mobile home leveling questions

[jgorm]

I have a 1970 24x60 double wide trailer at the colorado river. I contracted to a company to level the trailer because the top center has about a 3/4" gap on one of the ends. He informed me that it was level, and they just added piers to support the old rusty ones. There were no marks on the bolts or threads of the old ones, indicating there was absolutely 0 adjustment. I haven't rigged up a bucket level to verify, but I suspect that they just supported the trailer at its existing height. He said that leveling the trailer will not bring the top pieces together.

Is that correct? It doesn't sit right, but I'm not a mobile home expert.

I assumed they would adjust the tie down straps, but some of them have a good 2+ inches of slack, and none of those were adjusted either.

Some of the pads the piers are on have huge gaps directly under them. the worst is probably close to 2". You can almost slide a brick under it. I know this is wrong.

They also said they would paint the roof and scrape off all the old flaky paint. They didn't even do the edges.

Check out a bunch of pictures here. https://goo.gl/photos/xFep2y91ui9zhaWf9

We haven't paid anything yet, but I wanted to see what some of you think I should do. It's out in Arizona and blazing hot now. We started this project in May when it was nice. It's 115-120+ out there now.

I can't remember the exact prices, but I think it was $1200 to paint the roof, and $2700 to level it. This is a company that does mobile home leveling and modifications, not some random guy. We were going to have him do additional work, but after I saw the quality I put the brakes on.

Let me know what you think I should do. I thought paying for the roof, and the material cost of the new piers would be fair.

 

[dadsEH]

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[jgorm]

click the link above. Embedding doesn't work great on this site when linking to google. Can you see this?

 

[kd3pc]

a manufactured home that old, may be level at the base and have sagged or swayed enough for the gaps to be what you have. He would need to check plumb and square.

That type of mobile home would have to have two sets of block on each 12' width in VA or TN...and then shims or wedges to level at each block. Those small hits on the frame will have a hard time leveling things.

But if that is the way they are done "out there"...what do I know.

bests

 

[brownbagg]

buy a four foot level

 

[rburke65]

Buy at least a 4' level. I'd be holding the check until I found out more.

 

[slip knot]

Why did they put additional stands under it if it didn't need levelling? What did they suggest to get the walls to come back together?
Trailer house guys are kinda sketchy anyway. My brother ran a trailer business for 15yrs and you shoulda seen some of the **** he pulled.

 

[weadjust]

.84 sq ft is reasonable to seal a mobile home roof but that would include the edges. The roof is most likely to leak where they screw the roof on at the edges and the screws around the roof vents. Your roof also has rumble buttons (screws with a big washer screwed through the metal roof into the rafters to keep the wind from causing the roof to rumble).

 

[kelpaso1]

Wow. Mobile homes are held up by cheap stamped metal jack stands on a piece of 2X10 boards sitting on the bare ground?

 

[dadsEH]

Wow. Mobile homes are held up by cheap stamped metal jack stands on a piece of 2X10 boards sitting on the bare ground?

Um, yeah...thats why they call them mobile homes

 

[58Yeoman]

Wow. Mobile homes are held up by cheap stamped metal jack stands on a piece of 2X10 boards sitting on the bare ground?

In my area at mobile home parks, there would be two concrete runners under the trailer. Makes it easier for the wheels as you move it in or out. After it's placed, the wheels are removed and they place the stands or concrete blocks on the concrete to support the trailer. Makes it better than boards on dirt. I especially liked the one board with the huge knot right under the stand.

 

[Rex_A_Lott]

a manufactured home that old, may be level at the base and have sagged or swayed enough for the gaps to be what you have. He would need to check plumb and square.

That type of mobile home would have to have two sets of block on each 12' width in VA or TN...and then shims or wedges to level at each block. Those small hits on the frame will have a hard time leveling things.

But if that is the way they are done "out there"...what do I know.

bests

What you have woudnt fly here in SC either, but I dont know what the "norm" is where you are. Wood on the ground for a support pillar? Asking for trouble IMHO. Good Luck

 

[timbitca]

Wow. Mobile homes are held up by cheap stamped metal jack stands on a piece of 2X10 boards sitting on the bare ground?

Where I live, the mobile homes are on compacted pad of gravel (not sure how much gravel, but pretty well compacted) and concrete blocks + jacks where needed. I recently checked mine and I don't have one jack stand like seen in the pictures. My house is a 1991 66x16 and hasn't been leveled in 5 years from what I can gather and is still relatively level (which house is perfectly level anyways).

 

[SARG]

Looks like a very "temporary" set up at best. ****** way to hold it up and what is holding it down ?
A forty mph straight line wind will push it off those feeble supports.

 

[CoogarXR]

In my area of Ohio, mobile homes are set on concrete runners or concrete piers, with concrete blocks stacked. Usually wood shims for the leveling on top of the blocks.

I have no experience with how things are done out west, but it doesn't look very sturdy to me.

 

[jgorm]

Looks like a very "temporary" set up at best. ****** way to hold it up and what is holding it down ?
A forty mph straight line wind will push it off those feeble supports.

There are metal straps that hook into a crank down device. Some have slack and that is unacceptable. I'll probably be doing the rest myself once it cools down. This place will see regular 40-60+mph winds. It's been there for over 20 years without issue, and now there are twice as many piers. The old piers are actually on wood that sunk into the dirt. It's in a flood plane and the water table is only about 10'. Some guy told me you could 'dig' a well with a sand stake and a sledge hammer.

I had a similar issue and leveling closed that gap. Assuming it wasnt set up with a gap, adjustment should cure this.

That's what I figured. Thanks for responding.

A 4' level doesn't work well when your targets are 24' across and it's not on a beam. Might as well just eye ball it because that's all you could do with a level. The beams are also not flat on the bottom. I'll bring out my laser and rig up a bucket level to verify on my next trip out there.

