We perform FHA and HUD mandated permanent foundation inspection and certification for mobile and manufactured homes. Contact us today to schedule your inspection!
We perform FHA and HUD mandated permanent foundation inspection and certification for mobile and manufactured homes.
According to HUD Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing:
Definition of Permanent Foundation.
Permanent foundations must be constructed of durable materials; i.e. concrete, mortared masonry, or treated wood – and be site-built. It shall have attachment points to anchor and stabilize the manufactured home to transfer all loads, herein defined, to the underlying soil or rock. The permanent foundations shall be structurally developed in accordance with this document or be structurally designed by a licensed professional engineer for the following:
1. Vertical stability:
a. Rated anchorage capacity to prevent uplift and overturning due to wind or seismic forces, whichever controls. Screw-in soil anchors are not considered a permanent anchorage.
b. Footing size to prevent over-loading the soil-bearing capacity and avoids soil settlement. Footing shall be reinforced concrete to be considered permanent.
c. Base of footing below maximum frost-penetration depth.
d. Encloses a basement of (sic) crawl space with a continuous wall (whether bearing or non-bearing) that separates the basement of crawl space from the backfill, and keeps out vermin and water.
2. Lateral stability. Rated anchorage capacity to prevent sliding due to wind or seismic forces, whichever controls, in the transverse and longitudinal directions.
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/administration/hudclips/guidebooks/4930.3G
Some of the items that are inspected and verified are:
- Site layout, drainage and flood-prone area identification.
- Name, address and phone of home manufacturer.
- Date of manufacture.
- Date of foundation construction and type of foundation.
- Building permit and inspection record.
- Foundation size and tie down placement.
- Applicable loads on the foundations.
According to FHA’s Website, the manufactured home guidelines required for getting a FHA loan are:
A Title I loan for a manufactured home requires one of the following:
- A certificate label attached to the home, or
- A label verification letter. Obtain a label verification letter by visiting the website of the HUD approved contractor, the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS)
A Title II loan requires all of the following:
- A certificate label or label verification letter.
- The placement of the home on a permanent foundation that complies with the Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing (PFGMH).
- A certification from a licensed professional engineer verifying compliance with the PFGMH.
The most common permanent foundation errors delaying the approval of an FHA-insured loan for a manufactured home are:
- The foundation footings are not set below the frost line
- The use of dry-stacked piers are used instead of the required piers with mortared head and bed joints
- Ground anchors are used, because FHA does not accept these as a permanent attachment
- Any permanent foundation lacking an engineer’s certification, even if it complies with all other elements
- Vinyl skirting used as an enclosure, that doesn’t meet ALL of the following FHA requirements:
- Properly enclosed crawl space with a continuous permanent foundation-type construction (similar to a conventionally built foundation, i.e., concrete, masonry or treated wood)
- Designed to resist all forces without transmitting the building superstructure to movements or effects caused by frost heave, soil settlement, or the shrinking or swelling of expansive soils
- Adequately secured to the perimeter of the unit to exclude entry of vermin and water
- Allowance for proper ventilation of the crawl space