Foundation

[Vidaliaman06]

Ok...I'm going to try and give as much information as I can up front.

My wife and I are in the process of a home purchase through a USDA loan. We are using a Mortgage Broker. It is a land/home mortgage. The land is being purchased from a family friend and I have already done some improvements to the slab pad. The stage we're in right now is the loan approval is complete, the apprasial is complete, USDA backing is done, we're just waiting for word whether or not Chase bank does construction loans or not.

My pressing question right now really concerns the foundation. I plan to have a full slab poured, and need to know who or what governing body is responsible for giving the go ahead to pour the concrete? In other words, I need to know if the site where the slabs is being poured is high enough, wide enough, etc. If it's not up to par, i have time to get more dirt, and have it graded out before we close to stay ahead of the game.

The home is a Platinum P-635, 32x80.

I live in Louisiana.

[David Oxhandler]

Your local building permit department is the office in most counties that issues permits, makes inspections and writes approvals.

The latest HUD installation standards require a local licensed installer to set your home. It is that installers responsibility to determine the compaction of the soil and the extent of foundation work required for each home at each individual site. You would be wise to talk to your dealer and get any questions on site prep addressed by the installer who will be pulling your permits and setting up your home.

A full slab is not necessarily the best way to go. Some of the best foundation systems approved for manufactured homes do not use a full slab. See http://mobilehomefoundations.com

The most effective way ever to learn about the step by step process involved in properly installing a manufactured home is the Site Preparation & Home Installation 2 DVD Video Series This great five-part video series is with George Porter, the industry's most respected installation specialist.

[Vidaliaman06]

So the installer is responsible for the determination of the compaction of the soil. And if the installer is also the dealer I'm purchasing the home from, I should talk with them.

I really considered the SureSafe foundation. But with the comapny in CA, and I'm in LA...the would have to ship all of the materials to me and have a contractor install it. My dealer is clueless to this type of non-proprietary foundation and it's installation. Seems to be more trouble than its worth around here.

[David Oxhandler]

Your dealer is in most cases the one who contracts with a licensed installer for the set up.... so yes that would be a good starting point.

Don't be afraid to talk to the dealer or installer about foundation alternatives. This is one of the most important decisions that will effect the quality and longevity of your manufactured home.

Ask questions and expect reasonable answers. Your making a very significant investment in your future and deserve to know.

If you are limited by your choice of foundations now your home may not qualify for the best loan programs for refinancing or resale in years to come. The latest HUD regulations say that every manufactured home foundation must be a permanent, approved foundation. BUT...Even tougher, both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and conventional home loan programs, will not finance or refinance manufactured homes if the foundations are not permanent, approved foundations that might even have to exceed HUD's requirements.

[MobileHomeInspectors.com]

There are many after market or at time of installation "permanent foundation" products. They have varying costs and installation requirements. SureSafe is just one of many.
All permanent foundations must be "approved" by HUD in order to get the permit for the installation of the same.
Greg Filian
Mobile Home Inspectors

[David Oxhandler]

Unfortunately almost all the foundation systems that meet the regulation are very pricey, running as high as $25,000 and taking weeks of site work to install. One of the great savings for factory built housing is assembly line production efficiencies, both in time and material costs. Almost all approved manufactured home foundation systems are installed in much the same way, and with the same inefficiencies, that site builders have struggled with for generations. This adds a huge new burden and often a barrier to manufactured home ownership.

Sure Safe's unique system can be installed under a home, either new or existing, in a matter of four to six hours. The genius of the Sure Safe Foundation is in its simplicity and engineered design which precisely transfers all house loads to footings formed in-place that perfectly conform to the grade of the earth below

This eliminates the need for costly ground leveling under the home and the need for lifting the home to install it on the foundation. In the case of a retrofit this is the only system that can be installed without lifting the home once to get to the space under it and again to replace it on the new foundation... which can take days while the concrete cures.

See the video at http://mobilehomefoundations.com

[Vidaliaman06]

I already stated

"I really considered the SureSafe foundation. But with the company in CA, and I'm in Louisiana...they would have to ship all of the materials to me and have a contractor install it. My dealer is clueless to this type of non-proprietary foundation and it's installation. Seems to be more trouble than its worth around here."

And yet your still advertising this product!

[David Oxhandler]

Yes we do promote Sure Safe... it happens to be the most effective and economical system available. What is non-propriety ? (sounds like a salesman's dodge). Sure Safe is a patented engineered system that saves home owners thousands and performs better than most other systems available today.... good enough to be approved for the earthquake zones by the state of California .... it is one of the only systems that wont require you to pay the cost of any heavy equipment on site.

Because your dealer has no idea about your possible most beneficial choices is no reason for you to follow his lead. Do your homework. Don't depend on the guy who is making the profits make the critical decisions about your future. I have no idea what he is recommending, ... all states require minimal standards today so it will probably work out fine. But is it the best possible choice? Ask clueless if the system he is selling you would withstand an earthquake and ask to see the engineering spec.

HUD Code Manufactured Homes are designed to be supported by a spread footer foundation system. No other foundation product we have studied comes close. You can see the genius of Sure Safe Foundation Technology in the video and the engineered footer plan Here

[Vidaliaman06]

Ok then,

Explain to me how you can get a newly finances home setup with the Suresafe foundation, and the dealer/setup company refuses to install it. If they won't install it, then I have to pay for them to install the home their way, pay for the SureSafe system, AND have it installed afterwards!!

Am I missing something here?

P.S. Here's some good info for fellow homebuyers.

http://www.mhrahome.org/pages/foundations_guide.htm

[MobileHomeInspectors.com]

Call David @ D-Mac in Fullerton, So Cal. 714 808-3918 He'll talk to you on the phone and may have other alternatives for your foundation needs. He's been my mobile home parts supplier for over 15 years. Tell him your situation.
Greg Filian
www.MobileHomeInspectors.com