Elizabeth Phillips, a fairly new blogger, has already shared some great DIY manufactured home remodel ideas on her blog and I’m honored to introduce you to her today!
A 1987 Bonnell single wide manufactured home sits in Sealy, TX with a great tale of transformation to tell. Its owners, Elizabeth and Dale Phillips, are writing the story themselves and so far it’s shaping up to be a classic.
Over a span of five years, the creative homeowners have both lived in and completed several DIY manufactured home remodel projects on their single wide as time and finances allowed.
They’ve mixed in large remodeling projects, such as sub-floor replacement and exterior house painting, with smaller projects and Elizabeth has been sharing their DIY manufactured home remodeling projects on her blog, Phillip’s Place Renovation.
Manufactured homeowners that blog about their mobile home remodels and updates are a rare treat indeed and we’re thankful for their help and inspiration. Here’s a small glimpse into Elizabeth’s beautiful home, so far, along with some great advice she shares for your own DIY manufactured home remodels.
Elizabeth’s Interview
Elizabeth was kind enough to answer a few questions for us. Getting your hands dirty in DIY manufactured home remodeling projects is the best way to gain knowledge on the subject so getting some insight from those that have ‘been there and done that’ can prove invaluable for those of us just beginning our own projects.
Elizabeth started our interview with a quick statement that probably best describes the benefits of buying a used manufactured home and remodeling it to your specifications and budget:
“Be grateful for the home you have, knowing that at this moment, all you have is all you need.”
– Sarah Ban Breathnach
Elizabeth also stated that she and her husband find themselves saying, “It’s the little things that matter,” often. As with most things in life, the smallest details can often make the biggest impact and that’s especially true when doing your own manufactured home remodels.
What’s your favorite tools and materials to use on DIY manufactured home remodel projects?
Dale stated that a Sawzall and a Meter Saw were his favorite tools and Elizabeth said her favorite material so far were the vinyl tiles they recently installed. You can read more about the tile installation here.
The couple’s essential tool list includes a cordless drill, skill saw, table saw and jigsaw. Dale warns that even experienced professionals should be careful and never get complacent with power tools. Safety first always!
What’s your proudest DIY manufactured home remodel moment so far?
Our proudest DIY moment was when we installed a 5 x 12 ft. Formica sheet over our kitchen island, we successfully did it all in one piece, no seems.
What has been your biggest challenge so far?
Our biggest challenge was replacing the manufactured home sub-floors. We were on a time crunch! Our lease was about to end, we had 4 weeks to finish but we ended up extending our lease and we were done with the floors in 5 weeks. Pressure!
What’s your favorite room in your home?
Our favorite room so far is our kitchen! I will be blogging about our kitchen soon!
What advice would you give someone that is considering a manufactured home for the first time?
My advice to anyone considering moving into a mobile home is that you can do anything in a mobile as you could in a home that is on a foundation.
Make it your own by adding upgrades such as light fixtures, faucets, lighting, and painting your walls! I could go on and on!
I use to think living in a mobile home you were restricted on what you could do! The moment my husband said, ” I am going to make the doors bigger” and “I am moving this wall,” I became a believer that you can do anything in a mobile home. This is one of the reasons why I started blogging about or renovation experience! It amazes me when I look at my home and see what our home has become.
Is there anything you wished you’d have done differently during your DIY manufactured home remodel?
Looking back, yes! When we first moved in we painted the kitchen cabinets and replaced the pull handles. The pull handles were set at the center’s edge, we believe they were installed that way by the manufacturer. We didn’t realize until much later the handles were not in a good place. We could have lowered the pull handles to the lower edge. There are plans to fix it later, but for now on to other projects!
What has been your favorite manufactured home improvement project so far?
Our favorite project was covering our outdoor shed. Dale found free 6 inch reclaimed fence board and we used it to reside the shed. It was one of the easiest projects!
The last advice that Elizabeth gave us was to hide your mistakes with trim and if you find yourself getting burnt out while completing an interior DIY manufactured home remodel project to go find an outdoor project to do, it will rejuvenate you and give you a fresh outlook.
Make sure to bookmark Elizabeth’s blog, she updates it quite often and every project has been a beautiful success!
What was your budget? We are considering a total remodel. The home is a 1984 14 foot by 70 foot single wide.
Crystal Adkins
Hi Marie!
I would love to share your home! I’m always looking. Could you email me at [email protected] and we’ll get started on it. Thank you!
Marie
We bought a double wide in FL yrs ago. It was a mess. Animals had been living in it. We took it down to the studs. Replaced wall panels w/drywall. Replaced plumbing & electrical. Replaced all kitchen cabinets, all flooring & both bathrooms. I would love to send you pictures. My next project? Barn doors at my laundry area.
Crystal Adkins
Hi Patty! I’m always here (though sometimes it takes a day or ten to get a reply). I’d love for you to take a lot of photos so I can featured your kitchen! Is there something I can help you with?
Patty Pierce
How do I reach Crystal Adkins ? We are remodeling our MH. We are tearing out the kitchen to totally remodle it.We have taped and textured all our walls and bathrooms will be down the road..
M.H.M.Remodeling
You have an elegant house… every detailed was well planned… I believe all these beauty reflects a person’s perspective in life. Thank you for sharing these to us.
