1973 PMC Mobile Home Remodel
This 1973 PMC single wide sits outside of Philadelphia, PA and is full of great mobile home remodeling ideas. Tami, the owner was kind enough to share all the details of her 1973 mobile home remodel along with plenty of before and after photos. It’s also a perfect example of buying an affordable home and updating on a budget to create a beautiful home that is functional and comfortable.
Tami purchased this home on December 14, 2013, and within 1 month had the entire home updated! This home was manufactured as a 2 bedroom, 1 bath single wide but the previous owners had enclosed the porch to create a 3rd bedroom, which is a great way to add extra living space to a mobile home. With a $2,000 remodeling budget and help from family, she completely transformed this home into a wonderful mobile home makeover. Her sister helped her paint every inch of the interior – ceilings, walls and trim, and her brother-in-law installed new light fixtures, along with a bathroom sink and faucet.
Kitchen in Mobile Home Remodel
This 1973 mobile home remodel started in the kitchen with paint and a great stone backsplash. Neutral stone provides great textural details in any room but it’s especially effective in kitchens and baths. Pin lights placed under the cabinetry allow for additional lighting and instantly updates the space. A nice brown color, similar to real wood, is used in the kitchen. Darker colors are a much better choice than light colors in a kitchen!
The front door is in the kitchen and originally had a small built-in storage unit. Tami removed it and opened up the space. Simple coat hooks, as well as a mobile kitchen island, are used in its place.
Living Room
The living room received an update with earth-tone paint, flooring and simple carpet cleaning. Tami also installed a safety gate around the convenient wood stove. This is a great idea for children and pets!
Bathroom Remodel
The bathroom received a great update in this mobile home remodel. It had the great wood wall and Tami added a new sink, counter, and faucet. The bathtub got a makeover, too.
Related: Tips for Remodeling the Master Bathroom Without Breaking The Bank.
Bedroom Remodel
All 3 bedrooms were extensively updated with paint and flooring in this mobile home remodel. Built-in cabinetry was replaced with furniture, and all the walls and ceilings were painted. The carpet was thoroughly cleaned, as well.
Tami’s daughter and grandchildren are living with her and they’ve made her granddaughter a perfect room! Light pink is used on the walls and the lucky little girl even has her own ‘secret’ play area!
Her new grandson’s room is just as charming! It started with a plain room but was transformed into a room that all little boys can appreciate!
Ok, I’m just gonna say it – I’m in my late 30’s but I’ve wanted a rug like that since I first laid eyes on one. My matchbox cars would have been so much more fun!
Her total 1973 mobile home remodel budget was $2,000.00 and she was able to stick to it with smart planning and focusing on the major areas of the home: the floor, walls, and furniture.
Homeowners Interview
Tami was kind enough to answer a few questions for us, too!
What was the hardest part of the 1973 mobile home remodel?
The hardest part was getting started! Once I actually owned the home, I was overwhelmed with all the work I wanted to get done before we moved in. Luckily my sister was there with me and helped me to break my To Do List into manageable pieces.
What is your favorite part of the home now?
Hmm…that’s a tough one. I think I’d have to say the kitchen but if you ask me again in the spring I have a feeling my answer will be the yard. I can’t wait to get out there and clean it up!
What’s your favorite thing about living in a mobile home?
That’s easy! I love knowing that in a very short time I will own my home outright. :-)
Can you break the $2000 budget down (like what was the most expensive projects or least expensive?
I can’t easily break it down since we hadn’t moved in yet when I was doing the remodel. I was able to work on the house as a whole instead of having to concentrate on one room at a time. All I know for sure is that I averaged about 6 trips to Home Depot each weekend and not a single one was an inexpensive trip. LOL
Do you recall the paint colors used during the 1973 mobile home remodel?
- The kitchen is Midday Mocha.
- The living room, hallway, and master bedroom are all Antique Beige.
- Granddaughter’s room is Fairy Tale Pink.
- Grandson’s room is painted in Robin’s Egg Blue.
All the paint was purchased at Home Depot except for the pink. That was purchased at Lowe’s.
Any advice or tips you could give to someone about to remodel their own mobile home?
Don’t put it off. Just get started! If you are feeling overwhelmed, start with a small project…maybe something cosmetic that you can look at say “Wow. Look what I did. It looks awesome!” It might give you the inspiration to tackle something larger next.
Any tools or products you can recommend?
Definitely spend a little more and getting primer/paint combined. I guarantee it will cut down on your paint time. Also, don’t skimp on the brushes. Get something at least mid-grade even if you don’t want to spend a ton of money on brushes. A good brush will cover noticeably better than something cheap.
Any specific issues you faced during your 1973 mobile home remodel?
I was pretty lucky. I didn’t come across any major problems. The biggest surprise was having to replace the sink when my brother-in-law discovered that the previous owners had hacked a large hole in the overflow pipe to get it to fit around the existing pipes. It all worked out for the best though because I took the opportunity to put in a raised sink which changed the whole look of the bathroom.
What would you tell someone that’s about to buy their own manufactured home?
Don’t be afraid. Get a home inspection so you know exactly what you are getting, especially if it is an older home, but then take the plunge! You won’t regret it.
What would you tell someone that had never been around a mobile home before?
Leave your pre-conceptions at the door. You might be very surprised at what you see!
Tami shares some great advice about her mobile home remodel. Using paint and primer together is a great tip because it reduces the additional coats needed. Spending a little more on better brushes and rollers is also a very good tip when painting, it will make a difference.
It’s easy to feel intimidated or overwhelmed when doing mobile home remodeling but if you break it into smaller projects, you will be able to see the progress quicker and that will motivate you to press on.
Thank you, Tami, for sharing your 1973 mobile home remodel with us and providing some great tips and advice. Your home is a great inspiration for us all! Thank you!
As always, thank you for reading Mobile Home Living!
2 Comments
I am inspired. I am looking at a 2004 3/2 used mobile home in Jacksonville, FL. Do you recommend getting an inspection if it is being sold by a mobile home park?
Hi Rachel,
Absolutely. You want them to have the home checked for level as part of the deal as well. Parks are notorious for focusing on cosmetics more than repair. Best of luck!