Permanent foundation issues. - Posted by Gavin Wilkinson

import · August 25, 2004, 2:20pm

Posted by Philip on August 27, 2004 at 11:43:19:

general rant.
You just made the unlucky post that let him unload it.

I would like to go on a rant about a mudslinging election that is making buyers of ALL kinds keep their hands in their pockets.

Many merchants, builders, wholesalers, retailers, motel owners, Lonnie dealers, car dealers that I have spoken to think that the “lets all say the other guy will cause a problem if elected” campaigning is having an effect on spenders.

Shoot even Wal-Mart is having some soft sales.

Personally I think we should all be allowed to write in our county sheriff who won a resounding victory and within 6 months had cleaned up a whole department, came in under budget, fired all the criminals, bucked county officials when they tried to push him…and rarely gave an interview.

He is a true independent was appointed by local Republicans to finish the term of a sheriff who resigned.

Then the Republicans jerked the rug out from under him during the next election and ran a different " son of a county official" candidate.
The interim sheriff then runs as an independent and gets 70% of the vote in a Republican county!
Now THAT is the American way!

PS - He lives in a house. (Wanted to stay on topic)

Philip

import · August 25, 2004, 2:20pm

Permanent foundation issues. - Posted by Gavin Wilkinson

Posted by Gavin Wilkinson on August 25, 2004 at 14:20:27:

I’m in California.

I’m currently selling a mobile home on a permanent foundation, and the title company called me up and told me they thought I would need a “344A”. They said this was a form recorded with the county showing that the mobile home had been attached to the land with a permanent foundation. They said that they thought the lenders would not lend unless this had been recorded. I don’t have one of these and have never heard of it.

Has anyone else heard of this? Are there any lenders that would lend at conventional rates and not require this?

I really don’t feel like ripping out a perfectly good foundation and replacing it just to get a piece of paper.

import · August 25, 2004, 3:50pm

Re: Permanent foundation issues. - Posted by The55+GuyFromAZ

Posted by The55+GuyFromAZ on August 25, 2004 at 15:50:15:

Most (better than 90%) of the so-called “permanent foundations” are nothing more than a few rows of concrete blocks on a poured concrete footer. The home doesn’t actually sit on this “foundation”… it’s still on piers, just like any home you’d find in any lot-lease park in the country.

When I set my 28x65 on 10 acres a few years back… we dumped 3 full concrete trucks into the footer, then laid a 4-block high foundation on top of that… yet the home never came off the “concrete block piers” that the dealer installed and you could measure the gap between the frame and the foundation with a tape measure.

I’ve been a big advocate of “HUD-code foundations” for sometime now, but the powers that be still think that a few rows of concrete block are “good enuf”. One good wind and it’ll all roll-over (Charlotte County, Florida not withstanding).

A “true-HUD” foundation still uses the pier system, the differance is that these piers actually bolt to the frame (instead of the home just sitting on top of them), they’re set (recessed) into the concrete footer and they “flex” with the home settling and the load or stress put on them by high winds, earthquakes, etc.

I realize none of this solves your problem, but the info may be of use… especially if you could get your lender to take a peek at your crawlspace.

import · August 25, 2004, 2:36pm

Re: Permanent foundation issues. - Posted by Steve-WA

Posted by Steve-WA on August 25, 2004 at 14:36:57:

Gavin, could you not just get a building inspector to sign off something that shows the MH was installed according to manufacturer specs - which your foundation should be - ? That inspector may fill out - or even have - the 344A.

Check with a new home dealer - they may have the “manufacturer specs” for installation that you need, or a mover.

import · August 25, 2004, 3:48pm

Foundation issues.(Warning- Rant) - Posted by Gavin Wilkinson

Posted by Gavin Wilkinson on August 25, 2004 at 15:48:48:

Have you been in the business for a long time? Not meant to be a putdown…What I mean is…if you have been watching the business for many years you see a trend, a pattern.

My experience- the pattern I see is this. Every few years government agencies, which in my case means the county government, the state government and then the federal government come up with a new requirement for mobile homes. In 1976 it was “HUD compliant homes”. So now older homes are “non compliant” and its really hard to loan on them. In my area then they required “snow loads” so the roofs don’t collapse. Never mind that older mobile homes that were allegedly deficient had stood just fine for 20 years. Now they were “substandard”. Then earthquake bracing came in. Was your older home earthquake braced? So now 80 year old seniors were out having their $1000 20 year old mobile home “braced for earthquakes” for only $10,000 each. Lately the fad is “FHA certified foundation”. Is your foundation FHA certified. Uh-oh. Now you have to go find a contractor, rip out the foundation that has worked fine for 10 years, and replace it with a “manufacter spec foundation” or “FHA certified foundation”.

The foundation under my 1993 home is fine. Its worked for 11 years, through earthquakes, storms etc. It was put in BEFORE the FHA certified foundations. It was put in BEFORE manufacturers had foundation designs. When I put it in, no one cared, and they signed off on it without a form 344A or anything else.

Yes, I am sure the inspector has a form 344A. And for only $6,000 he will verify that my home has a foundation. That number is from the title co., not made up. The question is WHY? Why is this country so screwed up that we don’t allow people to live in affordable housing. Yes, the mobiles blow away in a 140 mile per hour wind, and yes, they will be destroyed by a flood or earthquake or tornado or whatever. But guess what! Even with a form 344A, when the big one hits here in California, it will be on the ground. Just like when the hurricane hits Florida, the mobiles will be gone.

The only difference is when disaster hits my mobile home, it will be hitting a home that costs $300,000.

Sorry for the rant.

To answer your questions. No, my foundation will not meet any “specs”, because when it was made, the “specs” did not exist- at least the 344A specs did not.

import · January 5, 2005, 10:48am

Re: Foundation issues.(Warning- Rant) - Posted by Art

Posted by Art on January 05, 2005 at 11:48:23:

Go to www.suresafe.com and check out some breakthrough technology that does not require ripping out your piers or moving the home.

import · August 25, 2004, 4:17pm

you baited me - Posted by Steve-WA

Posted by Steve-WA on August 25, 2004 at 16:17:33:

are you full? chew me out some more.

I’ll be careful next time I answer you.

import · August 25, 2004, 3:57pm

I hear your pain… read my post above. (nt) - Posted by The55+GuyFromAZ

Posted by The55+GuyFromAZ on August 25, 2004 at 15:57:32:

.