cellar

[david donchecz]

i am going to buy a palm harbor double wide for our lake house
i want to build a full cellar and put the home on top. can this
be done. i am buying the home new from a dealer and have
a good site contractor.

thanks

[Eugene]

yes, it can be done, but make sure your home is basement ready, with a perimeter frame of sorts.
If not, it is very, very hard to attach the home to the foundation.

[rmurray]

Definitely this can be done...consult with your dealer and foundation contractor...You might want to talk to your dealer about PH Discovery Line of homes..many of them have space for an inside stairwell as well...PH is a custom manufacturer and will help in any way...Good Luck..

[Jim Zimmerman]

Yes you can attach a manufactured home to a foundation, but be sure that you or the dealer check the state and local codes for any specific tie down requirements. If the home you are attaching does not have a perimeter frame, you will have to use steel I-beams, and call the manufacturer for engineering specs on those. As far as attaching it to the foundation, I've found that patio anchors bolted into the walls work especially well, especially when you use the good huricane straps instead of chains. It's a nice clean set and you can conceal the entire work with a false ceiling.
Here are some extra tips to pay attention to:

1 Make your cellar 1 - 2 feet deeper than your desired ceiling height, because you will have the steel going across.

2 Be prepared for the tongue to be a bit of a problem. The wall will have to be shorter with some frames.

3 Stairs - Really look closely at your stairs before you pour. Account for your rise and tread according to your local codes, and pay particular close attention to the actual space you have for your run, as well as head room (7'9" would be nice all the way down)

Putting a manufactured home on a permanent foundation especially a basement or cellar is the best decision you'll ever make. You'll have a great home and twice the actual floor space that you can expand into in the future. It will also elevate your future selling price greatly!

Sincerely,

Jim Zimmerman
Janesville, Wisconsin

[Jim Zimmerman]

PS - It is not very, very hard to attach a home to a foundation without a perimeter foundation. If your dealer says that talk to a different one, or go directly to the manufactured home set crews.

Jim