A refurbished double wide is a rare find, one that’s already been updated and is just looking for the right homeowner to make it their forever home. Lucky for Linda and Lee of Idaho, they stumbled upon theirs when they decided to retire and downsize. And now Linda, a member of our Mobile Home Living Remodeling Group, has been kind enough to share their story with us.
Once the couple decided to purchase the 1198 Villa Double Wide by Nashua they had to get it settled into their forever spot. So, in 2017 they bought a 1/2 acre lot in a small town about 60 miles west of Boise, Idaho. It’s in a neighborhood of similar sized lots that are a mixture of mobile homes and site-built homes. It had previously had a mobile home on it so the utilities were already in place and had already been zoned for a manufactured home.
Related: Helpful Tips When Buying a Mobile Home in Idaho.
After purchasing the land, the couple did some research and learned that the zoning commission required a foundation before placing the home, which cut into their budget significantly, however they still managed to stay mortgage-free. Also, the couple quickly learned there are several advantages to placing the home on a foundation such as the added stability from wind and storms and a higher resale value.
After finding a company to prepare the site and pour the foundation, the final product was a 4′ crawl space with a solid concrete foundation.
There were several projects that Linda and Lee started on once the home was placed on the foundation. First up, new laminate flooring which Lee was able to do all on his own. It was added to the entire home and gives it a completely new look!
Another big project was the addition of awnings to the front of the refurbished double wide. Thanks to Pinterest Linda quickly found the plans to build their own and stay budget-friendly by completing them for less than $50. Linda is a lucky woman, Lee was able to this work himself as well! Next, they painted the exterior in order to give the home an entirely new look.
The couple still had one last exterior project they wanted to complete so they added an extra post and railing to the short side of the porch as well as corbels to give it a finished look.
The total cost of Linda and Lee’s project included: $23,000 for land, $48,000 for the house (included moving and setup), $10,000 for a permanent concrete pit foundation. Electrical and plumbing were about another $5,000. All totaled the couple invested about $90,000 in the entire project. Last year the property was assessed at $145K. Proof again that manufactured homes can and do appreciate in value!
Of course, just like with any home the couple still has plans for more projects for their refurbished double wide. Painting the kitchen is coming up as well as adding some landscaping to give the home more curb appeal.
Want to learn more about Linda and Lee’s story? You can find her book “Double Wide Dream Home,” on Amazon: DOUBLE WIDE DREAM HOME: The story of our experience buying a Mobile / Manufactured home (MH for short), and things like foundation, flooring, storage, and decorating.
As always we thank you for reading Mobile Home Living.
Learn about mobile home additions and understand the pros, cons, and necessary steps for a…
Learn how to paint mobile home walls effectively, overcoming challenges with shiny surfaces and battens…
There're a ton of smart storage hacks to organize your camper on Pinterest and Amazon…
A small bathroom should be beautifully focused on function. Of course there are a few…
Over 100 beautiful manufactured home deck and porch designs plus free design plans and DIY…
If you own an older mobile home with a flat roof or have needed to…
This website uses cookies.