Looking at buying an old trailer (MAJOR REMODEL NEEDED)

[vintage steel]

Hello, new here.
My name is Russ.
I was considering buying a small lot with an old trailer on it. Ideally I would just scrap the trailer and build a house but, zoning laws being what they are in Hayden, ID, the lot is Zoned "future commercial". As soon as I move the trailer, the lot then becomes commercial property, so If I want to live there, I am stuck renovating a late seventies or early 80's 14x60 trailer. I was wondering if there are any detailed "build pages" on this site. I did a couple quick searches and didn't find much.
If I buy this place my plan is:
Phase 1: to gut the inside, install new sub floor throughout, new insulation in the walls ( maybe even new 2x4 wall studs ). update electrical, plumbing and heating.

Phase 2: remove the entire roof. Build a pitched truss roof attached to the existing walls. Insulate the hell out of it and install a tin roof. (I have done this before)

Phase 3: strip off the old alum siding, install new windows, wrap house with tyvek or equivalent, install new siding and skirting.

Phase 4: interior walls, drywall, fixtures, carpet etc.

Has anybody tried a renovation of this magnitude. basically $20,000 in a $500 trailer. (I will be doing the work myself) This is the ONLY way to live on this property and the property is a really good deal.
Any thoughts?

Sorry for such a long first post.
-Russ

[Greg]

Russ, Hi & welcome. What you are doing is a total renovation, many of us here have done them.If you do the math it is usually well worth doing. Before you go too far in you planning stage you need stop and take a look at what you are starting with and how it is set up. Remember that on Mobile homes the frame rails carry 100% of the weight unless perimeter blocking has been added. This is important to remember because if you add weight to the walls & roof the floor joists carry the weight to the frame. Excessive weight WILL bow the floor joists down usually permanently. This is where perimeter blocking plays an important role.

I would think that the ground freezes in your area so you will want below frost line footers if you don't already have them. I would do a relevel job on the home before starting work.

The work you are describing is a basic rehab job. As I said, Many of here have done them and I am sure others will add more ideas for you.

Greg

[Greg S]

Having been involved in two similar sized and age of homes having complete rehab in the past two years the only thing I would add, depending on the quality of the end result, you are more than likely looking a reno costs north of $30,000 assuming 90% of the work you do yourself. Unless you are extremely budget conscious the numbers by completion can creep considerably.
The roof, windows, kitchen, bath, siding and flooring will take a big bite out of your budget. Material costs in general are always more expensive than estimated.

The real question is how long do you feel you will live there and what can the market bare, on a depreciating asset, in the short term (5 years). Can you recoup your investment in the event your plans change.
The land has a value as residential, in it's present state, so what will a renovated mobile add to that value. Will the municipality permit such a extensive renovation or are they more interested in commercial property development. Also what would the commercial value of the land translate to today.

[DCDiva]

Hi Russ! Welcome to the group. We--my family and me--just finished one 1973 12 x60 total gut remodel and at the finishing stages of another same size--we replaced everything--I have many post of them lol and a blog--which I need to update just have been very busy with 2 other houses--the mobile home are 3 hours away and we work on them on weekends,holidays and vacations,the last one is really close but we have not been able to get to the location since Thanksgiving--our jobs and time off. Your budget is right on--on the first one we completed this was about the amount spent but we built 2 totally separate from MH shed roofs so the expense of the 2 nd MH is @ 6000--but the rent will pay for this in less than a year= good investment and my dd is in college and staying at other MH so no dorm expense=15,000 yr lol saving---but you do need to check with zoning/code to make sure everything will work out---in the area we did this in they visited all the time but love our work they were use to ppl that did not know what they were doing remodeling and sent ppl to us to show they what could be done.
I think you can do a search on DCDiva for all of my posts on the remodels,let me know if you can not see them I will send privately
Here is my blog but it needs updated.
Here is the blog
http://myprojects-dcdiva.blogspot.com/s ... -results=5