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Total Mobile Home Transformation

Crystal Adkins
Mobile Home Repair
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Crystal Adkins Creator/Author
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mobile home transformation-collage
Melissa and Brian have several rental properties and needed to find their daughter a new home in her college town that was 3 hours away. They purchased a property with 1 home and 2 single wide mobile homes. The mobile homes were in awful condition, yet they saw the potential, which is the one department most people lack in. They were able to complete an amazing mobile home transformation we had to share.

 

Check out their blog called “Melissa and Brian’s Great DIY Adventure!“

It doesn’t matter what you got, it’s what you will have when you knock the dirt off!

This Couple Was Able to See Past the Mess

 I give full accolades to these two DIYer’s. They saw what could be and went after it. Here is what one of the mobile homes looked like in the beginning:
mobile home transformation-kitchen before

From The Ground Up

Melissa and Brian knew what to spend the money on and what not to and in this case, they knew to start fresh. They completely gutted the mobile home’s and started from the floor up.

They replaced everything! The inside went through a magnificent change. Here’s the photo’s to prove it:

mobile home transformation-sub-floor tear out

mobile home transformation-remodeling process

mobile home transformation-window frame in

mobile home transformation-during the remodel

mobile home transformation-kitchen after

 

One of the best part’s of this renovation is how they updated the roof. I’ve seen this done several times and I love the look. If replacing your mobile home’s roof is on your to-do list, this idea may save you money and make adding an addition much easier, too.

mobile home transformation-exterior

By framing over the original roof you have minimal trash and less manpower needed. You simply frame on an angle (to be determined by a professional) and then add the popular standing seam metal roofing panels and box it in. Metal roofing is a lot cheaper than shingles, at least in my neck of the woods.

mobile home transformation-exterior after

The transformation both inside and out is amazing. The rental income that they can get from this has probably tripled and they will get every dime they spent on the remodel back several times over. The fact that they have 2 mobile homes on one piece of property doubles their income. The neighborhood has gained at least a couple percentage points in equity, too.

So much can be achieved when an older mobile home gets updated! This mobile home transformation proves it!

I hope this gives you some inspiration for your own mobile home remodel. That’s what Mobile & Manufactured Home Living is all about!

As always, Thanks for reading Mobile & Manufactured Home Living!

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Crystal Adkins
Creator/Author
Hello! I'm Crystal, the creator of Mobile Home Living and I appreciate you stopping by! I hope you've found the mobile home remodeling ideas, decorating inspiration, and repair help you've been searching for (please try the search feature to pinpoint exactly what you want). Please consider letting me feature your remodels, room makeovers, and home improvement projects. There's not enough inspiration available for mobile and manufactured homeowners and I've tried to change that but I need your help. Thanks!

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22 Responses

  1. I have a 1978 single wide home. I would like to knock a wall down to make my living room bigger. I also would like to replace the wall and ceiling in those 2 room. Can you tell me how much you think it might cost me? I really don’t want someone to get over on me.

  4. Jeepers Crystal,

    I thought I would get a e-mail from you all on a reply,… I did not recall, and just came across your comment on a Goggle search of my own name, (Just Checking what other in accurate stuff came up!) LOL

    So, Where do I send any pictures or a write up? After some health issues, I am back at it and getting things done again on the two homes I wrote about last February. I will link a Zillow site of the Last house I sold late last year on the Website space above. I bought it for $45,000 and change, and sold for $90,000 with less then $7,000 in it, but lot’s of my labor, but not crazy. (I believe the “staging” helped sell and got a higher price. This house almost made $98 a square foot, and that has been a record in our area, where these houses sell for $65-79 a square foot.) Keep in mind, this house is only a 2/2 and under 1,000 square feet! Thanks! De Vere

  5. Of course I would love to feature your homes! The more the merrier!

    It’s great to hear that you are able to turn a profit with these homes. It’s an honorable living and it helps the environment and the people looking for an affordable home. Good for you!

  6. Howdy Crystal,

    Nice information and websites! I Have bought and sold two manufactured homes and earned over $40,000 each when I sold them. Seems so many people do not take these houses serious?

    I have bought two more, and hope to earn over $50,000 each when done. The link on the website is the second house I finished and sold. I bought it for $45,000 (With the lot) and sold if for $90,000 with LESS then $6,000 in it!

