Buying A Mobile Home In Utah Double Wide With Sidewalk

Common Differences Between Mobile Homes and Stick Built Homes

Repairing and remodeling a mobile home is different from a stick built home. Knowing the differences between mobile homes and stick built homes and how to make those difference work for you is the trick to a successful remodel or repair on any mobile or manufactured home. Here we take a look at some common differences between mobile homes and stick built homes.

I see posts in forums all the time about how you can’t replace a sink or a tub or a bedroom door and that kind of information is misleading. You can absolutely change anything in your manufactured home and even use the products at Lowe’s and any other home improvement store. All it takes is little know how and innovation.

Mobile Home Sinks and Faucets

Mobile home sinks are usually always the same standard size as the ones you buy at Lowe’s. This goes for both kitchen and bathroom sinks. To replace them you simply remove the faucet, loosen the clips or cut the seal and lift it out.

Most faucets are different but can absolutely be changed out with little effort. Faucets found in Lowe’s usually comes with the fittings you need in the box. If they don’t you only need to see what type of water line is supplying the water to the faucet and find the adapter (male and female fittings are the usual terms used) to connect the line to the new faucet. They will be about $2-5 dollars.  It is recommended that you if you originally have a center set faucet that you replace it with a center set faucet. This keeps you from having to cut out new openings in the counter. If you are also replacing the counter you can buy any type you want, there will be a template in the box to help you cut the opening. I’ve spoken about the faucet, sink and bathtub issues in-depth on the post titled “Mobile Home Bathroom Guide” so jump over there for more details. Faucets come in several types, here’s the most prominent:

  • Single Hole Faucets only require a single hole to be drilled on the counter. They usually come with one or two handles attached to the main spout. These can be tricky to operate for the very young or the elder as getting the right temperature is only controlled by one handle usually. You can buy them with temperature limiting valves to prevent scolding. If you are transforming from a center set to a single hole faucet, deck plates are available and often come with the faucet. This allows the modification to remain stylish and covers up the additional holes that are no longer needed.
  • Center Set Faucets are the most often used style in mobile homes.  The holes are drilled 4″ apart from the center of the holes. The water temperature is controlled completely through the handles as there are 2 lines, one for hot and one for cold and they are mixed together in the spout. They come in either 2 handle or 1 lever designs that are attached to the base. Their compact size is beneficial for small spaces.
  • 4″ Minispread Faucets are also classified as center set yet are a bit different. The have 3 separate pieces which give the look of a widespread faucetbut you can still use the standard 4″ openings of a center set faucet. Each handle controls either the hot or the cold water. It’s mixed together in the spout.
  • Wall-Mounted Faucets are exactly what they say they are: wall mounted. These are becoming increasingly popular for small spaces because they don’t require additional counter room for the faucet. They are perfect for the modern vessel sink. Make sure to chose one that is the right length for the sink you want. It should extend to the exact middle of the sink upon installation.
  • Widespread Faucets come in either 8″ or even 16″ wide styles. The valves and temperature mixing chamber are below the counter. They are usually very large and should be used in the correct environment, with a large sink. Otherwise, the scale will be offand it will overpower everything in the room.

I found mobile home bathroom faucets at Mobile Home Parts Store for $9.95 and stainless steel kitchen sinks for $89.95. I like them and Complete Mobile Home Supply. Both are large enough to buy in bulk and pass the savings to the customers. Usually people buy from Lowe’s and retrofit because the mobile home products are so expensive but if what you need is the same price or cheaper and is made for mobile homes, you wouldn’t have to bother with retrofitting anything.

Mobile Home Bathtubs

Mobile home bathtubs are smaller than the tubs found at Lowe’s. They are usually 6 inches shorter and a few inches narrower and not as deep. We aren’t talking about the garden tubs though, only the regular ole rectangle tubs. I’ve always had a neutral opinion regarding whether to buy a mobile home tub or retrofit a standard tub, and I’ll tell you why. Mobile home tubs are expensive! The cheapest I have found was around $400 (that includes the surround) but that was online and didn’t include shipping. There is a 27″ mobile home bathtub online for $229 but that’s just the tub, not the surround, so figure in another $170 for the 27″ surround or think about tiling.

In order to use the tubs at Lowe’s that are $139 and the surround that is $69.99, you’ll have to retrofit it which means moving a wall. If you happen to have the water heater in front or behind a tub wall you can usually find just enough room to make it work. It’s a hassle though, no doubt about it.

