New SUVs are going for over $50,000 these days but you can buy an older mobile home and remodel it into a beautiful home for that amount. Heather and her husband completed this $45,000 manufactured home renovation in a matter of months. You’re gonna love it!
The creative couple purchased a 1979 double wide in Naples, Florida for less than $5,000. She nicknamed the 1979 double wide the Palm Cottage and it’s fitting. The home sits in a cute Florida park surrounded by palms and Heather turned it into a perfect little cottage.
Like most $5,000 homes, this double wide needed some work. In fact, it would need to be stripped to the studs but that didn’t scare Heather at all. As a set designer, she knew how to build and create beautiful scenes and that’s exactly what she did. In all, they paid $5,000 for the home and put about $40,000 into the renovation. Altogether, they created a gorgeous home for $45,000!
1979 Manufactured Home Had Seen Better Days
This was not a cheap manufactured
home when it was new but it was long past its prime. It had some of the most popular amenities and unique layouts available in the late 1970’s.The original kitchen had curved counter tops, a feature Spartan Trailers made popular in the 1950’s. The globe lights and built-in appliances and pantry were found in higher-end models of that era.
![1979 total home remodel](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-kitchen-pre-1-500x500.jpg)
A Complete Kitchen Remodel
Unfortunately, the kitchen had to be completely gutted. The sub-flooring had to be replaced as is the case in most older mobile and manufactured homes.
The creative couple removed the kitchen cabinets and appliances while in the process of replacing the sub-flooring.
Related: How to Replace Flooring in a Mobile Home
![kitchen before $45,000 manufactured home renovation](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-kitchen-pre-2.jpg)
The kitchen after it was completely gutted:
![gutted kitchen during $45,000 manufactured home renovation](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-kitchen-demo-1.jpg)
The New Kitchen is the Star of this $45,000 Manufactured Home Renovation!
![$45,000 manufactured home renovation - 1979 total home remodel](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-kitchen-post-5.jpg)
Most kitchen remodels cost $45,000 by alone. In order to keep costs down Heather repurposed dressers into kitchen counters.
Since the kitchen was a small, Heather opted out of upper kitchen cabinets. Placing shelves in lieu of upper cabinets have become a popular kitchen trend.
![$45,000 manufactured home renovation - kitchen after](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-kitchen-post-2-500x500.jpg)
![$45,000 manufactured home renovation - kitchen after](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-kitchen-post-1.jpg)
The Hutch Stays!
![builtin hutch in dining room - $45,000 manufactured home renovation](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-kitchen-pre-3.jpg)
The original dining room hutch was all that was kept in this $45,000 manufactured home renovation.
Heather updated the hutch with new paint, trim, and a tiled top.
![builtin hutch in dining room after $45,000 manufactured home renovation](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-dining-room-post-2-500x500.jpg)
Related: Awesome, but Affordable, Mobile Home Kitchen Remodeling Ideas
What does a $45,000 Manufactured Home Renovation Include?
This $45,000 manufactured home renovation included new electric, plumbing, roofing, windows, and doors. New drywall was installed on every wall and ceiling in the home.
In addition to the new kitchen, both bathrooms were completely updated as well. You name it and it was replaced in this home!
$45,000 manufactured home renovation was possible because of Heather’s creativity.
Heather isn’t just a set designer. She has been renovating homes in an effort to move up in the real estate business. But she says this $45,000 manufactured home renovation was the most fun she has ever had.
Whether it was because it was on a much smaller scale, since the home is only around 1000 square foot, or because she used thrift store or resale items, she really enjoyed creating a cottage from her 1979 double wide manufactured home.
A couple of favorite things stands out to Heather about this $45,000 manufactured home renovation. Repurposing furniture for the kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities could have been a bust but instead, they turned out amazing! She states that is her proudest DIY moment.
Her other favorite thing about this renovation is the living room. It’s a great space for relaxing and is decorated for tranquility and relaxation.
![$45,000 manufactured home renovation - living room after](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-living-room-post-4.jpg)
![living room after - $45,000 manufactured home renovation](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-living-room-post-3.jpg)
![gallery wall in living room after $45,000 manufactured home renovation](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-living-room-post-2.jpg)
Related: Read how to Create An Awesome Gallery Wall for Less Than $50!
Bathroom Makeover
Both bathrooms were completely gutted in Heather’s $45,000 manufactured home renovation. Before the renovation:
![$45,000 manufactured home renovation - bathroom before](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-bathroom-pre-2.jpg)
![$45,000 manufactured home renovation - bathroom after](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-bathroom-post-1.jpg)
The Exterior Was Part of the $45,000 Manufactured Home Renovation, Too!
![$45,000 manufactured home renovation - exterior before](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-exterior-front-pre-1-1.jpg)
![$45,000 manufactured home renovation - exterior after](https://mobilehomeliving.org/wp-content/uploads/Cottage-Exterior-Front-Post-e1506080850879.jpg)
The Bottom Line
All in all, this entire manufactured home remodeling project came to a little over $45,000 (and that includes the cost of the home).
With Heather’s real estate experience and obvious interior design skills, we asked her what her best piece of advice would be for someone wanting to buy an older mobile home and remodel it.
Hiring an Inspector is Important
Heather gave us some great advice. She says, “Make sure to hire an inspector before you purchase the home. Have them go through each and every item in the house and give you the condition of it all.”
Hiring an inspector is great advice. You want to be sure you know what you are getting into before you make a purchase. This article about mobile home inspections should help, too.
Big thanks to Heather for sharing her gorgeous $45,000 manufactured home renovation with us.
Have a home you want to share with us? Email us or comment below, we would love to hear from you.
Thanks for reading Mobile Home Living!
UPDATE: After we wrote this article about Heather’s $45,000 manufactured home renovation, we heard from her about the status of her 1979 home after Hurricane Irma tore through Florida. She says that their home survived the devastation with only minor damage! Unfortunately, she says the rest of their community didn’t fare as well and around 60% of the homes in her park was totally destroyed.
She says that according to her insurance agent and contractors her home survived with little damage because they had installed a new subfloor, windows, doors, as well as install new drywall over the existing paneled walls and ceilings. They also had the roof done with the heavy vinyl “roof over” system. Basically, these items served as structural protectors.
The other homes in the community that fared so well were also renovated or updated.
We are so glad to hear Heather’s home survived with only minor damage. We only wish we could say the same for all the other mobile and manufactured homes in Florida and Texas.
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