mobilehomerepair.com

Hi!

I could really use some advise.

I live in a older (70s), 12' x 60' mobile home in southern Ontario, Canada. I purchased the home 2 years ago knowing that it would need to be releveled. Since then it has been leveled 5 times but continues to sink.

There is no cement base. Right now there are 6" x 6" wood and cement blocks holding it up. No piers.

It sinks i the summer, it sinks in the winter. Since it shifts in the summer too I can eliminate frost heave as the sole cause.

Once it is releveled it starts to sink again within a month.

I was shown some drainage issues that should be corrected to fix the problem. Didn't help.

The last contractor said putting cement patio stones underneath wouldn't help. I get conflicting information though from my neighbours that say that's all I need.

I wish I could get support that would go below the frost line but with limited overhead clearance for digging it would be hard.

Any advice?

Frustrated beyond belief.



Cathy

It sounds like you need to contact a structural Engineer. I had to use one when I moved our home onto our own land from the park. He did soil sampling to determine the footing system that I needed (required by code officer). I ended up with 15 18" piers 9 on each side 4' deep. He charged me $200 to do the work and the home has not moved in 5 years of central NY winters.
It may not be an easy job, But it may be the only way to stop the sinking short of pouring a concrete pad under the home in sections.

Greg

Thanks Greg. Yes putting in piers would be great but I have been quoted prices for $6,000 - $15,000 to do it since the house is in place. Yikes. I have a feeling that would be recommended for me as well.

I am going to start with patio stones on sand and gravel in the 2 trouble areas as a test. If it doesn't work I will call up an engineer and go from there.



Cathy

A pad might work for you. "on paper" you could pour it in sections with the home in place. You should be able to pour pads in the spaces between the piers you have now. once they set up build new piers on the concrete and pour pads in the areas where the original piers were. that would give you a full pad under the home and a full vapor barrier.
I'm not sure if there would be a frost heave problem or not but it should solve the sinking issue.

Greg