of the home.
A MF home properly set(though most aren't)is not going to need releveling.If you look at better builders homes you will see that with taped drywall the sections are joined and cracking is not a problem.

[Rita]

Thank you both so much; you did address my concerns. Yes, the walls are drywalled. I am the second owner of this home; the original owner still lives in the park. I can find out what's under here and proceed from there. I'm excited about perhaps getting better use of what I have been seeing as wasted space! Thanks again.