Must we lay foundation?

[Tedy]

I am in the process of getting a home delivered to my empty lot. I'm hearing all sorts of things regarding foundation.

Do I have to pour some sort of foundation? This is a double wide manufactured home. If I don't pour any foundation what is the consequence?

I am looking to reselling this home but it's my first. I would greatly appreciate any assistance.

I am also looking for people that know how to set up the home including getting all of the utilities, sewer and whatever else is needed into place.

Thanks.

[Eugene]

You don't indicate if the home is new or used. either way, without a properly constructed foundation, you are most likely in violation of several building codes including the HUD code.
If you want a good home, that performs as you intend it to, and is durable and safe, you would be crazy to not have a foundation.

[jgn]

There are two ways to go with a foundation. The first and least expensive is to have footers poured. These are concrete "pads" or runners that are poured below the freeze line and located in several places under the home, depending on the home will depend on the location and number of footers.
The second way and more expensive way is to pour a slab which is a concrete pad poured the full coverage of the home.
They place the blocks on top of either the footers or the slab and level the home. If you don't have poured footers or a slab your home will not meet several regulations, be very difficuly to finance and sell and will give you all kinds of problems.
It is best before the home arrives to have the footers/slab poured and hookups for the water and sewer in place. If it is a preowned home an installer can assist you in getting this done and if new the dealer will provide assistance.

[Steve]

Of course you should install a proper foundation under any manufactured home. the bigger the home the more important this becomes. There are however several guidelines one should follow. Firstly, check with the manufaturer of your home to gleen as much information as possible as to the foundation that THEY recommend for your home. After all they know better than anyone else what will work best under your home. Second, be careful of "after-market" systems that make blanket statements about their credibility as a foundation system. Just because says that they have a HUD approval does not mean that that particular system will work under your home. Lastly be sure you ask all the questions first, and hire only licensed contractors to perform any of the work, get referrals or use whomever your dealer requires you use, your dealer is ultimately responsible if your home is not install properly. Also, it could affect your home's warranty.

[Eugene]

final thought, some states do not allow a slab foundation on top the ground.
Better check this out first.

[unknown]

you might also check with the local mortagae companies or brokers, many times it is a lot easier ot get finanacing with an FHA approved foundation.

[Gil Davis]

Where are you? In our milder climate we set homes on a gravel base. We also can do perimeter concrete foundations in a "pit set" configuration.
You should have an installer already lined up, this would have helped resolve many of your questions.

[Lyle Lovec]

Yes, I believe you should put some sort of foundation. So please reply and I will get right back to you. Thank you.

[Ben]

I'm currently looking at a home listed as having a "pit set" foundation. What exactly is that? I'm assuming the MF home is not anchored with this configuration?

Thanks

[Gil Davis]

The home certainly should be anchored to the concrete perimeter foundation that is a pre-requisite for a "pit-set". A pit set is an excavation and a full perimeter foundation that allows the home to set as low to the ground surface as is legally possible and yet provide for the necesary crawl space for repairmen/inspectors etc. In California a pit set home is qualified as a "Permanent Foundation". This may vary in other states.