    I LOVE these houses and the deals they can offer!

    Let me know if you would like to feature some of my houses in your publication. The one I am working on now was “unbelievable” when I bought it. It sold for just over $40,000 (With the LOT!) and at 1,200 Square feet, and a 3/2, I hope to earn $119,000 when I am done! Talk about potential, but you will NOT believe what this house looked like when I got it!

    I am doing ALL my own work on the house so far, and I should also have less then $7,000 into the house when done.

    Let me know if you wish to learn more about what I am doing here in Colorado.

    Thanks for your publications!

    De Vere

  8. Hi Crystal: What a great site! I have a 1972 double wide on 6 1/2 acres with multiple problems. Almost all the ceiling needs to be replaced, and with the little 1×2’s it’s going to be a big ordeal. The east wall is almost completely detached from the floor. Little to no insulation in the sub floor. But to paraphrase…”I have a dream”!! I’ll be sure to keep before and afters to post. And in the meantime, I’ll keep coming back for tips and ideas.
    ” Carpe decor — Seize the screws!!!”

  9. Hi Kris! It’s so good to hear that you’re back on your feet! You’ve beat the system at its own game! Using mobile homes as a temporary step is a smart way to live and save money.

    Hope you find your dream home! Please keep us informed – every positive story involving a mobile home is a story that should be shared. Good luck!

  10. We had lost our home in the foreclosure/housing collapse/ nightmare of 2008.
    We found a mobile home off a lake for 2k. Previous owner didn’t pay rent and then vacated it non winterized. The water heater, toilet, and some other minor repairs had to be done and we have a nice place. It’s been four years, we invested a minimal amount of money for improvements and got back on our feet again. Were ready to move back to the city and in a home. But this mobile saved our family in a crisis.

  11. Hi! I think paint with primer in it would be your best start. Paint can update darn near anything in a home and it’s fairly affordable (less than $30 for the good stuff). All you have to do is clean the surface really well, let it dry, and paint away! Walls, ceilings, trim, cabinets, etc. can all be updated!

    Good luck!

  12. I own a 1972 single- wide. Rundown on the inside but I see potential in it if i totally remodel. To get me me motivated, what would you suggest my first step be? I am not a do it your-selfer but I am willing to learn. Single mom of 4.

  13. Hi Marlies! Sounds like you have really turned it into a beautiful home! Most of the interior and exterior can be replaced fairly easily, it’s the frame that you have to sorry most about. Getting the actual home structurally sound should allow you to add to it. Just focus on one issue at a time and it will all come together in the end.

    I probably can’t tell you anything you don’t already know though. Good luck!!

  14. We moved into our single wide back in April 2000 and started working on it in ’04. Now, 10 years later, it still is not finished and we seem to keep re- doing projects to the outside. The front porch now has to be replaced due to water damage against the house– thankfully no roof over it yet. My question is how to build over a portion of the old trailer while we add the bedrooms on without gutting it to do so. The rest of it has already been turned into a nice ranch style home. It is discouraging and we do second guess ourselves. I do have pictures from what it originally looked like and the way it looks like now.

  15. Hi Andreanna!

    This type of roof is a great way to save money on roof-overs and additions. Some refer to them as lean-to’s or shed roofs and are basically a roof with a single pitch. Your main concern will be the correct pitch, or steepness, so that rain and snow will runoff easily. The way they calculate that pitch is in inches, like this – 2:12. That ratio would mean there’s a 2″ pitch (slant) for every 12 inches of roof (in whatever direction the slant is, on a mobile home it could be 10-24 foot wide). I was not able to speak to the homeowners but just looking at the photos it looks like they used a 2 or 3 inch pitch, probably 3. Usually, you would frame the roof, then add sheathing (1/2″ OSB) followed by metal or tin.

    This pdf is a great resource that explains a lot about roofing: http://www.constructionknowledge.net/public_domain_documents/Div_6_Woods_Plastics/Partial%20Carpentry%20pdfs/Framing_Roofs_NAVEDTRA_14044.pdf

    This website will help you understand the pitch concept: http://www.nachi.org/roof-slope-pitch.htm

    There’s a formula that you can use to calculate the correct ratio, the calculations of the pitch here: http://www.roofpitchcalculator.info/roof-pitch.php

    Using tin or metal is a great for these types of roofs because the snow can slide right off. You may want a hangover or guttering system, basically you would extend the roof so be sure to calculate that into your pitch.