We plan on remodeling our bathroom and we compared the 2 possibilities: retrofitting a cheap tub or buying a mobile home tub. We do have a small bedroom closet with the water heater on the left side of the tub so we can borrow a few inches to make the cheap tub work (I also have a master plumber and contractor at my disposal so I have an unfair advantage). Plus, we can go as fancy or as plain as we want with tile, surround, etc. However, I’m confident in saying that if you or someone you know has any construction experience they can do the same thing and save some money. Either way, you’re going to be tearing out a tub so moving a few studs aren’t going to make that much of a difference.

Mobile Home Doors

Both interior and exterior doors are different from the ones in home improvement stores. The exterior doors are shorter to allow for the shorter ceiling height and the interior doors are usually shorter and narrower. I have noticed that the newer manufactured homes are using standard sizes now so if your home is newer, you may be able to use any door on the market (lucky). It’s best to go with a door made for a mobile home. I say that because there’s a lot that can go wrong when replacing exterior doors. You’re dealing with siding and insulation and studs and possibly electricity so the easier you can make it the better. A future leak caused by having the door un-square can cause a lot of issues and cause more headaches than you’ll ever want to deal with.

My husband replaced an exterior door on a double wide with a standard sized door once. The homeowners had bought the door not knowing the difference and when advised that there was a difference, they wanted it done anyway (I think the receipt was lost or they had gotten it second hand and the original door was leaking so it was a quick fix to a problem. This is not advisable and I’m simply showing it so you can see the difference).

There’s a step up as soon as you open the door, this is a back door with a completely fenced in yard so the public isn’t going to be using it. As you can see in the bottom photo, there isn’t an inch to spare on the top and bottom and still allow the door to be properly framed. He made it work but this is not to code. Thankfully, WV isn’t stringent on inspections outside of town limits.

differences between mobile homes and stick built homes-mobile home door replacement

differences between mobile homes and stick built homes-mobile home door replacement

differences between mobile homes and stick built homes-mobile home door replacement

 

Mobile home interior doors are not as wide or as tall as regular interior doors found at your home supply store. I was able to find the doors with no frame for around $60 plus shipping.

I won’t say it’s easy to retrofit a standard door but it’s not that difficult really. You simply measure the opening, cut it out and frame it back in and attach the door on its own frame to the studs. If you only need the door and not the frame, you can make a $29 hollow door from Lowe’s work by cutting it to size and ‘re-attaching’ the end piece.

Summary

Those are the most common differences between mobile homes and stick built homes except a huge one that I’m purposely leaving out because I know nothing about electricity. Breaker boxes are different for mobile homes than stick built homes, too. Since I know so little about electricity and breaker boxes I’ll leave that issue to someone else to tackle for you. Just be aware that there is a difference and that is a big issue for anyone having problems in their homes circuitry.

Most of these problems can be easily remedied by buying from a mobile home supply store. I do advise to price check because for some weird reason mobile home products can be very expensive. The products are used because they didn’t cost the manufacturer much, right? So why are the aftermarket products so expensive? Online retailers do have some decent prices and great sales but do your homework and get the best deal possible. If you’re looking to buy a lot at one time don’t be scared to call and see about free shipping. I’ve seen a lot of free shipping offers if you buy more than $50 or $100 worth of products at one time.

I found a 5% OFF deal at Mobile Home Parts Store that I can pass on to you through an affiliate link. Follow the link and enter ‘SAVE5’ in the coupon code box. I don’t think it expires so pass it on!

Thanks so much for reading Mobile Home Living.

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28 thoughts on “Common Differences Between Mobile Homes and Stick Built Homes”

  1. We have a double wide and put in a good solid exterior door my husband bought somewhere (it’s been over 20 years so I forgot). He did not have to change a thing. It went right in and it was not a door for a mobile home. Last year we remodeled 3 of the 4 bedrooms and put new doors on them. We bought the doors at Lowe’s and they also fit right in without having to do any cutting. We special ordered ours in 1986 and we both specified what we wanted. This was also built to be placed on a basement however we never did put it on one. It was built to withstand cold Montana winters. We have now lived in Texas for 19 years and our utility bills are very low because of the way it was built. We tore out sheetrock and people cannot believe how well this has been built.

    1. Hi Danna,

      Lucky you! A lot of the higher end or upgraded models will have regular doors. It’s been a popular buyer request for decades and it really does make a home look great. Thanks for commenting and reading!

  2. I purchased a doublewide recently and to my surprise when it was delivered it was the wrong home. I have found that the home delivered and set up has plastic sinks and plastic faucets throughout. My previous doublewide had plastic sinks only in the batrioms but had regular faucets. I am not sure about it and would like to change out faucets is that possible?

