The Manufactured Housing Forums

Mark,
In your opinion can a person set his own home? Or is it more than your book outlines by using a few 20T jacks and a water level? I know what the guys charge around here is reasonable and I'm glad to pay them for their hard work... but $1600 to level plus parts and that doesn't include anchoring work, skirting work, hook ups... thought I might try one and see how much trouble I get into... your thoughts? Thought I would wait till it warms up though... Thanks again.

If its a double wide, I would say no. Single wide, maybe if your very mechanically inclined and have personally seen a complete set up. Its not as easy as it looks, trust me. My bet alot of that cost is transportation as just a level on a home already on site is usually much lower. Plus in some states and counties, your mandated by law to have a certified set up crew do the job, so you should check that out. Mark will probably have other thoughts, this is just my opinion. Tom

My book doesn't really get into setting up a mobile home. But if you can get it positioned on the lot, the releveling chapter will be of some help. If you have a singlewide, setting it up yourself is feasible. Most likely you aren't talking about a doublewide as it would cost more than $1600.

Good luck!
Mark
You gotta see my repair manual!

I would strongly advise against it.
First of all, manufactured home installations are very dangerous work!
If you make a mistake and the home falls it will cripple or kill you.
Second, you don't want your home installed by someone who has never done it before.
There are many things about home installation that aren't addressed in books or manuals that an experienced installer has seen before and knows how to deal with.

Tom,
For clairification, the $1600 does not include transportation costs... that would be $3.50 per mile plus permits so about $500 per home to go about 100 miles. For a grand total of $2100... again doesn't include any achoring, skirting or parts. I really do understand it is hard work and not to take anything away from those folks who do it, I was thinking about paying someone to set one so I could see how they do it and then doing the rest of my set ups. I am very mechanical... grew up on a farm, worked construction, etc... so I think its within my abilities. Again, I think I'll wait till summer though. Any other thoughts anyone? Thanks again for the input.