TRANSPORTATION

Make sure the following six steps for installation are included in a written itemized list before you sign the purchase contract.

1. TRANSPORTING YOUR HOME
The manufacturer is usually responsible for transporting the home from the factory to the retailer. The retailer or its transporter is usually responsible for delivering the home to your site. However, if roads are inadequate or obstacles make delivery difficult, your retailer may not beable to accept responsibility for delivery. Have the transporter check out the route beforehand to avoid problems.

2. BUILDING A FOUNDATION
Your home must have a foundation. In addition to following the manufacturer’sinstructions and complying with local codes, ask the institution financing your home or your rental community if they have specialrequirements. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Veterans Administration (VA), and the Rural Housing Service (RHS) also have special foundation requirements for homes they finance. Remind your retailer of the kind of financing you’re using so that all applicable requirements will be met.

If you place your home on your own property, you can choose from a number of foundation types: concrete block, metal or treated wood piers;a concrete slab; or a full basement. A professional installer will know which local building codes apply. Ask the installer to obtain required building permits and inspections.

3. LEVELING YOUR HOME
It’s critical that your home be leveled to meet the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Otherwise, your home’s weight will be unevenly distributed. This can cause floors and walls to buckle and prevent doors and windows from opening and closing smoothly. While the manufacturer’s warranty won’t cover repairs resulting from improper leveling, a written warranty from the installer may.

Insist on a walk-through before the installer leaves. Check for signs that your home may not be level.

Because some foundation supports may settle unevenly, it’s important to periodically check that your home stays level. The first check should be done 60 to 90 days after installation, and then once every year.

4. SECURING YOUR HOME TO THE FOUNDATION
To help minimize damage from high winds and earthquakes, your home should be anchored to the ground or concrete footers. Anchoring must comply with the manufacturer’s instructions or as required by local codes. This is not a “do-it-yourself” project. Ask your retailer for more information.

5. FINISHING YOUR HOME
Your home may need finishing work, such as an enclosure around the crawl space. The enclosure  must provide adequate ventilation openings at all four corners of the home. If you have a multisection home, finishing work may include molding and joining carpet on the interior, and siding and roofing work on the exterior.

6. CONNECTING UTILITIES
Installation should include connections to water, electricity, gas, and sewer. If connections aren’t included in the installation price, you’ll have to contract for them separately. Your retailer can help you with the arrangements, or you can contact local authorities for more information.

Additions and Alterations to Your Home
Once your home has left the factory, the HUD Code does not include provisions for additions and alterations. Such modifications may jeopardize your home warranty. They may also create malfunctions or an unsafe home. An approved addition should be a free-standing structure that meets local building codes; you may need a permit. Contact your manufacturer, the state agency that oversees manufactured housing in your state, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or local building officials for more information.