    1. Hi Susan,

      Absolutely! You just have to buy the right kind of faucet (Lowe’s will have them). Each builder has different ‘levels’ of quality – it sounds like you got a home that was from the lower quality tier. These lower tiers are awesome homes, they just use cheaper materials and faster/more affordable construction methods (less energy efficiency, lower cost windows, etc). Manufactured homes are truly a ‘get what you pay for’ product.

      You may want to make sure you aren’t being charged for a better home while receiving the cheaper model.

      Let me know how it goes!

  3. You mentioned that in mobile homes both interior and exterior doors are different from the ones in home improvement stores. My cousin is trying to decide if he wants to buy a mobile home as his first home. Do most hardware stores offer mobile home supplies? Finding a mobile home supply manufacturer might be a good option.

    1. Hi Derek,

      No, Lowe’s and Home Depot do not typically have any mobile home supplies on hand. However, you will find a local mobile home supply store in most areas or you can order online.

      Thanks so much!

    2. Hi – I wanted to let you know I was able to have a “regular” mahogany stained fiberglass exterior door purchased from Lowe’s installed in my 2003 doublewide. I did have to purchase a pre-hung door. The door installer had to do a little finagling with the depth of rough opening as I originally had an aluminum door with a screen. I wasn’t able to watch him (not supervisor! just watch) complete the project and I’m not most savvy when it comes to construction. The project came out beautifully! I also need to add the installer had no problem of installing a regular door in a mobile home as I know some door installers have an issue with it.

      1. Thanks Karen,

        Thanks for letting us know. If you have a home that has the 8′ side walls you can use a standard door. Homes with 7′ side walls will need to have shorter doors.

        Thanks!

  4. Hi Crystal,
    We own a Mobile home servicing company which specializes in renovating and servicing Mobile Homes. I find your site here very interesting. We work in a 4 county area of Northwest Ohio and have a website, which you can feel free to put a link on anywhere here.
    Hope to stay in touch with you! Great informative site you have here!
    Gina Montez
    M & M Mobile Servicing LLC
    Sherwood, Ohio
    mandmmobile.com

  5. Hi Wendy,
    I originally found it on Pinterest, the link is http://pinterest.com/pin/15973773648810268/. The website it is linked to on Pinterest is http://sustain.ca/sales/ but the page it is linked to is not there anymore. I researched the image using TinEye and that website is the only one coming up and it says it was originally published on 4/20/2008. The thing that I loved about it was in the background it looks like the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville WV which is about 4.5 miles from my house. If I remember right, I couldn't find the original source of that painting when I originally found it cause I'm pretty good about sourcing them if I can find a source.

    Sorry I can't be more help.

    1. I am wanting to put a shower in my garden tub.
      I do not want to tear into the walls if I don’t have to.
      I am wanting to use a faucet with a hand held attachment. Can this be done?

      1. Hi Pam,

        You should be able to install a free-standing shower where the garden tub is without removing the walls. If you want a custom shower installed you’d probably have to remove the walls but a free-standing unit should be a lot less work.

  6. Hi Wendy,
    I originally found it on Pinterest, the link is http://pinterest.com/pin/15973773648810268/. The website it is linked to on Pinterest is http://sustain.ca/sales/ but the page it is linked to is not there anymore. I researched the image using TinEye and that website is the only one coming up and it says it was originally published on 4/20/2008. The thing that I loved about it was in the background it looks like the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville WV which is about 4.5 miles from my house. If I remember right, I couldn't find the original source of that painting when I originally found it cause I'm pretty good about sourcing them if I can find a source.

    Sorry I can't be more help.

  7. Hi Wendy,
    I originally found it on Pinterest, the link is http://pinterest.com/pin/15973773648810268/. The website it is linked to on Pinterest is http://sustain.ca/sales/ but the page it is linked to is not there anymore. I researched the image using TinEye and that website is the only one coming up and it says it was originally published on 4/20/2008. The thing that I loved about it was in the background it looks like the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville WV which is about 4.5 miles from my house. If I remember right, I couldn't find the original source of that painting when I originally found it cause I'm pretty good about sourcing them if I can find a source.

    Sorry I can't be more help.

  8. Hi Wendy,
    I originally found it on Pinterest, the link is http://pinterest.com/pin/15973773648810268/. The website it is linked to on Pinterest is http://sustain.ca/sales/ but the page it is linked to is not there anymore. I researched the image using TinEye and that website is the only one coming up and it says it was originally published on 4/20/2008. The thing that I loved about it was in the background it looks like the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville WV which is about 4.5 miles from my house. If I remember right, I couldn't find the original source of that painting when I originally found it cause I'm pretty good about sourcing them if I can find a source.

