What other forums do you frequent ?

[capewind]

Wonder if the house is in good enough shape to stand the moving needed to put a basement under it.

If the house is safe enough for you to be inside of, it can be LIFTED ... One of the things hubby does is puts foundations under existing houses ... I dont know all the terms, but if needed, can have him PM you ... the basics is you runs steel beams under the house to stabilize it, then lift it with hydraulic jacks, build cribbing, and then lower the jacks so that the steel beams sit on cribbing ... It isnt a difficult project at all ...

 

[sissy]

Yep my son lifted a double wide but bands that strap them down have anchors that are hammered down here are usually 6 to 8 feet in the ground .He used steel but used air bladders to lift it .It is not cheap to do though .But if your frame is twisted it could turn out to be a major problem .To me it sounds like the 2 halves are separating .Double wides are made with 2x3 stud walls which we all know are not 2x3 's and double wides are also not built with the best quality wood either .But remember also your house traveled to it's sight on a highway and you don't know what could or could not have happened in transport .I watched and followed my house all the way from Bean Station Tennessee.I watched every part of the build of it and even changed things out as it was being built and also helped a few times for fun .I know my house in and out and know it was built in a nice dry factory and not exposed to rain or snow being built on sight .No mold that way .Plus I watched for any mistakes believe me ,I WATCHED CLOSELY .I was here when 2 cranes lifted it and video taped every part of it too .

 

[sissy]

when your house was built there is a steel frame then a vapor barrier then floor joists and then electric and plumbing home runs and then insulation and then sub floor and then vinyl flooring and then carpet and walls are built on top of that back then and now they know that was not the best thing to do.Bugs and air comes in that way .I wanted no flooring they had so my house just came with the subfloor.Most toilets are installed also and mine where sitting in there boxes and appliances were delivered separate .

 

[Carolyn22]

Wow.... guess I will stay with my 115 year old stick built house. :bye2:

 

[HTH]

While this one has problems it has things going for it.

Its paid for.
40x40 steel shop building, detached garage, and another 20x15 outbuilding.
over 1/2 an acre

The two story house next to us was up for sale and I was thinking about buying it.
Had a standing bid in with the reality company. For some reason they ignored my bid
and sold it to someone for less. I am not too upset about that because it would be
one more building to rehab and maintain.

 

[HTH]

This is an interesting site if you are into old airplanes. Unfortunately it is $6 an month but it for interested people it would be worth subscribing for a month or two.

http://aerocinema.com/page/direct-hits.html

Fiddlers Green is all about making scale model airplanes from cardstock. Some fly and most are fairly impressive.

It is one of the things I want to do but do not find time for. Would love to have of few of these hanging from the ceiling in the shop. They also have trucks, tanks, and buildings for model railways.

Gigant an yes they have a forum

 

[Big Lou]

.The previous owner added hardiboard siding (concrete) and metal roofing. The end wall floor now dips like the wall is pushing the floor down. Strange.

I also want to replace all the windows. Replace some of the paneled walls and ceiling with sheet rock.

I want to replace most of the carpet with laminate flooring. Worried about the floor shifting due to the expansive soil the trailer rests on. Depending on the phase of the moon our shower door goes from perfect to will not close easily.

Personally, I think you should talk with your homes manufacturer or a qualified contractor and or engineer. Lots of potentially stress inducing changes to your manufactured home's infrusture. The dipping wall is a good indicator that there is excess added weight. Finished sheet rock is very heavy especially on the ceiling. Better to err on the side of caution than you and yours be hurt.

Best of luck. Please keep us updated.

 

[sissy]

actually they have improved on the building of double wides in the last 10 years and they are built to better inspection standards .The one reason things happen now is who ever hauls them and installs them.A stick house build is subjected to the weather on sight and can be damaged by rain or snow soaking into walls or floor boards and can cause breathing problems for people .I have seen how the builder built houses in this development and I would not buy one .The corners are not sealed up and corners on them have a gap where they do not put insulation and with factory built houses they cannot do that .But if you buy factory built what happens with the hauler and the set up team is the most important part .I paid 89 thousand and that included the basement and norris homes bought my plan .I got everything I wanted in this house and it was all built to handicap standards .All the doors are also 36 inch's wide and have swing free hinges and there are no hall ways that would hinder a wheel chair or walker .to straighten a bent frame on a double wide it takes heating the metal up and most times that does not work .Heavy furniture inside can cause problems also .Most people decide to trade up on a new home if insurance company inspects the frame and finds it is damaged it may be partially covered by them .