 

[73RR]

...wouldn't pass code around here......
IMHO, you have some serious work to do and paying 'your guy' shouldn't be on the list. Do contractors have to licensed in your state?

Seriously, You need a better set-up before it falls off those stands.

 

[jgorm]

...wouldn't pass code around here......
IMHO, you have some serious work to do and paying 'your guy' shouldn't be on the list. Do contractors have to licensed in your state?

Seriously, You need a better set-up before it falls off those stands.

What is your concern? It seems to be up too code, if not double the code requirements if you count the rusted piers. Here it's a link to the code https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...ggoMAE&usg=AFQjCNFAH9R8Yu26yzUADsUabtwAtiaxpw

I know this is not an answer, but it didn't fall off the rusty piers in 20 years, and now it has double.

 

[aka Larry]

In my area of Ohio, mobile homes are set on concrete runners or concrete piers, with concrete blocks stacked. Usually wood shims for the leveling on top of the blocks.

Same here in eastern NC. I lived in a 14' x 76' single-wide for 17 years. It was anchored with metal straps and long anchors screwed into the ground. Those straps were really tight too.

There's no way those tiny jack stands are permanent right?

 

[Falcon67]

Around these parts - Concrete pads or pavers, stacks of 8x8x16 block with PT boards and wedges as required.

It's not going to fall off the stands, but that's a absolute minimum way to support the building. And for reference, the first house we bought here was a "peir and beam" type, sitting on stacks of bricks, vertical pieces of 2x10, cedar posts and the occasional railroad tie. House had been like that since 1952.

 

[Marctrees]

DO NOT pay the guy anything till you study this further.

Let him threaten court, who cares?????

I'd gladly go after some prep.


We paid $500 to level a similar house a year ago.

Also had bids for 1200 and 1400.

Took the $500 guy.

I took a level around the house (interior door jambs, hard floor in spots, and noted sticking doors) and made notes before, and after he did it, it was all much better, close to perfect.

Took him... one guy..... 4 1/2 hours.

$2700 is INSANE, on top of job not done.

DO NOT pay, till you figure this out.

And not much then either. Marc

 

[Marctrees]

You got a few separate bad issues here.

First off, IMHO, and the majority of the posters, the house was poorly supported from Day 1.

Then your guy came in.. and it seems anyway he did not do the job correctly and totally.
But then, he had to start w a bad foundation to begin with.

Strapped not snug, not right, don't know what the thing is there.

The roof like that uses "mobile home roof coating"

comes in WIDE price and quality range in 5 gal buckets.

Usually the roof is scrubbed down by hand if in OK condition, pressure washed GENTLY if flaking needs to be removed, well rinsed, and should sit in sun few days before they roll on the topping.

Older roofs like yours may have huge delaminating area.

Yet more work, not positive how that's handled, but there is some like Geotex looking fabric they lay down, then roll over w topping.

This may have to be done every ? 3-4? yrs, especially in your hot sun there.

Not the fabric really, but the overall topping.

The "edges" are not always re done each time.

Edges are the most labor intensive, while it's being applied on roof, there needs to be a guy on the ground running around looking for and cleaning drips on siding.

I feel really, bad .. just a bad situation altold.

Somehow, unless YOU have a bunch of time to mess w this, you need to find a Mobile contractor that somehow you can trust, and have him give his suggestions at this point.

Do NOT allow yourself to be bullied to pay.

Explain to him calmly and professionally why you are doing this, that you have major, valid concerns, making it clear YOU are not trying to shaft him.

Pay your guy NOTHING until this is all resolved. Marc

 

[Marctrees]

If the guy gets rammy, I would consult briefly w an appropriate attorney.

For less than $100, maybe free, he'll give you some direction and set your mind at ease

Marc

 

[Ditch]

click the link above. Embedding doesn't work great on this site when linking to google. Can you see this?

That looks so HOKEY.
is that normal?

 

[Marctrees]

So, the new jackstands the recent contractor put in.. Those are the black fresh looking ones on the 2x's?

and the rustier looking ones ?on the dirt, or some smaller pads? ?? (can't tell) , are the originals?

Really cobbled together.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

As far as paying for the roof, possibly that could/ should be done.

I guess you were not able to be there when they did it, so we don't know how well it was prepped or not.

It would have been good to be there, sounds like this is like a weekend cabin, so understood.

But that's not their fault.

As far as the edges not done, that's kinda typical as I mentioned above.

He SHOULD have explained that was not included, and in a perfect world, you would have known to spec it.

More on him than you , you are the "homeowner", not the expert,

So, maybe you should pay for the roof portion.

Also, shows "good faith" as this thing proceeds.

Marc

 

[jgorm]

Thanks guys. I have a plan to redo to roof with 2x4s, 1.5" styrofoam boards, and metal standing seam panels. This was a decent stop gap because I don't do roofing if it's over 90°! The leveling is a nasty dirty job with spiders, scorpions, and tarantulas. They said they saw 12 scorpions. The crew is driving from San Diego 3.25hrs to do the work because nobody else would do it. I called 15 roofers and nobody would drive there. It's 2hr from the nearest "City". I'm still waiting to hear back from the contractor. Thanks for all your input.

 

[L5wolvesf]

Aren't there any roof and mobile home contractors in Blythe or Yuma?

 

[jgorm]

I couldn't find any in Blythe, and the Yuma guys didn't want to drive out. It ***** looking for contractors because there are all these fake websites that are good at getting on Google, but only call other contractors for your! If you have to put your email in, and there is no phone or address listed, it's fake.

 

[jgorm]

It seems to be level. I measured with a bucket level and the worst was .75" with most around 0.25". It would have been nice if they told us it didn't need leveling!