One good thing about having a manufactured home built in place of a conventional site-built home is that the time it’ll take for them to get established and ready for occupancy is significantly less. You wouldn’t have to wait for months or even years for the home to get fully erected and ready for you to move in.
With a manufactured home, the preparation is also quicker. You don’t have to go through all the processes of preparing the land with a site-built one. Once the manufactured home’s establishment is standing on legal grounds, the installation—not construction—of a new home can be finished quicker than a conventional home.
How can you prepare?
After securing land titles and proper permits, you’d have to make sure that you’re following the zoning rules and other regulations based on where you live. That’s because specifics vary depending on the state where you plan to have your manufactured home established.
To guide you in the exciting process of getting a manufactured home standing on your land, here are a few tips you can use during the land preparation phase:
1. Get a land survey done
As with all site projects, it’s crucial to have a professional inspect the area. This still stands true even if you had a previous land survey done in the past because the old survey may contain insufficient data, incorrect information, or even outdated information that wouldn’t help during the construction phase of your manufactured home. The old data may even open possibilities for safety risks during establishment and occupancy.
To minimize hiccups during the next stages, get a new land survey done by hiring a trusted land surveyor to get a clear and precise view of the important information about your land, recognize if there’s a lack of data, verify existing measurements from the old survey, and make sure the land is suitable for a structure such as a manufactured home.
2. Apply for the necessary permits
This is something that you can’t avoid even if you go for the more convenient manufactured home. You’d still need to apply for utility connection permits, occupancy permits, building permits, transport permits, and other necessary permits that will allow you to have your property built without going against any law where you live.
As manufactured homes need to be transported from the manufacturer to your land, you’d need to apply for permits. But don’t you worry, for your home’s manufacturer should guide you through the permits you’ll need to secure for your home to be transported and assembled without issues.
If you’re lucky enough to live in a state where manufacturers are responsible for transportation permits, then that’s less work for you to do.
3. Pick an ideal location
After securing permits and getting a good look at your land through the land surveyor’s data, you need to pick a spot to build the home. Ensure that the spot is level enough to have the home standing upright. Also, keep in mind if the land is accessible to heavy equipment such as a rented crane that will move the home’s parts to where they should be.
You’ll also need to note the lines of the boundary of your property, so you’ll know where your property ends and starts. This will prevent you from having problems with your neighbors and the local government because you built outside the land you own.
4. Build the foundation
A manufactured home still needs a foundation that will keep it standing through all the weight and movement it will be under. Ensure that you contract a construction company that knows how to work with manufactured homes to ensure that you get the best foundation you need.
To avoid issues that can result in delays, you should consult the construction company you’re working with when it comes to the time it’ll take for the concrete to cure and dry so you can communicate with the home manufacturer on when the right date of the manufactured home building should be.
5. Gather the utilities
For this, you’ll need to contract construction companies and heavy equipment rental businesses to help you build your new home. You need to hire plumbers, electricians, and other home services workers to get your house working normally.
Ensure you communicate with your project engineer to get information on what you’ll need for the home project. They typically work alongside those companies, and they will be more than willing to direct you to the right contractors that will serve your needs efficiently.
