Mobile Home Living

Category: Double Wides

Beautiful remodeling and decorating ideas for double wides, regardless of age or builder.

Double wide manufactured homes are great homes for families of all sizes. We’ve featured dozens of beautiful double wide mobile homes that have been beautifully remodeled and decorated over the last 15 years.

Manufactured Home Design Options: The Sunset Bay By Palm Harbor

The manufactured housing industry is constantly offering new manufactured home design options. We have featured triple wides, double wides, and single homes with modern themes like the modern farmhouse. Our newest neat find is the Sunset Bay by Palm Harbor Homes. This design offers alternatives to the typical three-bedroom layout along with a couple other unique options.

Enjoy looking at manufactured home design options as much as we do? Check out one of our favorites: The Lalinda From Palm Harbor.

Just a reminder: we are not affiliated with any dealers or builders so this is our honest opinions and thoughts about the home based on images alone. We just like to look at nice manufactured homes and talk about them.

The Front Door is Optional?

This is a new one for us. One of the manufactured home design options available in the Sunset Bay is the location of the ‘front’ door. There is a door off the dining room that leads into the living room and a door in back leading into the laundry room. You can put your front door where you please depending on the way you set the home on your property. We have included a picture of the living room with both options.

Plenty Of Natural Light.(With Front Door Option)

The Living Room Without The Optional Front Door.

Space Is A Must

We really like the design of this kitchen and dining room. Not only does it offer plenty of cabinets, it also has tons of counter space. Natural light is a plus in all of the rooms of this home but really brightens up the kitchen and dining room.

We Love All This Space.

This Kitchen Has A Nice Layout.

Open Floor Plan Leaves Room For Plenty Of Entertaining.

Another one of the interesting manufactured home design options of the Sunset Bay is the choice to have a third bedroom or an office/den off the living room. We especially love the archway design that opens you up to the room. The room does seem to be a little on the small size. However, it would be perfect for a home office or perhaps a playroom.

Den Instead Of The Third Bedroom.

Master Suite Offers Options

One of the things that we always look at when we are looking at these new manufactured home design options is the placement of the windows in the master bedroom. We like to move our furniture around! With the placement of the two windows in the master suite of this Sunset Bay home, you can place your bed between the two or use the full wall going into the master bath.

Sliding Closet Doors Are A Real Space Saver.

The master bath also offers options. There is the standard garden tub and shower option but there is also a choice to have a larger shower and a very good size linen closet in place of the tub. From some of our recent home design option articles we have learned that many people feel the garden tub is a waste of space, so having the option to leave it out is nice.

What Do You Think Of The Tile Around The Tub?

Good Size Shower And Linen Closet In Place Of The Tub.

Floor Plan And Exterior Options

As you already know, we enjoy looking at the floor plan of these new manufactured home designs. The layout of a home absolutely influences your family’s life.

Another great tool that many sites offer now is a virtual walkthrough of the interior that really gives you an insider look of the home. Although this particular home didn’t include that, from the floorplan you can get a good look at the layout of the standard option of the home. We didn’t see an alternative floorplan, which we would have liked to share with all of the available options offered.

A Look At The Standard Floor Plan.

The exterior of this manufactured home looks very much like a site built home depending on whether you opt for the front door or not. And as we have talked about before, today’s manufactured homes have many things in common with site-built homes. We have included pictures of both alternatives. Which do you prefer?

Exterior With The Optional Front Door And Built Out Porch.

This Is A Nice Looking Home.

We want to hear from you. Do you enjoy our walk through some of the new manufactured home design options available on the market? What kind of homes would you like to see more of? Let us know by commenting below!

Thanks for reading Mobile Home Living.

February 11, 2018
This Beach Themed Mobile Home Transformation is Stunning

Seeing all the great ideas that people bring to life during a beach themed mobile home transformation is so inspiring. I mean, here’s a house that so many people have disregarded and stigmatized and it becomes a home that could be featured in a high-end home and garden magazine. It proves that every home has potential!

Of course, you don’t have to spend $100,000 on a mobile home transformation, you’d be amazed at what a $100 can do for a home. These $100k mobile home transformations are typically confined to California where a 1990’s model mobile home with a high end remodel can go for close to a million dollars because of the housing shortage.

