Anyone have a mobile home shop?

[greasyfingers01]

Recently the Mrs and I bought a house with some land and has a shop (32x45) and on the back corner of the property is a double wide trailer (aprox. 25x40). The previous owner subbed out an acre to some family member for the trailer. Said family member turned into a junkie, went delinquent on the trailer payments and the trailer company was coming to repo it. What dose a junkie do when his trailer is going to be repossessed? Well you guessed it! He destroys the place. Nothing is salvageable in the interior but the main structure is in good shape and exterior looks decent too, except for the missing/damaged skirts.

The trailer Co./lean holder refuses to come get it. It was supposed to be gone before we closed on the property. They say I can do what I want with it. I told them to come get it or they will receive a monthly bill for storage...

I've been thinking about what I could do with it instead of going through the legal hassles of getting it gone. I've been thinking of gutting the interior to the walls, hang some OSB or sheetrock and have it as a woodworking shop Given I get a title, bill of sale, or whatever.

Anyone use a trailer for a shop or seen it done? Any issues that could be a possible problem?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,... Donno what ya got for equipment or toolage, but I'd think the floor load ratin' might be pretty light,.....

 

[GettinJunkDone]

Not sure if you are interested in anything like this, but what about a chicken coop?

 

[Bluedodge]

Don't touch it.

Pester the bank / finance co to come and get it off your property.

Best way? Send a storage bill to the finance company every month. Be sure to USPS the invoice certified with a proof of delivery confirmation.

Remember - you do not hold title to it. The moment you fill it up with your goods is about the time the bank comes and hauls it away with your stuff in it.

 

[CNGsaves]

Will depend on your local codes/laws on what use of building THEY WILL ALLOW !!

If you're out in boonies and no limits, I'd say your idea to use for something like a workshop is smart. Like above post mentions, you may have to also put down stronger floor like 3/4" plywood or even hardwood.

I'd sure cut open a wall and put in sliding door or big door opening so you can get stuff into the building.

UPDATE GJ Profile with a Location.

 

[CoogarXR]

If you do end up stuck with it- it will have a metal frame under the floor. Just rip out the particle board flooring and lay down something thick, and you'll have a sturdy floor. Heck, if there's heat/ac/bathroom out there, that's a heck of a shop already

 

[Professur]

First question would be, what year. Older ones are 2x3 walls, a roof that is nothing short of a miracle for the minimal materials holding up everything, and electric supply that usually can't support using 100w bulbs. More recent vintages were built to housing code and you'll find 2x6 walls stuffed with good insulation, electrics ready for today's loads, and a roof that you could park a car on. They're more modular units than mobile homes.

 

[sublime68charger]

your age? Hobbies? Kids?

light duty storage/Craft area for the wife?
Clubhouse for the kids? small project area to work on things for you?
Extra storage?

I'd keep it around if you already have it.

pics of trailer and inside as well.
did the junkie just use or did he have a lab in the trailer and was cookin his own stuff?
if was cooking his own stuff be better to haul it away! the fumes from that are very bad!

 

[Cyberbear]

If you allow the mobile home to remain on your property, it could cause you problems from county code enforcers, along with who the legal owner may be. It sounds like the trailer is considered a total loss by the finance company and you are doing them a favor by accepting responsibility for the unit. Too many things can go wrong and ending up leaving you holding the bag, best to try and get it removed from your land.

 

[greasyfingers01]

Floor joists are 2x6, 16" on center. Should be adequate for what I have planned. I'm looking to get a Delta 36-5152, router table, portable planer, joiner... the heaviest thing would be the table saw, around 300 lbs. The average person in the trailer parks around here weigh more than that. If I ever upgrade to a cabinet saw or something else really heavy, I could tie into the 4 frame I-beams.

That would be a huge chicken coop! Not looking to feed the town. Lol. I've already bought the materials to build the chicken coop. Planning on 6-8 chickens max.

The shop is going to be tight as it is with my project truck, shelving, work bench, a spot open for maintenance, tools and miscellaneous yard equipment . Plus I really don't want sawdust all over the place where I'll often have opened engines. I want to get back into woodworking and I think this is would work better than using the 2 car garage. I could work when I want to and not worry about making too much noise.

 

[Bluedodge]

Has the finance company signed over the trailer's title to you?

