Once known as “mobile homes”, manufactured homes are mobile no longer.
They are affixed permanently to a foundation, providing an affordable option for many home buyers. Manufactured homes were also once known – and derided – for shoddy construction. But that, too, has changed. They must now meet extensive state and federal requirements for structural soundness, safety, and construction quality. Primary among these:
- The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has established an array of technical and design standards for manufactured home foundations. A licensed professional engineer must certify that the foundation meets those requirements in order for a manufactured home to qualify for a federally insured (FHA) mortgage.
- Many states have established their own unique and varied requirements for the design and construction standards manufactured homes must meet.
Criterium-Pfaff Engineers is one of the few engineering firms with extensive experience with manufactured housing. Our licensed professional engineers have inspected hundreds of manufactured homes throughout western Washington. They understand HUD’s foundation requirements and can provide the inspections and documentation required for an FHA loan. Additionally, we are affiliated with a national network of engineers includeing many who understand the state-specific requirements in their markets and can verify compliance with them. This is no small thing. Some states have minimal standards, but others have standards hundreds of pages long.
Our knowledge of manufactured homes isn’t limited to the homes themselves. At the request of state and federal regulators, we also inspect the factories that manufacture the homes, to verify that the materials and construction protocols they are using meet design and quality standards. Contact Criterium-Pfaff Engineers for:
Our engineers, licensed in Washington and Idaho, are knowledgable in the unique requirements of FHA Foundation Certifications, VA Foundation Certs, and Conventional Foundation Certifications. We have become a trusted source for Foundation Certification reports by regional lenders and realtors. Our Foundation Certifications are timely with normal turnaround within 3 business days.
Criterium-Pfaff Engineers’ licensed professional engineers provide structural inspections for those who have a concern about their residence and we often provide structural inspections following the recommendaton by a home inspector. Our standard home inspections include a structural inspection of the home. We have extensive experience in evaluating structures and have performed hundreds of structural inspections on homes of all types in Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, and the surrounding region.