Newbie !

[braesbabe]

Hello all! Our family just bought a 13 yr old double wide. First time ever living in a home like this. We are from NYC and there are no homes like this there. My husband has spent 12 yrs in the Army and he is getting out soon So we bought house near the base since we have become very accustomed to the relaxed pace of the country.

We are on 3.1 acres. We would love to add an addition a basement and were wondering how this process is done. If anyone has any help or suggestions We would appreciate it greatly!!

For the time being we have to fix up quite a few quirks in this home.
The doors DO NOT touch the floor. We can't understand what happened. Maybe they were framed wrong or the doors ordered short by mistake. Very bad for privacy and air conditioning. What can we do to solve this problem?

I have more questions but will submit them one at a time. Thanks in advance for your help!!

[Harry]

Hi

Welcome!

This link will get you started on the basement.

http://www.mobilehomerepair.com/basements1.html

Harry

[Yanita]

Hi,

Welcome to the site.

Your first thing is order Mark's repair manual located in the books/parts link above.

LOL, your doors were not cut short on accident. This space allows for cold air return for your furnace and air conditioning if you have ac.

If you want full length doors you will need to make sure that they are vented at the bottom.

Familiarize yourself with how these homes are designed or your future repairs/upgrades could be done wrong.

To add a basement under your home will be determined by many things. It can be done, but will cost alot of money! I believe you will need an engineers report to do this...

We have a Moderator that lives in NY, maybe he can assist when he gets in this evening from work...Hey Greg, lend a hand here please.

Yanita

[braesbabe]

OH Thank you very much fr your replies!! I looked at the link and WOW!!! I want that!! But how costly could that be? And is it a special company that does the work or can we hire a local contractor?

So that explains the doors!! How do I add vents to the bottoms? The doors are lacking a good two inches at the bottom. What if there is a vent above the door frame? Only my bedroom has a vent above the doorframe.

Ibis

[Yanita]

Hi,

Venting the doors is not hard although a PITA. First you would need to purchase the doors, and then 2 register vent covers per door.

Measure were you want them at the bottom of the door, cut the opening in the door and install a cover, one on each side.

Not sure why you think this is a bad thing for privacy...about everything can be heard from one adjoining room to another in a MH. That little bit of space is not going to make any difference.

Anyways I am not an HVAC tech, so with that in mind before you alter these doors, or put in solid doors with a vent above them pose the question in the HVAC forum. Robert or HVAC will answer as to whether this should be altered.

Thanks Yanita

[Harry]

Hi

All of my bedrooms have vents above the doors ... from the factory.

I agree was Yanita on the privacy issue.

Harry

[Greg]

Hi & welcome. As Yanita said the doors are made like that, I would also recommend Mark's book to help you understand the "quirks" of mobile home living.
I would start first by making sure the home is set for winter. I know all too well what winter in waterberg is like. I live just west of Syracuse and I know there can easily be a 30* difference in temp. You are more in line with the cold that Mark gets except you get a lot more snow. Take advantage of the warm weather to check the waterlines, underbelly & skirting, once they freeze it is no fun at all.
As for a basement, yes it is possible. Start with the codes office, see what is required, If possible check with a mobile home dealer that sells your home and get their opinion, it could save you from possibly getting an engineer involved. Most of the people that have done it build the basement and then use I beams & rollers to move the home in place over the basement. This is not a DYI job!!! Greg

[Yanita]

Hi Harry,

Not knowing anything about her home or furnace type and requirements I am not going to give the go ahead to alter/change the air flow pattern.

My sons home has vents above all the doors, but for my home there is not alot of area above the doors to accommodate the hole, register cover, and leaving enough structure up there.

Just trying to cover all the bases, LOL.

Yanita

[Harry]

Hi Yanita

I agree not all MHs are equal.

My MH has only one return air duct in the center of the home thus there would have to be vents in order for the bedrooms to have good air flow/circulation....JMO.

Harry