Site Preparation for our Mobile Home

It’s been a two year long process, but today we finally made progress and site preparation for our mobile home began.

Preparing the Site for our Manufactured Home

In October of 2017, we purchased our small farm. Overgrown with tall trees and grass, we spent a lot of time clearing the land. As a family, we invested hours into creating a space for our home.

We have lived in our manufactured mobile home since December 2013. After the purchase of the farm we knew that we had a great location to move our home to. We also knew that we would have some site preparation for our mobile home as well.

First, let me answer some questions that I get quite often.

Why Move our Double Wide Mobile Home

Quite possibly the number one question I get is, “why are you moving your home”? Well, the answer is rather simple. We want more space. We are currently located on two small lots in town and will be moving to an almost combined total of 5 acres.

Moving our home will allow us to have more space for our children to play, allow me to have a larger garden, more beehives, chickens and pursue my dreams of being a hobby farmer.

How Far are We Moving our Home

We are moving our manufactured home about four blocks down the street and two blocks up. It is a very short distance. On one side of town it very much feels like “living in town”. We are surrounded by neighbors and live on a block.

In the new location, we are on the edge of town and only have a street that runs in front of our home. We will sit quite a ways back from the street. Our home will sit back towards the back of our property with a wide open field that belongs to our neighboring farmer. The views are quite incredible!

More Posts Regarding Our Farm

Homestead Update: We Bought Land
Homestead Update: The Barn and Planting Perennials
Farm and Home Update
Homestead Update – We Bought More Land
Homestead Update – Land Clean Up

Why Not Build a Home

Another question I hear a lot is, “why not build a home”? As a middle age couple raising four children, we have a desire to avoid as much debt as we can. Our current home is extremely close to being paid off. In our minds, it makes no sense to go thousands upon thousands of dollars into debt.

I personally love our home and I love the process of remodeling our manufactured mobile home. We have already done a lot of work and I look forward to continuing the process.

Water and Sewer Hookup

One of the nice things that we love about our location is that while it feels like the country, we are still considered in the city. We are at the very edge of town and our backyard backs up to the country putting us right on the line of city limits. Therefore, we will be able to hook into the city water and sewer system.

Manufactured Mobile Home Remodel Posts:

Mobile Home Farmhouse Exterior Remodel
Double Wide Farmhouse Style Dining Room Remodel
Installing Hardwood Floors in a Mobile Home
Double Wide Mobile Home Walk-In Pantry
Double Wide Farmhouse Style Living Room Remodel

Site Preparation Mobile Home | Video

How to Prepare the Site for a Double Wide Mobile Home

There are many variables that can go into site preparation for a manufactured home. Since there is such a wide variable for different states, laws and codes, I have decided to simply share what the process looked like for our home.

Please do your own research when it comes to looking into how to prepare the site for your own manufactured home. Our site preparation was done under the guidance of a professional.

How to Find Someone to Prepare the Site

In order to find a reputable individual to do the dirt and concrete work, I contacted local manufactured home lots. Out of all the home lots that I contacted in my area, the same guy was recommended by all of them.

If you have multiple options in your area to choose from, I would suggest meeting with several of them. Get different quotes, and ask for references from those that they have already worked for.

I contacted the individual and he was then able to come out and give me an estimate to do all of the work. He was very thorough on making sure that he went over what was included in the costs. He then drove stakes into the ground to mark the location of where we wanted our home to sit.

Finally, he drove to our home and took measurements in order to know how big of a concrete pad he would need to pour.

What to Expect the Day of Site Preparation

I had no idea what to expect the day of site preparation. Thankfully, I was able to be there for the entire process. The day started at 8:00 AM and ended around 4:00 PM.

The first thing that had to be done was to remove several trees and large stumps that were in the way of where the home will be placed. As a family, we had already removed a lot of them but they finished taking out the rest.

Dirt Work and Concrete Pad

Then, the dirt work started. This consisted of leveling off the land. A laser level was set up for them to use to make sure that the dirt pad was level. Then, they marked the perimeter area with string. After the string was in place they sprayed a bright orange stripe all along the string. Then, they marked the area for the runner strips every so many feet.

The string was then removed. Then, they began digging what looks like trenches for the concrete to be poured into. Re-bar was then placed every so many feet into the ground in each section. Again, the level was used to make sure that each one was the same height.

The area where the water, sewer and electric will be placed was then dug and pipes put into place. This will allow us to hook into those areas once we get the home moved.

Next, the concrete trucks arrived. We had three trucks show up to our location in order to fill all of the areas. The guys then leveled out and smoothed the concrete.

Mobile Home Foundation: Concrete Runners

There are six concrete runners that will be under the home. This is where the I-beams are and where the concrete blocks are placed that our home will be placed on after it is tied down. When we actually are in the home moving phase, I will share more about the tie down process of a manufactured mobile home. There are certain guidelines that have to be followed.

We currently have skirting all the way around our home, but we had a wide concrete perimeter poured so that we can add a block foundation in the future.

Once all the concrete was given a bit of time to dry, the children engraved their initials into the concrete. Then, I went around and engraved Bible verses into the concrete under where each room will be located in the home.

Bible Verses for Home

• Kitchen – Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
  
• Dining Room – Psalm 90:14 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
  
• Front Entrance – Deuteronomy 28:6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
  
• Girls Room – Proverbs 31: 25-26 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
  
• Boys Room – Proverbs 3:1-4 My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity. Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.
  
• Master Bedroom – Colossians 3:12-14 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

It’s been two years since we have purchased our small farm. The process of waiting to move our home has taught me a lot of patience. Our family is very excited to take the next step forward in actually getting our home to the farm.

Thank you for continuing to follow along on our journey!

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