Your Manufcatured Home By Jim Palmer Jr.

Manufactured homes have been around for many years now and may get a bad rap sometimes. Since they came to the property with wheels attached, for many years they were labeled mobile homes. There have been some famous redneck jokes that highlight this fact. Even though they are entertaining, such teasing may unfairly characterize owners of such properties. While it is true that stick framed homes generally hold their value better than a manufactured home, many properties that are manufactured homes are extremely high quality and offer wonderful floor plans and amenities.

Since a manufactured home offers relatively inexpensive and quick setup, this has been an economically viable choice that has allowed many folks the enjoyment of a rural location. Since manufactured homes do not fit under the Uniform Building Code, the Department of Labor and Industries has been tasked with the stewardship for policing and permitting any alterations or additions to manufactured homes.

I once viewed a property with a client which was obviously a quality home in a wonderful setting. The massive rear deck and impressive covered front deck immediately attracted my attention. I asked if an L&I permit had been obtained when this construction project had been done and the owner assured me that it was built by a licensed contractor, “so it must have had the proper permitting.” In this case the contractor had applied for the proper county permits, yet had failed to obtain a permit and inspection from the Department of Labor and Industries.

Most homeowners and many good contractors are simply unaware of this requirement! Most of the time when a purchaser considers buying a property, one of the main criteria is to at least consider what the resale value will be when they decide to move on. When purchasing a manufactured home, a buyer should understand that any alterations done prior to or during their ownership, could have legal ramifications for them, unless such inspections have been done. Since most people do not find out about this requirement until the 11th hour during a sales transaction, the corrective action required can be irritating and costly, especially when major deficiencies are discovered.

If you own a manufactured home or are planning to in the near future, remember this tidbit of information so that you can have peace of mind when you make sure that your remodeling contractor has complied with local and state permitting requirements.