When life changes and you need more room, there are two options. You can upgrade your space by selling and buying something more significant. Or you can stick with what you have and add an extra room to your mobile home. Many mobile homes are built as modular units, and it is relatively easy to add another room when needed.
When it comes to mobile home additions, the added room will be a separate structure that is butted up against the original home and then sealed to create a cohesive indoor environment. Therefore matching dimensions and materials is critical to the overall look and feel of the space.
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What Rooms Can You Add?
There is no limit to the imagination on the uses for an extra room. Many families opt to add a garage or sunroom to their existing home. Additional bedrooms, an entertainment room, or another bathroom are also popular. Begin by deciding what type of room you will add, where it will fit into the existing floor plan, and what materials and building methods will be utilized.
There are two options for building; you can frame out a structure using equal or better support than the existing home. Or you can have a modular unit built off-site and installed. Either way, there are building codes and electrical details to work out before any building can begin.
Finding a Contractor
Begin your search locally and branch out if needed to find a licensed and insured company to work with. In addition to labor and materials, there may be other fees. It is essential to ask for examples of work and references before signing a contract. Also, make sure that all costs and liabilities are clearly spelled out in the contract in case there is a difference of opinion once the work begins.
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Gather Your Information
Next, you will need to gather some basic information to begin discussing the project in detail and so that contractors can provide accurate quotes. Take pictures of your existing home, get measurements of dimensions, lot size, roofing, and placement of other structures. If your home is in a park, obtain written permission to perform the intended work.
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Basic Steps to Adding a Room to Your Mobile Home
Whether you are considering tackling the project on your own, or you just want to know what to expect, the process is pretty similar regardless of what type of room you will be adding.
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Prepare the site: This step may include minor excavation work to change the grading so that water drains away from the structure, gravel, or concrete work.
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Framing: Build the walls, roof, and floors using a series of boards framed together to create wall studs, floor joists, and roof beams.
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Run electrical and rough out plumbing as needed.
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Sheathe the floor, walls, and roof with appropriate materials.
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Create a seal between the original structure and the addition.
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Add insulation.
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Sheetrock (drywall) the interior.
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Finish electrical and plumbing with fixtures.
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Add interior finishes like paint and wallpaper.
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Add exterior finishes like siding and shingles.
If you are not up for the task of DIY-ing your extra room addition, you can hire a contractor to build on-site or work with a prefab company that builds modular additions off-site and transports them to your location for installation.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If you are considering adding a room to your mobile home, there are likely some lingering questions. The process might look a little different depending on unique circumstances, but here is some question that tends to come up.
Is it safe to live in your mobile home while building an addition?
Yes. In most cases, the construction work is more of a nuisance than a safety issue. You should be fine to remain in your home while you complete work on the addition.
Can I move a mobile home addition to a new park?
Yes. Depending on how it is constructed, you should be able to move it on a flatbed truck as long as it does not exceed DOT regulation sizes. However, you can expect to pay additional fees for transportation and installation when you have additional structures.
How much does it cost to add a room to a mobile home?
There are several factors that contribute to the total cost of mobile home addition, including square footage, materials, and labor. The most cost-effective method is to build the addition yourself and save on labor. A prefab modular unit is a little more but still a good cost-efficient option for someone who doesn’t want to build the addition themselves. And the most expensive option is to hire a contractor to build the addition on site.
There are regional variations in labor and material costs which also impact the final price tag. However, in general, you can add a barebones single bedroom with no plumbing or elaborate features for a little under $10,000. Larger additions up to 20’ x 20’ can be as much as $40,000 in labor and materials.
The Bottom Line Adding to a Mobile Home
It is possible to add a room to your mobile home. However, the addition is technically a separate structure that is sealed to the original and covered with a similar siding to provide the illusion of a single structure. By comparison to selling and buying a bigger place, adding a room is generally the most cost-effective way to go.
Home Nation makes it easy to buy a mobile home. We will walk you through our easy process to obtain financing, choose a home, and install it on your lot. Contact us today to get started.