We found this beach themed mobile home transformation on Zillow. The home has around 1000 square feet of heated living space with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It’s located just a couple of miles from the beach and is valued somewhere around $627,000 which seems about right for that area.

(Disclaimer: All the photos are the property of Hartwick Home Imaging, you can find more images there. This listing isn’t active now, no big surprise the home sold quickly in the hot California market).

Making The Most of an Open Floor Plan

This mobile home is a standard 1990’s model with nothing special to speak of, really. As you can see from the before and after photos, the owners of this mobile home made a great use of the open floor plan and did a great job of blending a common theme, modern nautical/beach, throughout the home.

Before the beach themed transformation:

The Beige Carpet Had To Go.

After the transformation:

Splashes Of Color Pull This Room Together.

Love The Fireplace Area.

Kitchen: Before and After Beach Themed Mobile Home Transformation

The kitchen is especially stunning, with the white cabinets and center island that is great for quick meals or entertaining. Also, they removed the built-in hutch and replaced it with a sliding glass door to the back deck. If you are looking for more beach themed ideas, check out our Beach Cottage Decor Ideas For Your Mobile Home.

Before the beach themed mobile home transformation:

This Kitchen Needs So Much Work.

After the transformation:

Hard To Believe It’S Even The Same Kitchen.

Beautiful Bedrooms: Before and After Beach Themed Mobile Home Transformation

Both bedrooms were pretty plain before the remodel, with beige carpet and white walls. After the beach themed mobile home transformation, the bedrooms have a fresh coat of off-white paint, the same flooring that flows throughout the entire home, and beautifully decorated furnishings. They kept the mirrored closet doors in the bedrooms, which helps to make the room appear larger.

Good Size Bedroom With Tons Of Potential.

Love The Theme In This Bedroom.

This Window Takes Up The Whole Wall.

Removed The Large Window And Replaced It With Two Small Ones.

Bathrooms Transformed in Beach Themed Mobile Home Transformation

Both of the bathrooms in the mobile home were completely transformed. The dated sinks, cabinets, and showers were gutted and in their place white cabinets, tiled showers were installed. They continued the beach themed mobile home transformation throughout both bathrooms. Although small, they are both gorgeous.

Small Bathroom And Even Smaller Shower.

Now This Is A Bathroom.

Tons Of Cabinets, But Not Very Attractive.

Smaller Cabinet But Beautifully Decorated.

Love The Shower.

The Exterior

The exterior was pretty plain before the beach themed mobile home transformation. It needed something that was welcoming and memorable, something that made a statement. The designer had no problem creating all three.

Not Much To Talk About With This Entrance.

The deck is the perfect spot for entertaining. It’s stylish and functional with a foldable canvas awning that can be used when the California sun gets to be too much.

Great Spot For Entertaining.

When you live in a mobile home park you want to stand out. The darker exterior paint color does just that. The white balances it out perfectly and gives it that perfect weathered beach look.

I love this home!

RELATED: If you love looking at gorgeous mobile home exteriors check out these digital prints of 24 mobile homes in Palm Springs, CA.

We couldn’t find any information on the actual remodel process itself but from the looks of the before and after we are pretty confident that this was a total tear out and remodel. New floors, a fresh coat of paint throughout and an updated kitchen are just a few of the upgrades that make this beach themed mobile home transformation amazing.

Thanks for reading Mobile Home Living!

December 24, 2017
New Mobile Home Design: The Sonora II’s Rustic Charm

Our next manufactured home in our New Mobile Home Design Series is the Sonora II. Like most manufactured home models, this model is only available in a few regions. Regardless, it’s a gorgeous home full of rustic charm that is definitely worth a look.

Completely Open Floor Plan

Unlike some of the more recent new mobile home design models, the Sonora II features a completely open floor plan. The living room, kitchen, dining room and even the family room all flow within one big space. If you are looking for an open floor concept than this is a great design.

We both agree that the kitchen is a bit small but for a small family or couple, it would work fine. We both liked the built-in in the dining room. Great place to display your fine china or keep your serving ware out of the way when you aren’t entertaining.

Nice Size Living Room.

Good Size Island In The Kitchen.

Beam Ceilings Are Very Popular.

The Built-In Media Center In The Family Room Is A Great Feature.

