Attaching a Porch to a Doublewide on a Permanent Foundation

[solitary small landholder]

I have a 48' by 28' doublewide that is on a permanent foundation. I want to attach a porch onto the end of the house by creating a deck and then extending the porch over the deck. Since the doublewide is on a permanent foundation, I am wondering if I am able to attach the deck to the doublewide the same way it would be done with a stick-built house? I have seen other people in our neighborhood do something similar (i.e., extend the roof over the deck). Is this doable or will there be problems later on?

Appreciate any help you can give me.

[JD]

Hi and welcome to the forum,

Even though your home is one a permanent foundation, your deck should still be freestanding. You just need to use piers or posts next to the house instead of a ledger.

As for the cover over your deck, you could attach an aluminum awning that is approved for your area, but I wood built awning should also be free standing. Some areas with high winds and snow loads also require aluminum/metal awnings to be freestanding.

JD

[Greg]

SSL, Hi & welcome. there are a few schools of thought when it comes to attaching porches. The main problem is that even with a foundation the home and porch can move in different directions at different rates resulting in a roof leak. Many have tried it, few have had success. Greg

[Guest]

Boy, you aren't kidding, Greg. I've had yearly roof leaks from the addition that was added to my singlewide by the previous owner. Not only that, but once the frost hits I can't even open the doors & windows. I guess "Bubba" thought he could just hammer away like he was in a stick-built without any consideration for the differences in a mobile home.

[Sylvia]

It would depend on the kind of foundation. Our "mobile" home isn't mobile in any way anymore. If ssl's home was attached to a basement or slab it would be just as any other home would be.

[Yanita]

The original poster is not on a basement, and being on a slab still does not guarantee that you will not have problems with permanently attaching a deck. I know when I lived in Vt that home was on a slab, then a second slab was poured joining to the first. An addition was built on that slab. Although this was done prior to our purchase, and unfortunate knowledge of MH's.

Our third winter there was 38* below many nights in a row and never got above freezing for weeks during the day. Hence the frost went very deep, when the heaves began it broke the seam where the 2 foundations met, the addition leaned into the home, broke the door jamb, 6 exterior wall studs and major roof damage.

And, then there are your local building codes, should you choose to utilize them.

JMO,

Yanita

[Yanita]

As I was pondering this thread again..

It also came to mind that typically our homes are not framed as a traditional home is, smaller exterior framing and floor joist...

So, although many of our homes are consider real property or not moveable, they are still in fact constructed/built as a mobile home.

Yanita