How Do They Put a Double Wide on a Foundation?

Workers Build a Foundation

During construction of the foundation, whether brick or concrete, workers periodically review the load-bearing capabilities of the soil; if the soil can not bear the weight of the foundation and the double wide without shifting, it may cause serious damage to the mobile home’s frame and components.

Workers Add Support Points

Once workers pour and finish the foundation, they must construct pillars to properly support the double wide. Designed to connect key support points on the double-wide’s frame, the support pillars serve to elevate the double-wide and evenly distribute its weight. Workers must carefully place supports in regular, even intervals to ensure the double-wide’s weight is evenly distributed; uneven or inconsistent support may lead to sagging floors, broken or cracked walls, and doors that do not fit properly into their frames. In many cases, workers use concrete blocks to support key points on the double-wide frame, then construct a secondary support structure around the home’s perimeter once they transfer it to the foundation.

Moving the Double-wide Onto the Foundation

With the foundation constructed and the most critical support points in place, workers move the double-wide onto the foundation. Because double-wides are designed for mobility, workers can easily put the home onto a foundation using the trailer wheels provided by the manufacturer. Once workers align the supports, they use special mobile home jacks to slightly elevate the home, remove the trailer or wheels, and lower the home onto the support pillars.

Workers Attach Anchors

Once they have positioned the double-wide onto the foundation, workers must add exterior skirting and anchor the home to guard against damage. First, workers add anchors to the double wide’s underside to permanently attach it to the foundation; the type of anchor varies from area to area and depends on local regulations, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines, and the home manufacturer’s recommendations. If local ordinances mandate special wind considerations, common in high-wind areas such as regions affected by hurricanes or tornadoes, workers must apply additional anchors as required.

With all anchors in place, workers then apply skirting around the double-wide’s perimeter. Typically constructed of concrete blocks, bricks or some type of manufactured material, the skirting both enhances the double wide’s aesthetic appeal and provides additional support to the home’s outermost points. With the skirting in place, the double-wide is ready for occupancy.