Master Suite With Rustic Charm

We have all seen how the rustic farmhouse look is taking over home decor. The master bedroom suite in this new mobile home design is a great example of that. The plank walls in both the bedroom and bath, along with the faux wood tiles in the shower all pull together to create that lovely the rustic charm.

The Plank Wall Makes A Statement.

RELATED: A look at the Farmhouse Style Manufactured Home Design.

Many of us aren’t fans of the big bathtub but it just doesn’t seem to go away in new mobile home design. I’m not sure having a tub that is only used once or twice a month is the best use of space but if you love baths this would be perfect.

They separated ‘his and her’ sinks with the tub and added plenty of storage space around each area. There is also an interesting vanity area set up beside the shower.

Interesting Way To Make The Most Of The Space.

Tiled Shower And Vanity Area.

The Rest Of The Home

From the images we gathered online, the other bedrooms are pretty basic. There is an option according to the floor plan for a 4th bedroom which would be ideal if you have a bigger family or need an in-home office.

The mudroom (or utility room) is pretty awesome. It is a large space with plenty of storage and a mop sink. There is also a great bench and coat and shoes storage center in the room that is built in.

Love The Built-In Storage.

Floor Plan and Upgrade Options

In our article, 10 Smart Upgrades for your New Manufactured Home, we talk about which upgrades are worth the extra money. Some of our suggestions include better doors, windows, and insulation, and a higher roof pitch. This new mobile home design has those upgrade options, like the wood grain front door and lap siding with vertical board & batten siding that’s available.

We also noticed on the website they were offering a package that included upgraded insulation, windows and a programmable thermostat for the heating and cooling system. Most dealers offer some sort of package like this so be sure to ask for anything – the only thing they can do is say no. You never know they may be able to do until you ask.

The Standard Exterior Of The Sonora Ii.

A Look At One Of The Optional Exteriors Available.

Related: Classic Mobile Home Models – Fleetwood Festival is a Favorite

As you can see from the floorplan there are also some interior upgrades available, including fireplaces and vaulted ceilings. That’s one of the best things about buying a manufactured home today, the ability to customize the home just like you were building a site built home.

The Floor Plan Shows Some Of The Available Options.

We hope you have been enjoying looking at the new mobile home design series as much as we have! Tell us your thoughts about the Sonora II in the comment section.

See another great mobile home design here.

Thanks for reading Mobile Home Living.

December 20, 2017
Palm Harbor Manufactured Home Design: The Lalinda

This Palm Harbor manufactured home design, called the Lalinda, caught my eye the second I saw it. The home is only available in a handful of states but it is a great representation of where new manufactured housing design is going. These triple wides aren’t your grandma’s mobile homes!

Related: Another new manufactured home design we recently featured.

The Lalinda seems to be fairly priced. One dealer has the 3-bedroom, 2-bath home with 2,216 square foot of living space priced at $132,000. That’s roughly $60 per square foot. Of course, you need to add the transportation and installation of 3 separate units so that’s going to increase the price per foot quite a bit.

Please keep in mind that we are not affiliated with any dealers or builders so this is our honest opinions and thoughts about the home based on images alone. We just like to look at nice manufactured homes and talk about them.

Triple Wide Design

The Palm Harbor manufactured home design has both a living room and a family room. Two of the bedrooms are located right off the front entrance while the master bedroom is in the back of the home with the family room. You can tuck the kiddos in at night and sit by the fireplace in the family room without fear of waking them up! Who doesn’t love a little ‘me’ time?

The Living Room Is A Perfect Spot For Entertaining.

The Fireplace Makes This A Cozy Spot.

Designer Kitchen Built for Double Duty

This kitchen is beautiful. With an entrance from the living room, dining room, back entrance, and the family room, it is definitely the center of the home.

It has a huge bar area that is perfect for a quick meal or a buffet space when entertaining. Plenty of cabinets and storage space is always a plus in any kitchen. Whether you are hosting a dinner party or have a large family, this kitchen could handle it all.

Of course, like all manufactured homes, you can change the cabinetry and countertops designs but this is a nice combination. I’ve become a big fan of darker kitchens. I’ve definitely learned my lesson about all white kitchens – I’m simply too busy (lazy) for all that upkeep!