 

[greasyfingers01]

I'm not going to spend any time or money on it until it is legally mine. It is a 1989 with 2x4 exterior walls and 2x3 interior walls. All interior walls would go away. This is done all the time for hunting shacks.

I'm in Alabama, what are these codes you speak of???

No it wasn't a method lab. Nothing but household stuff inside.

I'll have to double check but I believe it has 100 amp service and whatever electrical I need I'll run through emt conduit. None of the original wiring would be used.

Like I said it's on the back corner of the property accessed by a dirt road that dead ends at it or my private road through the property. No neighbors to complain about it. Heck, on the other side of the dirt road is an abandoned farm house with trees growing through it. I was told it was the original house to our property, new house built in the pasture in '79.

 

[Chris4x4Gill2]

Sounds like a great idea if you can get the legal side cleared up. I wouldn't spend a dime on it or put anything in it until I had the title or some kind of documentation.

 

[sublimate]

Have you already closed on the property?
It is the seller of the property that has a legal responsibility to you, not the bank.
The bank doesn't own the trailer, they just have a lien on it. They don't have to do anything with it if they don't want to.
If you've already closed then you may be screwed, as it may be hard to compel the seller to do anything.

 

[CNGsaves]

^ ^ ^ ^ Things just Do NOT work that way in Alabama !! . . .

If OP has no codes what-so-ever . . . . he just got himself a shop !!

 

[Zeke]

Will it be taxed?

 

[greasyfingers01]

A second shop! [emoji1]

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[38Chevy454]

I agree, resolve the title and potential zoning issues first. If you do get it clear and legal, then add better floor with some plywood over the top and then you have a nice potential workshop. Won't work for a car disassembly, but seems you might be into woodwork and it could be great for that.

 

[APEowner]

If you can get clear title and zoning isn't an issue that will make an excellent wood shop.

 

[Ironhorse74]

Funny yesterday I drove past a mobile home that was being torn down by a track hoe and loaded in a big dumpster. That has to be expensive. I am in the camp of sending bills to the owner and copies to the finance company. Eventually you will have enough to hire a track hoe and dumpster.

 

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

I guess if it's solid I might be inclined to make use of the space.
But if it's pretty torn up, I'd probably shove most of it in a roll off dumpster and salvage some parts like the breaker box and HVAC unit and the recylce the steel frame under it for other things -- like maybe a ridge beam for a new shop built on a slab for easy access to get work / projects in out.
I have a neighbor who did something like this - made run-in shed for his horses out of the i-beams from a trailer that was on the property.

 

[ilovevocs]

I don't know how practical it would be to make it into a workshop but a shed is always use full for seasonal / long term storage and helps keep your primary garage / workshop free of clutter.

 

[BaMaDuDe87]

If you do keep it, could you cut out big hole in the wall and put a roll up door in with a ramp for bigger stuffs to go in and out?

 

[ScottsGT]

If you do keep it, could you cut out big hole in the wall and put a roll up door in with a ramp for bigger stuffs to go in and out?

A friend did this. He lost everything when it burned to the ground due to crappy mobile home wiring and rats getting under it and eating up the wires. Even lost a Harley that was in Easy Rider magazine.

 

[kv501]

Don't touch it.

Pester the bank / finance co to come and get it off your property.

Best way? Send a storage bill to the finance company every month. Be sure to USPS the invoice certified with a proof of delivery confirmation.

Remember - you do not hold title to it. The moment you fill it up with your goods is about the time the bank comes and hauls it away with your stuff in it.

Will not hold up and isn't enforceable. You can't just create your own "agreement," out of nowhere and start billing, especially if there wasn't some sort of fee before. You are certainly free to try that, but a finance company will first **** you around for months in court, cost you all sorts of time and money in legal fees, and then you'll end up losing in the end anyway. They are paying legal staff monthly to deal with these sorts of things so it won't cost them anything they aren't already paying. Banks have six and seven figure foreclosures to worry about; an abandoned double-wide isn't on their radar.

The luckiest you could possibly get is that a small claims judge says you get the trailer as consideration for the "storage" fees and then you're not any better off than before.

The only leverage you have is the possession of the property itself and it's clear the lien holder wants nothing to do with it and will walk away.

tl;dr...