    Sorry I can't be more help.

  9. Hi Wendy,
    I originally found it on Pinterest, the link is http://pinterest.com/pin/15973773648810268/. The website it is linked to on Pinterest is http://sustain.ca/sales/ but the page it is linked to is not there anymore. I researched the image using TinEye and that website is the only one coming up and it says it was originally published on 4/20/2008. The thing that I loved about it was in the background it looks like the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville WV which is about 4.5 miles from my house. If I remember right, I couldn't find the original source of that painting when I originally found it cause I'm pretty good about sourcing them if I can find a source.

    Sorry I can't be more help.

  10. Hi Wendy,
    I originally found it on Pinterest, the link is http://pinterest.com/pin/15973773648810268/. The website it is linked to on Pinterest is http://sustain.ca/sales/ but the page it is linked to is not there anymore. I researched the image using TinEye and that website is the only one coming up and it says it was originally published on 4/20/2008. The thing that I loved about it was in the background it looks like the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville WV which is about 4.5 miles from my house. If I remember right, I couldn't find the original source of that painting when I originally found it cause I'm pretty good about sourcing them if I can find a source.

    Sorry I can't be more help.

  11. Hi Crystall, I need to know where I can purchase the Poster of the Mobile homes that you featured on your site under "mobile home art". It's the one with the colorful mobiles on a hill – I'd love it for my own mobile home!!

  12. Lauren@self storage

    Adorable post!!! Thoroughly you have told regarding mobile homes and stick built homes. I am very happy that I have cleared my misunderstanding regarding this because I was always confused which is good and why. Thanks…for explaining each and everything.

  13. I wasn't aware that tubs and doors could lead to problems if you want to replace them. My in-laws completely gutted and renovated an old double wide many years ago but I don't remember them having to replace interior doors. They were fortunate that my sis in law's husband was a contractor so he was able to do a lot of the work for them. Lucky for homeowners that have family members who can tackle the difficult jobs of retro-fitting big box store products to fit mobile homes.

    Have a great weekend!

  14. mobile_home_dude

    As far as bathtubs go, I ordered a porcelain on steel tub from Home Depot to fit the length I needed. I got a 54" by 30" for a little over $200. I even got it in almond to match the other stuff in my bathroom. The flanges on the top edge that you screw to the studs I covered up with the new 3 piece tub surround. Just make sure you keep that caulk in good shape throughout the years.

    In this case, the plumbing needed to be moved so that the drain was under the floor instead of between the floor and bottom of the tub. My brother is a plumber, so it was not a big deal to him, except having to crawl under the home and deal with the bottom board and insulation.

    So I got a steel tub that fit and it is a standard depth. It was worth having to move the drain down into the floor cavity. It's been that way for years and still drains perfectly.

    Maybe having the tub 3" inches wider back to front would be an issue if the toilet was really close to the tub originally. My bathroom layout had the toilet in a little space at the end of the tub, so that's why I stayed with the 54".

    1. Good for you! You really can use any standard product you want and if there's a will there's a way 🙂

      My local Lowe's won't carry a 54" tub, only the 60"x30" but you can special order them for around $329 so you got a great deal on yours! You are absolutely right on the width, you can go wider if you have the room. Of course, you'll lose your center and may have to re-route all the plumbing or at the least the drain and have the faucet off center (if you're not replacing it all), which isn't a big deal really. I think as long as your happy that's all that matters! I just wanted to make sure everyone knew that you can use standard products as long as you know how to work around it. Cheaper is always better in my book..lol

      Thanks for your comment. You're another fine example of making what you find work without enduring to much extra cost. Thanks!

  15. They do this on purpose. They have made a complete industry by making certain things "for mobile homes". As someone who has had four mh's in my life and remodeled three of them, I can tell you that the plumbing changes are the most difficult to handle. We are still trying to figure out our kitchen sink plumbing issue after replacing our sink with a deep sink two years ago. (has to do with the drain pipes under the sink.) And you are right, the prices can be ridiculous compared to stick built home materials. Even something as simple as a tub plug is a big deal and has to be special ordered from a mh parts company!!! I buy five at a time now, just in case.

    1. Smart!! The internet has helped a lot in the prices. Those local stores was really taking advantage of the buyers cause they knew they couldn't get the stuff they needed any where else. With drain pipes you should be able to find an adapter that will reduce (or enlarge) the connector to fit the new pipe. I'm sure you know that though. If your new sink is one of those fancy types you may have to go through the company and get a special order one that fits it. Thanks for commenting!!

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