Different Standards For HUD and Florida

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires a minimum of 12 inches clearance between the ground (finished grade) and the bottom of the steel I-beams under a mobile home. But the State of Florida has a stricter standard than HUD, under Rule 15C-1 of the Florida Administrative Code: minimum of 18 inches clearance, except that 25% of the lowest area of I-beams is allowed to go below 18 inches, but not lower than 12 inches anywhere.

Florida Overrides

     Florida has multiple mobile home installation standards that are stricter than HUD and they are called “Florida overrides.” To read more about it, see our blog post Why does Florida have mobile/manufactured home installation standards that exceed HUD requirements? 

Pit Set Homes

   You may have seen a mobile home that appears to be sitting directly on the ground, but they are actually on a foundation that is set in a shallow pit below the home. See What is a pit set mobile home? for more on this.

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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?

• 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? 

• Does it make sense to buy an older mobile home and remodel it? 

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

• How do I find out how old a mobile home is and who manufactured it?

• 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? 

• What is a Park Model mobile home?  

• Does an addition to a mobile home have to comply with the HUD Code? 

• What walls can I remove in a mobile home?

• What can I do to prevent dampness and mold in my mobile 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.