Danni
dedication and hard work truly pays off, well done to Elizabeth, who can now reap the benefits of her hard work in her perfectly customised home!
Denton Roofer
My respects and hats off to Elizabeth, Dale and all the DIY people! It needs lots of faith, patience, energy and to top it all self confidence to do it all yourself with out an assistance from the professional because there is always a risk of things going wrong and budget goes to the roof.
Cathy Gray
We have been considering a mobile home for a long time. Both my husband and I are approaching our 60’s and I”m worried about the cost of buying a stick home verses a mobile home. To build is so expensive, even if you do it yourself and his health is not the best. We want a little bit of property to homestead ( a tiny bit of homesteading, wink!) but don’t want the burden and cost of a stick built! We are able to remodel if needed and I was glad to read that one of the commenters said they bought bare bones so they could make it their own. That is what I wanted to do since the kitchen cabinetry to me is subpar in most mobile homes. Thanks for sharing this great remodel!
Linda salzer
I have a 1995 Fleetwood, and would like to do something to bathroom shower, it has that vinyl or some kind of material what can I used to cover that up, I have redone everything else in there, thanks
Crystal Adkins
Hi Ileana,
I’d start with painting the ceiling first then the walls (or adding bead board or tile board). Next, I would replace the counter top, sink and faucet (or the whole cabinet) and mirror. The flooring will be last. If you’re replacing the tub and toilet do that before anything – gut it out and install the new.
You can do it!
ILeana Pardo
Thanks
ILeana Pardo
I being trying to remodel a single 3 bedroom 2 bath mobile home, now I need to do the bathrooms. Need help, have no clue how….
JustDee
We lived in a custom 16×80 home for 12 years and loved every minute of it. Our lot was beautiful and we ordered our home “bare bones” so we could decorate as we liked. We made it rustic with lots of cedar on the walls. The kitchen was the best I’ve had in any of our four houses. Whenever anyone came in they said how UNLIKE a TRAILER it was, that it was like living in a beautifully done ranch home. We lived there for 12 years before retiring to our cabin (a “real” house) in the woods. I will always love our mobile home best.
Crystal Adkins created Mobile Home Living in 2011 after buying a 1978 single wide and searching online for mobile home remodeling ideas but finding very little. Today, it's the most popular resource in America for mobile home information and inspiration and has been visited over 40 million times.
“Be grateful for the home you have, knowing that at this moment, all you have is all you need.” 
What was your budget? We are considering a total remodel. The home is a 1984 14 foot by 70 foot single wide.
Hi Marie!
I would love to share your home! I’m always looking. Could you email me at [email protected] and we’ll get started on it. Thank you!
We bought a double wide in FL yrs ago. It was a mess. Animals had been living in it. We took it down to the studs. Replaced wall panels w/drywall. Replaced plumbing & electrical. Replaced all kitchen cabinets, all flooring & both bathrooms. I would love to send you pictures. My next project? Barn doors at my laundry area.
Hi Patty! I’m always here (though sometimes it takes a day or ten to get a reply). I’d love for you to take a lot of photos so I can featured your kitchen! Is there something I can help you with?
How do I reach Crystal Adkins ? We are remodeling our MH.
We are tearing out the kitchen to totally remodle it.We have taped and textured all our walls and bathrooms will be down the road..
You have an elegant house… every detailed was well planned… I believe all these beauty reflects a person’s perspective in life. Thank you for sharing these to us.
dedication and hard work truly pays off, well done to Elizabeth, who can now reap the benefits of her hard work in her perfectly customised home!
My respects and hats off to Elizabeth, Dale and all the DIY people! It needs lots of faith, patience, energy and to top it all self confidence to do it all yourself with out an assistance from the professional because there is always a risk of things going wrong and budget goes to the roof.
We have been considering a mobile home for a long time. Both my husband and I are approaching our 60’s and I”m worried about the cost of buying a stick home verses a mobile home. To build is so expensive, even if you do it yourself and his health is not the best. We want a little bit of property to homestead ( a tiny bit of homesteading, wink!) but don’t want the burden and cost of a stick built! We are able to remodel if needed and I was glad to read that one of the commenters said they bought bare bones so they could make it their own. That is what I wanted to do since the kitchen cabinetry to me is subpar in most mobile homes. Thanks for sharing this great remodel!
I have a 1995 Fleetwood, and would like to do something to bathroom shower, it has that vinyl or some kind of material what can I used to cover that up, I have redone everything else in there, thanks
Hi Ileana,
I’d start with painting the ceiling first then the walls (or adding bead board or tile board). Next, I would replace the counter top, sink and faucet (or the whole cabinet) and mirror. The flooring will be last. If you’re replacing the tub and toilet do that before anything – gut it out and install the new.
You can do it!
Thanks
I being trying to remodel a single 3 bedroom 2 bath mobile home, now I need to do the bathrooms. Need help, have no clue how….
We lived in a custom 16×80 home for 12 years and loved every minute of it. Our lot was beautiful and we ordered our home “bare bones” so we could decorate as we liked. We made it rustic with lots of cedar on the walls. The kitchen was the best I’ve had in any of our four houses. Whenever anyone came in they said how UNLIKE a TRAILER it was, that it was like living in a beautifully done ranch home. We lived there for 12 years before retiring to our cabin (a “real” house) in the woods. I will always love our mobile home best.