Plenty Of Storage And Space To Move Around In This Kitchen.

The top shelf above the sink may create an inconvenience. It seems like a place that will accumulate lots of dust but a few knick-knacks would look cute sitting up there so maybe it would be worth the hassle?

I am not a fan of the flooring and the countertop combination. It’s just too much of one color for me, I guess.

Beautiful Light Fixtures Above The Kitchen Island.

No VOG panels is a real plus! Not sure how I feel about carpet at the breakfast bar.

The Kitchen And Dining Room Flow Together Nicely.

A Master Bedroom Suite That Has It All

What do you look for in a master bedroom suite? We’re fans of closet space and a roomy master bathroom. The master bedroom suit in the Palm Harbor manufactured home design has both.

There are plenty of windows in the bedroom for natural light but there is also enough wall space if you decide to move your bed from one wall to another.

Master Bedroom With Plenty Of Space.

I question the bathroom design a bit. Especially, the wall separating the tub and shower. That corner seems like a space where water would sit. Cracks and crannies are not the best ideas for bathrooms or kitchens. The shower looks a bit dark and drab, too? But maybe it’s just the image.

Check Out That Soaking Tub.

All This Porch Needs Is A Swing

The first thought that popped into our head when we saw the exterior of this Palm Harbor manufactured home design was where could you put the swing for those long summer evenings. With a wrap-around porch, columns, and attention to detail, it all makes a statement we love.

Gorgeous Wrap Around Porch.

Floor Plan

Floor plans are a great way to get a feel for the layout of a home. In the past, we posted an article on how to find the best floor plan where we spent quite a bit of time looking at this particular plan. We wanted to see exactly how this home was laid out. We even did the virtual tour to get a feel for it. It’s a smart layout for a triple wide.

This Palm Harbor manufactured home design has always caught my eye. I liked the gorgeous exterior most. When I think of a high-end manufactured home this is what I envision.

I’ve mentioned this before, but I’m not a big fan of exterior living spaces (porches and decks) as part of the chassis. If you compare the cost of building a porch or deck onto a manufactured home and the cost per square foot of a home with a porch included you’ll pay quite a bit more for the deck attached to the chassis. However, the convenience and great design combination could make the additional cost per foot worth it.

Check Out The Split Floor Plan.

What are your thoughts? We want to know what things you look for when shopping (or even just daydreaming) for a manufactured home. What features are the most important to you? Comment below!

Thanks for reading Mobile Home Living.

November 26, 2017
Double Wide Manufactured Home Remodel Creates Ultimate Entertaining Space
Disrepair is the best word to describe this property when Richard bought it. The bones were good in the three-bedroom home but it had suffered serious neglect. Repairs had been attempted at one point, though obviously not by a professional. Every room in the home and every structure on the property needed attention. Fortunately, Richard wasn’t intimidated. He created an entertainment powerhouse with a $12,000 double wide manufactured home remodel.

This Double Wide Manufactured Home Remodel Created an Entertainment Powerhouse

One of Richard’s primary goals was to adapt the home for a couple that likes to entertain.

In order to create the ultimate entertaining space, a few structural changes had to be made. Three bedrooms were not necessary but a nice dining area was. To remedy that problem he removed walls, and, in turn, two of the bedrooms. This allowed for a formal dining room to go right off the kitchen, a living room, and a den.

Read more about removing walls in manufactured homes here.

Removing Walls Allowed For A Large Formal Dining Room, Cozy Living Room, And Den.

The Formal Dining Room Is Perfect For A Couple That Enjoys Entertaining.

Richard explained, “I took most of the interior walls and doors out. I couldn’t believe the number of doors in a space that was less than 1,100 square feet, It was a total waste of space.”

Living Room

Removing the walls created a larger living room and formal dining room, both were a better use of the space for Richard.

The Remodel Created Lots Of Open Space.

Den

There really isn’t a single style of Richard’s gorgeous home. He has an eclectic combination but it all works perfectly together. He has used a few Ikea pieces in the home. Ikea is an affordable, but stylish, home decor store.

Gorgeous Space In Richard’S Double Wide Manufactured Home.

See another gorgeous designer double wide remodel here.