1) Don't take armchair legal advice (including from me)

2) If you don't want the trailer call someone to scrap it. No bank is going to come looking for it and if they do you say, "What mobile home?" I did that with a junk trailer and saw mill that my previous homeowner left. After 6 months he showed up for them and I said I had no idea what he was talking about. Was he mad? Yep. Could he do anything about it? Nope.

 

[kv501]

Will it be taxed?

Precisely the reason I wouldn't want that thing in my name, ever. Good luck with the red tape of convincing the county it isn't a separate dwelling.

 

[Voi]

Anyone use a trailer for a shop or seen it done? Any issues that could be a possible problem?

http://lumberjocks.com/sillac/workshop

I've read the above link before and if I remember correctly that was a shop built on a mobile home frame and not a mobile home converted to a shop.

I've seen this done one other time and I can't seem to find the link.

 

[pmiranda]

Unless it's structurally solid and doesn't take much work to make it suitable for your use, I'd call up the local fire department and see if they want to torch and demo it for training.

 

[CNGsaves]

Precisely the reason I wouldn't want that thing in my name, ever. Good luck with the red tape of convincing the county it isn't a separate dwelling.

^ ^ ^ ^ You guys just do NOT get it. Considered a MOBILE home . . . that means it has might still have wheels underneath it. It's "personal property" just like a bicycle or 6x10 shed on skids.

OP is in boondocks of Alabama. Not going to be taxed. It's just going to be converted to "oversize shed" . . . . Getting "title" might be good idea just so future paperwork screw-up at bank can't come back on OP.

 

[rsanter]

Is it still a trailer or was it annexed to the property to become an asset of the property?
If it is still a trailer then I think it's a little easier.
Let it sit there, notify the previous owner that it is to be removed and that there are storage fees associated.
Let the fees accumulate till you can file a lien on the trailer

If it has become part of the property then I think you can do something similar but it will be harder to do. If this is the case then I would talk to the lien holder and ask them to remove it or surrender ownership. Tell them you cannot have it there if you do not own it and tell then your preference is that they repo it and take it away

Did you use a realtor! If you did then go through them and have them get some answers for you


If it is decent then I would want to keep it and use it for storage and as a light duty workshop.
I have seen several posts on the web of people getting single woes and using them as woodworking shops with no problems

Bob

 

[Thumper68]

I would get clear title to it from the lien holder, I'm guessing that they already went through the foreclosure so they original owner has no rights.

Then I would gut it put down 3/4 tongue and groove ply over the existing floor rewire and have at it.

Of course I would leave the heating system and the bathroom intact.

That size space should make a great wood shop.

I wouldn't put in a overhead door as some have suggested I would put in a 60 inch double door with the suggested ramp.

 

[greasyfingers01]

1) Don't take armchair legal advice (including from me)

No worries there, I won't!

The trailer Co. is one of those buy here pay here places. There is no bank involved. I called them several times and they said they won't come get it, to burn it, scrap it, or whatever. I asked if that's the case, do I get the title? They said mobile homes before 1993? Do not have titles, it's yours. My next step is to find out what is legal proof of ownership for pre titled tailers. If it's just a bill of sale, I would contact the trailer Co. and ask for one.

I don't want to burn it. I don't want that mess, plus there is a usable septic system that I don't want to distroy.

I could demo it. But that would cost me time and money and in the end I get nothing out of it.

I could get my lawyer to look into getting them to come get it. That takes time and more money. In the end I might not have the outcome I am wanting.

Or I can get ownership and use it. Time and money wouldn't be a waste. I'd have something for my efforts.

I don't see the point in demoing it, just to build something on its frame. How much would it cost to frame, roof, and side a 25x40 "shed"?

A few hundred dollars in renting a dumpster, some osb, and some electrical work and I have a 1000 square foot shop dedicated to woodworking and storage.

I also thought about gutting it to the stick frame, renforcing it, and hang some greenhouse plastic over it and having a hydroponics greenhouse. I know a guy who did just this with 2 single wide trailers. He grows tomatoes in one and leafy greens in the other. It's all organic, grows all year long and makes a killing at the farmers market. I'll post up some pics of his setup when I have a chance.