    If you have any more questions just let me know. If you Google “Shed Roof” or “Lean-to Roof” you should get a lot of great references. Thanks!

  16. I’m curious about the schematics for their roof over. I would like to do something similar but trying to plan it has been a hassle. Any advice? Thank you

  17. Hi Erica!

    Congratulations on the new baby! You have a wonderfully smart goal and it’s absolutely obtainable.

    Living in a manufactured home is a little hard for some people to swallow, especially if they’ve never been around one and have an outdated opinion of them. As you can see, though, they can be transformed into anything you want.

    My family did exactly what you are planning to do and every month, when I pay our bills, I have a big ole’ smile on my face :) We have no mortgage but are still paying on our land. Our monthly bills are utilities, insurance, and land, that’s it! It’s a great way to live and I hope you get to smile one day while you pay bills, too!

    I would like to give you one little piece of advice that I learned the hard way. I like to say that this home chose me instead of me choosing it. It’s layout was perfect and it had been fairly well taken care of (though someone did do some funky stuff in a few places) and I was able to see the potential the minute I stepped inside. However, it needed a lot of updates like windows, bathtub, sub-floor under the water heater and furnace, cabinetry, siding, doors, flooring, etc and I thought we could do it all in a year. Then my husband was laid off and the year passed and the only thing we had done was painted the walls, the siding and fixed a few minor things. After the second year we were both working again but time became an issue. We would plan to tackle a project on a weekend but life got in the way and we would put it off. We are now in our 3rd year and have gotten a few more things marked off. I guess what I’m trying to say is unless you can afford to hire someone as soon as you buy the home, expect delays and don’t put yourself on a unattainable timeline. It will only discourage you and make you second guess everything. Of course, we all want to live in a home we can be proud of but that’s not something that can be obtained overnight, especially with a goal of living debt-free. It takes a lot of hard work, dedication, money and time. That new baby is going to take a lot of time, too!

    If you ever have any questions or concerns about anything, feel free to contact me. I’ll do my best to help and I wish you the best of luck. You’ve got a great plan and a great attitude about it! Keep in touch, I’d love to know how things progress for you!

  18. I would love to do this. Currently I am pregnant and due real soon. I really want to find an old mobile home and strip it down to studs and build it back up. Doing this will allow my husband and I to have a comfortable and affordable place to stay while we pay off debt and save for a piece of land that we can hopefully build on one day. Paying rent sucks and really expensive. My family is really worried about us taking on a project like this. They dont want us living in a “trailer”. Im not concerned with what others think, I just want to meet our financial goals and live comfortably while doing it.

  19. We bought 13 acres with a older mobile home on it (79 or 80 model.) I was pregnant at the time, my husband, brother and his dad did the remodeling. (Mainly my husband by himself) I wish I had before pictures, but I don't. It has been nice, we paid off all our land because they did not value the mobile home at much. Nice to be mortgage free! We have thought about buying a new mobile home and renting this one out, not sure what we will do yet :) Love your blog, this is so cool to find, found you on Pinterst!

  20. I want photos!!! Would love to have some before and afters to showwhat you have done…I bet it is gorgeous! and to think some peoplepay that a month on a mortgage…duh! Thanks so much for reading andcommenting!

  21. That phrase of yours mentioned in the other comment really rings true with me. I found an older mobile home that was livable but pretty bad on the inside, holes in the walls and floors and no plumbing, rat damage to the wires, etc. I bought it for 1500 and revamped it for a measly 3K, putting my total at 4500, and now it shines like a new penny. Now it has hardwood floors, all new paneling, new doors, new everything. You would never look at my new home and recognize the junk it once was. It was truly a diamond in the rough

  22. Good investment! Surely, they know how to remodel the mobile homes.

    Personally, your words, "It doesn't matter what you got, it's what you will have when you knock the dirt off." had awaken me. I'm visiting blogs and read write-ups to drain negative feelings. Thank you very much.

    Earn Online with Mom
    My recent post Thank You, Mommy Peh!

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