Kitchen

Richard started the kitchen remodel by rebuilding the cabinet boxes and refinishing the cabinet fronts. A kitchen island was installed to provide informal kitchen dining space.

Kitchen Islands Are Smart Additions For Most Kitchens.

Gorgeous Eclectic Kitchen.

See more awesome mobile home kitchens here.

The Garden Room

The previous occupants had poured a patio for a planned swimming pool in front of the house and the slab to build a garden room.

Richard collects tropical plants and this has proved to be a great place for his Brazilian Mastiff as well as his collection of orchids, figs, pineapples, and other favorites. Since the room is a manufactured home addition it is not attached to the house. Giving the room its own independent heat was perfect for the plants and a more affordable building choice. It was a win-win.

The Garden Room Is Beautiful!

The Garden Room Is Richard’S Favorite Space. We Can See Why!

Smart Upgrades During the Double Wide Manufactured Home Remodel

We asked Richard what his smartest project was during this whole home remodel. He didn’t hesitate to say it was the wall and ceiling upgrades.

“The smartest thing I did was pull off the battens and hire a drywall guy to drywall the entire space.”

The contractor simply glued 3/8″ drywall over all the walls and then mudded, taped, and texturized them. He removed the popcorn ceilings and added the same wall texture.

Read our guide to updating those notorious vinyl mobile home walls here.

The second smartest change during this double wide manufactured home remodel, in Richard’s opinion, was making the kitchen larger and creating an open floor plan. It now works for two or three with plenty of room for people to hang out and watch the cooks.

The Island Is A Great Conversation Space.

Smart Flooring Options for Manufactured Homes

Richard made smart flooring choices for the manufactured home. He chose a vinyl tile that could be grouted to look like ceramic or stone. This offered flexibility and durability with the hassle or installation costs of installation.

Richard is not a big fan of carpet but he found an industrial carpet tile that made sense. He found a company that sells end remnants for .99 cents per square foot and bought more than he needed in case there is a stain that can’t be removed – all he has to do is change out the tile.

Exterior Repairs and Updates of Double Wide Manufactured Home Remodel

To take advantage of the wooded property surrounding the home, Richard installed more windows and replaced the originals. During this phase of the remodel new exterior sheathing and better insulation was added. Both smart moves for the Western Illinois weather.

New Windows, Roof, Siding, And An Addition Are Just Some Of The Updates On This Double Wide Manufactured Home Remodel.

To repair the leaky skylights and give the home better energy savings, Richard had a complete tear-off of the roof, three more roof vents added, additional insulation, and the leaky skylight was replaced.

The New Skylight Over The Master Bathroom.

We asked Richard to answer a few questions:

Any improvement, repair, or decor tips you could share with our readers?

“Always play up the disadvantages. If a wall seems too short, put a dark color on the short wall and bring the drapes up to the ceiling.

Notice The Curtain Feature Separating The Spaces?
- If you need depth, put a dark color on the farthest wall.
- Chose accent walls with no doors or windows.
- Make sure your furniture is room-appropriate. You want to have flow and comfort. No one wants to trip over your ottoman or try and maneuver around an end table to sit comfortably. Also, you need to be able to eat and drink almost everywhere – so don’t be stuffy.
What was your biggest challenge during this double wide manufactured home remodel project? Any obstacles or things you wish you would’ve done differently?

I absolutely hate the fact the building is on a crawlspace. Definitely would have put the double wide manufactured home on a slab. I would prefer a basement or more reasonable crawlspace. However, I did buy this property as-is and it does sit on 15 piers with 5 hurricane straps. The 6 acres of lovely wooded land makes up for the installation choices.

See our manufactured home installation and setup guide here.

Woodland Paradise.

What was your proudest DIY moment? Your favorite room?

My proudest DIY moment was finishing the garden room. Having that space as an entry, dog lounge, and plant conservatory makes a great first impression and the additional space has made all the difference.

The Garden Room Addition Is Richard’S Favorite Part Of The Remodel.

Can you break down the cost of this double wide manufactured home remodeling project for us?

I spent a total of just under $12,000 on the entire double wide manufactured home remodel. Considering what I spent to buy the house, the total cost was significantly under what I would have spent on a new modular home.

The Garden Room Is A Perfect Way Introduction To This Gorgeous Home.

