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joining 2 Mobile homes together

Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 3:11 pm
by saler
We have 2 mobile homes and are wanting to join them together to make 1 large home, but are not really sure how hard this will be. Any info would be great.

Posted: Sat Dec 27, 2008 4:49 pm
by Greg
Hi & welcome, we have others with the same idea but most finally figured that it was just too much work to do it right. do a search for other posts on this. Greg

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:11 pm
by Dean2
There's a yahoo group called MHL(mobile home living),join it and direct a post to Karen in Wisconsin,tell Her Dean sent Ya..She and Her hubby did something similar and are very happy with it.

To the Mods; I hope recommending another group is ok to do,especially since I just did it!! If not,My heartfelt apologies.

Dean

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:13 pm
by Dean2
Depending on how You set it up You may need to heat the sections as seperate zones,,the heating sections here in the forum index will be an excellant place to ask.

Dean

RE: joining 2 Mobile homes together

Posted: Sun Dec 28, 2008 10:29 pm
by Yanita
Hi,

I am really going to restrain myself for giving a full blown answer to this one...I will say...go to the books/parts link and order our book titled "additions and roofed/decks...

If the principles in that book are not followed we are most certain to see you back here with repair questions.

Good luck on your endeavor.

Yanita

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 9:23 am
by Jim from Canada
Anything is possible. You will have to make sure both units are on frostline footers so they don't tear apart at the seam during heat/frost cycles. May have to do some creative roofing too. It depends how the units are married. Are you joining the long walls together, going with an L or T shape?

Jim

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 10:19 am
by Brenda OH reregister
Hi Saler,

I just visited my cousin in PA at thanksgiving.

They had made numerous additions onto their mobile home on their own land over the years,

it looked like the final upgrade was a pole barn roof structure over everything to fix all of the roof problems. I didn't ask specifics, lol.

The gorgeous wrap around porch under the roof might actually have been the last structure built, come to think of it...

it works for them. But it is the second pole barn roof over I have come across and I do know that one of them was built to stop roof leaks where two homes were joined together. (no embarrassment asking that family, I was van shopping at the time...) Their pole barn structure was extended 10 to 15 feet beyond the home to give a covered work area for bad weather.

as long as you understand that a separate roof system could end being a possiblilty long term. what the heck? both families were happy with the much bigger living spaces...

Brenda (OH)

Brenda (OH)

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:12 pm
by Dean2
that system also shades the original roof and keeps the attic space cooler so less heating. another benefit is a different home(newer-same size) could be backed into the same spot. I would do it in a heartbeat,but then,to Me,form-follows-function and looks-be-damned.

with tough times upon us there could be an influx of form following function in the coming years,,,,good. Makes more sense than spending too much work/$$s on cosmetics anyway.

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 1:12 pm
by Dean2
correction;;less cooling.

RE: joining 2 Mobile homes together

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 3:20 pm
by Greg S
If I am not mistaken I believe most Red Neck jokes are derived from the "form following function" approach to life.

Not that it's a bad thing.

Posted: Mon Dec 29, 2008 4:32 pm
by Dean2
LOL! Yepper! Yeeehaaaa.

Personally I like and know plenty of redneck/hippie/drinker/greaser/mostly normal////// folks all rolled into one! The best(and sometimes worst)of all personalities combined makes for pretty cool people.

Maybe its a geographic thing,being in the center of the country with all the influences rolling thru!

I could never give a flyin fudgecicle what folks do or don't do,,as long as they let Me be Me and vice-versa..Its the folks that think they need to totally control the masses that I just don't see as being sensible,,they are more like controlling idgits. someday they'll learn that prohibition,in *any/all* form will not work. And the pendulum swings.

;Dean

Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 1:37 pm
by saler
Yes, we are wanting to join the long walls together. One Mobile is 10ft shorter then the other so I thought why not add a 10ft storage shed to the end so they will be even all the way around to make putting the new siding on a lot eaiser.
Jim from Canada wrote:Anything is possible. You will have to make sure both units are on frostline footers so they don't tear apart at the seam during heat/frost cycles. May have to do some creative roofing too. It depends how the units are married. Are you joining the long walls together, going with an L or T shape?

Jim

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 2:12 am
by Dean2
Jim is right,unless,by chance You were going to set on a new basement with post n beam down the middle.

I think the roof will be the biggest challenge and most important. you could do a complete roof over. You could also leave the existing roofs and set the homes with a lengthwise slope,then tie the valley together with laminated EPDM layers wich would have a little flex to them or invent some similar system. This,if it worked as planned,should channel the rain from both "inward" slopes from each mobile.Snow load in that valley and/or ice dams could be considerations too. Roof-over sounds better.

Then theres wiring,,would You have seperate services or combine them to run off one service? Either could have advantages,I think the 2 services would be more versatile,but,then You get 2 bills each with all the added charges they tack-on these days. Would make the possible 2-zone heating/cooling thing easier tho. Maybe one larger service panel wich splits off and uses the existing panels as sub-panels.

Dean

RE: joining 2 Mobile homes together

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:38 am
by Yanita
Hi,

IMO, the most important part of this project is your foundation. Without a proper one you are going to have on going issues with stress on both units. It is possible that enough stress can and will cause structural damage to either or unit.

If you are not subject to freezing temps, frost heaves or alot of ground movement then you could possibly get by with a thick concrete slab that you set both homes upon. The slab should be poured as one large piece and reinforced with re bar.

JMO,

Yanita

Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:58 am
by Dean2
Oooper darnnits! I think what I meant was "most important *after* the piers" wich were mentioned in the preceding paragraph. My bad.

Yes Mam,the foundations are probably job-1 with the roof a very close 2nd. I have said in the past "it all starts with the concrete man".

Dean