A foundation for a mobile home is a crucial element in the construction of the home. A permanent foundation will provide more stability and safety than not having one, but it can also be an expensive addition to any project (mobile home construction).
What is considered a permanent foundation? Which materials are best to use? Read on to find out more about this topic!
What is a Permanent Foundation?
A permanent foundation is generally always meant to support your mobile home; however, the type of material used (other than concrete) will vary widely between manufacturers. Materials like woodblock and cement pier blocks look similar at first glance but often vary greatly in quality and price.
There are a lot of different types of foundations out there but the most common and traditional would be concrete. While this is sturdy, it isn’t cheap and often times cannot support homes that might lean or jostle around due to weather or other causes.
Other types of materials such as mobile home piers can provide stability without the cost of a full-on permanent foundation. The price for mobile home piers varies depending on size and type/shape although it is generally easier and cheaper than laying down a concrete slab.
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Are Piers Considered a Permanent Foundation?
Mobile home piers are a more affordable alternative to a full-on permanent foundation. They will provide stability and support for your mobile home although they may not be as sturdy or safe as a full-on foundation. Usually, piers come in various shapes and sizes depending on their dimensions but they often vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
In most cases, you can expect the cost of mobile home piers to be between $20-$60 per pier block although it is possible that this price might go up if you need a lot of them. The more that you have, the better supported your mobile home will be so keep this in mind when planning out how many materials you’ll need!
Is Concrete Block Considered a Permanent Foundation?
Concrete block is one of the most suitable materials that can be used for a permanent foundation. It isn’t particularly sturdy and should not be considered “permanent” due to its tendency to shift under pressure.
If you’re looking for something cheap and reliable, concrete will do just fine; it is especially good if you are working with limited funding or manpower!
However, it lacks stability in large quantities so keep this in mind when laying out your foundation.
Mobile home piers are generally much more stable than concrete blocks although it’s always best to ask your local mobile home manufacturer what they recommend before making any sort of permanent foundation!
Asking them about their preferred methods will help ensure that you end up with a durable, sturdy foundation for your mobile home.
Choosing a permanent foundation is one of the most important steps in any mobile home construction process. Because, without it your mobile home could be very dangerous and unstable! Before beginning, ask your local mobile home manufacturer what they recommend.
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What is H-Wall for a Mobile Home Foundation?
H Walls are used to creating a more permanent type of foundation for mobile homes. The H Wall uses steel beams to provide the home with greater support and reinforcement. This is especially helpful when dealing with natural disasters like high wind or floods. A traditional mobile home foundation only supports up to 6 inches of concrete before it reaches the mudsill plate which serves as the main support beam for your home.
Because of this your home’s walls only have 6 inches sitting on top of your dirt. With an H Wall, you can almost double that time, raising it up 12 inches so that you have some security against mother nature.
Again, no matter how good your mobile homes construction quality may be the bottom line is they are designed not to last forever so while you may not be in an area where natural disasters are common, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Reason to Use H-wall in Mobile Homes Foundation
One of the main reasons for using a manufactured home H-wall is to protect against soil movement. When manufactured homes are placed on a modular foundation, it provides support and protection for the entire structure and greatly reduces the chance of damage due to soil erosion or other natural disasters like earthquakes or floods.
Mobile home foundations can be made from many types of materials such as wood, steel beams, cement blocks, raft slabs and more.
Cement block foundations are one of the most common bases used under mobile homes because they provide great stability and strength that is not found with other options.
A simple reason why manufacturers use steel beams over wood is that it’s stronger and lasts longer according to industry standards.
How Much Does a Permanent Foundation for Mobile Home Cost?
Average cost of permanent foundation for a mobile home lies between $3500 to $12000. It may be high depending on the size of your home and material you want to apply.
Actually, the cost of permanent foundation dependent on many factors such as the size of your mobile home and the type/shape of the foundation that you choose. Generally speaking, concrete will always be more expensive than piers but it is also stronger and easier to use if you are not experienced with laying homes down.
A permanent foundation is always extremely important when building a new mobile home. This will provide the stability and support that your home needs in order to be sturdy and safe; without it, you could be putting yourself (and your family!) in danger.
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Benefits of Permanent Foundation
Here are few benefits of a permanent foundation:
- Foundation provides support for all the building structure and capable of bearing a heavy load.
- They are more cost-effective when compared to other foundation types.
- Permanent foundations are considered reliable in any type of soil condition, whether it’s sand or granite.
- Due to permanent nature, they provide resistance against natural calamities like earthquakes, hurricanes etc.
- Loads on a foundation can be easily distributed through its underlying soil strata using modern techniques like micro piling and grouting.
- Foundation is responsible for carrying loads from the walls and roof of the structure. So if it fails either due to poor design or lack of quality material, an entire project with fall.
- Load bearing capacity of a foundation is much higher when compared to other structures in your building projects. Hence its durability is much greater than steel or concrete structures.
These factors makes it much more beneficial in building low rise and mid-rise structures even with fewer no’s of floors.