We bought this place because we wanted to provide most of our own food source and have a better quality of life for the kids. I'm not looking into farming for a living. Just enough to feed the family and maybe sell of exsess to offset the cost. But I feel the main structure and roof is in too nice of condition to do that and would be better used as shop. I am remodeling the house slowly and it would be nice if I had a place where I could make cabinets, doors, and whatnot. So for now we will have a traditional garden, and I'll build a greenhouse in a more suitable location at a later date.

 

[rsanter]

If they don't give you the title or such, at least get then to do a signed letter on their letterhead stating that it is yours to do what you want with it


Sounds like you have the start of a good wood shop

Bob

 

[gnpenning]

Way to make the best of a bad situation. Your turning a negative into a positive. The trailer company should have no trouble signing a lien release over to you. Then you can start modifying it to suit your needs.

You have a head start with plumbing already in. If they left the stove you have something you can use to powder coat or heat up things to be pressed together, and other uses. If the dishwasher is in you have a parts washer in place.


Something not mentioned is would it be worth fixing and renting out? OF course it may be worth more to you as a shop.

 

[38Chevy454]

..... I know a guy who did just this with 2 single wide trailers. He grows tomatoes in one and leafy greens in the other. It's all organic, grows all year long and makes a killing at the farmers market.

"Yep, leafy greens officer. Just some herbs that I sell for a little extra money"

OK back to serious, since the MH company seems to have no interest, just get them to give you an official bill of sale for $1 or some small amount and clearly state that they release all liens or ownership rights. Then build your woodshop.

 

[Voi]

They said mobile homes before 1993? Do not have titles, it's yours.

Two years ago I bought and demoed one older than that and I thought it came with a title. I'll ask my wife and confirm. Maybe a state by state thing.

We bought this place because we wanted to provide most of our own food...

My six and seven year olds are just now finishing up homemade smoothies that have $9 worth of (store bought) fruit and veggies in them. They get one every day. That price doesn't include the homemade yogurt and local honey in them. And scary thing is about a year ago I actually made even bigger smoothies for them.

Maybe I would have been better off investing in land...

 

[greasyfingers01]

Food is getting expensive, quality food is insane. The plan is to have a garden, I'm in the prossess of building cages for meat rabbits, a chicken coop for eggs, later down the road some meat chickens, a couple of sheep and goats, ducks, guineas, a steer, a worm bed, and whatever else that is edible. We have 15 acres with a 2.5 acre pond. The trick is to try to keep it as low maintenance/low cost as possible and maximize the use of the land. That's why I want a hydroponics greenhouse. No bugs, no weeds, no deer, no worries about frost. Rabbits are too easy. I'll have an automatic water system, check feeders once a day, oil their ears as needed. Ducks and guineas will be free range, they can find their own food with the ocasional supplemental feeding. Same for the sheep, goats. The goats will definitely earn their stay keeping undergrowth in check. A worm bed to turn kitchen waste to compost and worms for a protein supplement for chickens, ducks, and to go fishing.

The big issue will be food/meat storage. Large upright freezers are expensive! I've been looking into a used small to medium walk in freezer. Looks like I could get one for the cost of 4 uprights with 20x the capacity. I'm just concerned about power consumption and backup power.

That's all things to come. Right now I am fixing up the house, trying to get organized from the move, clean up the over grown pasture, and mend fences.

I just want healthy, happy kids that have a strong work ethic, knows where food comes from, and know how to make due with what they have.

 

[Professur]

might I offer ...

An interesting take on rabbit cages.

 

[MScott]

We have 15 acres with a 2.5 acre pond. A worm bed to turn kitchen waste to compost and worms for a protein supplement for chickens, ducks, and to go fishing.
I just want healthy, happy kids that have a strong work ethic, knows where food comes from, and know how to make due with what they have.

Be sure to stock some largemouth bass in the pond. Fun for the kids and you and some protein to eat.

 

[T_R]

There should be a plate somewhere on the outside with a manufacturers name and a serial number. Get that, then get the trailer company to give you a letter on their letterhead giving you ownership of that specific trailer. I'd tell them if they don't you are going to start charging them storage and get a lien on it. It's not much effort on their part, I would think they would agree rather than deal with the hassle of court. I'd want something in writing even if I couldn't get a title.

I'm in rural Maine I'm sure it's no different than rural Alabama, this sort of thing happens all the time here, so I can relate. We don't have any zoning or code either and wouldn't get taxed on an old trailer used for shop space.