Legal to remove eaves and gable ends???

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Greensteve52
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Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2019 1:21 pm

We are putting a new roof over the double-wide MH. It will be self-supporting (post and beam construction on the outer perimeter) without adding any weight to the existing roof. New roof pitch will be 5:12 with metal roofing material so our 3 to 5 feet of snow will side without me getting up on the roof. The new roof will extend beyond the existing roof by 10 feet on three sides and 4 feet on the fourth side.

I'd like to have the contractor remove all the eaves and gable end overhangs so that the new concrete siding can extend up the exterior wall to the new roof. We plan to put metal vented siding on the ends of the original factory rafters but on the same verticle plane with the Hardy board extruded concrete siding.

Is it legal to remove the eaves and gable overhangs? I live in WA state.

Thanks for the help!
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Greg
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Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

I don't know of any "laws" that would forbid their removal, but I would check with your building codes officer. You will most likely need a permit for the work so I would run it by him.

Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Greensteve52
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Jul 26, 2019 1:21 pm

Here's an update from my own research of the rules and regs (and I'm paraphrasing from memory). The WA State Department of Labor and Industries says you can't alter the structure (i.e. the Manufactured or Mobile Home "MH") where such alteration would in some way compromise the structural integrity or load-bearing capabilities WITHOUT design guidance from a licensed structural engineer. Any structure added to the outside of the MH must have a building permit. Such added structure be self-supporting with its own concrete foundation built to code and inspected by the county building inspector prior to construction of the added structure. I have a structural engineer looking over our construction plans and we are awaiting his approval. Removing the eaves will not change the load-bearing capabilities of the outside walls and the new roof will be self-supporting basically "floating" above the existing roof and supported by the new scissor trusses at the peak and post and beam (glulam) on the outside perimeter. The gap between the factory roof trusses will be covered with perforated metal soffit attached in a vertical instead of a horizontal plane. The gable ends will be cut flush with the exterior wall and then covered by new sheathing and concrete siding. Just sharing here in case someone else needs a bit of help with their remodel of the MH.

All the best, Steve
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