Manufactured after June 15th, 1976, is important

The “National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act of 1974” became federal law on June 15, 1976, and provided the framework of what we now know as the HUD Code, a national building code for manufactured homes. It was the first, and remains the only, national building code.  

   If your mobile home was built after that date it meets the original HUD Code standards and should have a required manufacturer’s data plate (actually a paper sticker, located near the electric panel, inside a kitchen cabinet door, or on the wall of the master bedroom closet) which lists the specific HUD criteria, including wind and roof loads it was built to meet. 

   The HUD Code has been upgraded regularly over the years, including a major revision to improve storm-resistance in 1994; so a 1976 manufactured home will not meet today’s code, but it definitely met the HUD Code at the time it left the factory.

   What happens after the initial delivery and setup at the homesite is a different story. Local building code standards apply to any site-built additions, but we regularly see additions or remodeling that destroy the HUD compliance of the original home. Here’s a few examples:

1) HUD requires two egress (exit) doors. 

They must be at least 12-feet apart in single-wide units and 20-feet apart in double-wides. If an addition eliminates one of those doors, it creates a fire safety hazard and is not HUD-compliant.

2) All bedrooms should have a direct exit route to both exit doors without any lockable doors in between. 

If a homeowner remodeling or addition eliminates this direct escape route for any bedroom, it’s also a fire hazard and HUD Code violation.

3) Manufactured homes are engineered to support only their own structural components. 

A site-built addition can connect to the mobile home, but not bear upon it. This includes even porch roofs and decks. The only exception would be if a “host beam” was installed in the wall of the home at the factory. See our blog post What is a "host beam" at a mobile/manufactured home? for more on this.

4) Kitchens and bathrooms must have mechanical ventilation systems (exhaust fans). 

Removal is a no-no. Most installations have manufactured stair units placed in the front of the entry doors to the home, usually referred to as “Code Stairs,” that are not especially attractive, but meet safety standards for handrails, picket spacing, and a sufficient size landing in front of the doors. Later homeowner replacements sometimes don’t comply with safety standards for stairs.

5) Skirting and belly wrap (the plastic sheeting that seals the bottom of a mobile home) are required by HUD.

They are both critical for moisture control and protecting the underside of the home from animal damage. We often see areas of skirting and belly wrap that have been opened for a repair under the home and not resealed afterwards.

Download HUD Code Here

   There are, of course, other examples of modifications that stray from HUD compliance, but the general principle in keeping a manufactured home within the HUD Code is to leave it alone as much as possible. If you do decide to proceed with remodeling and additions, consult an inspector familiar with HUD guidelines, or download your copy for reference. 

HUD 24 CFR Part 3280_2008.pdf

   Since part of the HUD Code is performance-based standards rather than hard specifications, which allows manufacturers to demonstrate and receive approval that their construction methods meet the standards, not everything is spelled out specifically.

    Go to our HUD-CODE FOR MOBILE HOMES page for a listing of our other HUD-code articles. Also, see our blog posts How do I find out how old a mobile home is and who manufactured it? and Does it make sense to buy an older mobile home and remodel it?

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Want to learn more about inspecting
manufactured/mobile homes? 
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Here’s links to a collection of our blog posts about MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOMES:

• Where can I file a complaint if I have problems with my new or used manufactured/mobile home in Florida?

• What are the most common defects in mobile/manufactured home foundation piers?

• How do I determine the age of a very old mobile home?

• What is a "HUD label verification letter" for a mobile/manufactured home?  

• When did a ground cover vapor barrier (plastic sheet) become required under a mobile/manufactured home? 

• Is it safe to go under a mobile home? 

• Are older mobile homes unsafe? 

• What do I need to know about buying a foreclosed mobile home? 

• Where do I find the vehicle identification number (VIN) on a mobile home? 

• What is the right price for a used mobile home?

• How energy efficient is a mobile home?

• When were the first double-wide mobile homes manufactured?

• How do I upgrade my old (pre-1976) mobile home to meet HUD standards?

• What size air conditioner is right for my mobile home? 

• Can you move an older mobile home in Florida? 

• What does the HUD tag look like and where do I find it on a mobile home? 

• Can you put a zone 1 mobile home in Florida?

• How can I remove water under my mobile home?

• What's the differences between a trailer, a mobile home, a manufactured home, and a modular home? 

• How can I tell if a mobile home is well constructed?

• How can I tell the difference between a manufactured home and a modular home?

       Visit our MOBILE/MANUFACTURED HOMES  page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.