Engineering Certificates for Manufactured Housing loans

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) August 31, 2008 -- IVCO Inspection Service Now Offers Engineering Certificates for Manufactured Housing loans

Who must have an engineering certificate for their manufactured home foundation?

All foundation systems, new and existing, must meet the guidelines published in the Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing, dated September 1996. A certification attesting to compliance with this handbook must be obtained from a licensed professional engineer and included in the insuring file. It is applicable for all re-sales.

HUD-FHA Single Family Housing, Homeownership Center Reference Guide
Revised October 31, 2005 Chapter 1 Appraisal and Property Requirements Page 1-09d






What does this mean?

It means that the foundation must meet the criteria as set forth in HUD manual Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing, September 1996. This manual requires a site specific design for every manufactured home.


Dead loads, snow loads, wind loads and seismic loads must all be taken into account.

There must be a perimeter, frost line protected strip foundation as well as frost line protected piers under the chassis.


The stacked blocks that the unit actually sits on must not only be mortared, they must be attached with rebar to the footing and bolted and/or welded to the chassis frame, unless there is an alternate, site specific engineered design.




The design must include protection against horizontal shearing forces and uplifting forces. This can require additional strapping between the stacked blocks.


Finally, it means that this design must be stamped by a licensed professional engineer verifying that HUD requirements are met.

What can happen if a manufactured home does not have an HUD compliant foundation?


It is very likely that no US government guaranteed loan will be approved for the home.


It also may not qualify for other conventional loans.


Even though the home may currently qualify with a lesser foundation, in the future it may be required to upgrade to HUD compliance to receive any loan.


The homeowner may pay more in home insurance than necessary.

If you need assistance with Manufactured Home Foundation Certificates for a HUD or FHA loan you can contact me at ivcohome@yahoo.com

Michael Ivie