Why did you choose a manufactured home? What advice would you give someone thinking of buying a manufactured home?

The home chose me. There is something so quiet, cozy, and sweet about a manufactured home. I never thought of it as living in a “trailer.”

For sure, I would recommend choosing quality materials and features over any other factors in a manufactured home. I had to replace a lot of less-than-quality materials and pieces in this home. If you can avoid that from the start by choosing better quality and longer lasting options when buying a manufactured home, go for it!

Read our 10 Smart Upgrades for Your New Manufactured Home here.

Summary

This is one gorgeous double wide manufactured home remodel!

This is an impressive representation of the possibilities that factory-built homes can have. A big thank you to Richard for letting us share his gorgeous home.

Do you have a double wide manufactured home remodel? We’d love to share it! Comment below and we’ll get you started.

As always, thank you for reading Mobile Home Living!
November 5, 2017
New Manufactured Home Designs: Farmhouse Style

Manufactured homes have come a long way over the years. Today’s new manufactured home designs have all the luxuries of a site built home but at half the cost. A perfect example of these new homes would be this farmhouse style double wide named the Lulamae from Buccaneer.

There are some gorgeous features in this home. And there are some odd features that we question a bit. Let’s see what you think:

Please remember that we are not affiliated with any dealers or builders so this is just our thoughts and opinions about the homes based on the images. We just like to look at nice manufactured homes and talk about them.

The Farmhouse Rustic

The kitchen is the star of this farmhouse-inspired manufactured home. Exposed beam ceilings, stainless steel appliances, heavy rustic shelving and light fixtures make for a great combination. The kitchen and dining room also have tons of large windows that provide some amazing natural light.

The Shiplap Walls And Wood Counter Tops Are Popular Home Decor Trends.

Related: Another awesome rustic farmhouse kitchen.

Wood Grain Floors and Shiplap Walls

The living room in this manufactured home features woodgrain flooring and shiplap walls for a gorgeous farmhouse look. Beams complete the look.

Love The Wood Beams On The Ceiling!

Beside The Living Room Is The Dining Area With Tons Of Windows.

Luxury Bathroom with a Twist

Bathrooms are definitely important in new manufactured home designs. The market always dictates supply and home buyers demand a great kitchen and an even better bathroom (even though I read that most homeowners don’t actually use their soaking tubs very often).

This large tiled shower is fabulous!

And in this installment of what were they thinking………

I have a few questions about this bathroom.

I’m not so sure I need french doors right beside my tub. Maybe it’s just me but privacy is pretty high on my list for bathrooms. I dunno, it just seems putting the french doors in the bedroom would be a better decision?

Does The French Door Beside The Tub Make Anyone Else Uncomfortable?

I think manufactured home designers and builders just try too hard sometimes?

The sinks and cabinetry almost makes up for the silly door placement. Shiplap makes another appearance and the dark framed mirrors and countertops are pretty great.

Related: 7 Before and After Bathroom Remodels That Will Inspire You.

New Manufacture Home Designs for the Exterior

New manufactured home designs are offering more floor plans. One popular option is adding exterior living spaces on the frame. It certainly removes the hassle of having to build a porch or deck. It also makes the the porch blend in better with the home since its all under one roof. However….

However, on frame porches and decks are taking away from your heated living space/square footage and you likely will pay more per square foot for a porch.

This home is between $116,000 and $151,000 alone, add the ground prep and installation to that you end up paying around $95 per square foot for a porch. Fixr.com shows the national average per square foot for a covered porch is $67.00.

Covered Porch Is A Great Touch (This Is An Image Taken From A Dealer’S Lot).

Floor Plan

This is a unique home even for new manufactured home designs. I love that kitchen!

This manufactured home’s floor plan seems laid-out well and has a lot of great features. The decor is the cherry on top.

Read our 30 tips for buying a new manufactured home here.

Just a Few Thoughts about New Manufactured Home Designs

Be careful with homes like this. You don’t want to buy a home with trendy elements that are built into the home and difficult to change. It’s hard to tell what home decor designs will be popular in 5 years.

Another thing to think about is the cost of upgrades like the light fixtures and faucets. Those are elements that you can usually update yourself at significant savings.

Click here to see our 10 smart upgrades for new manufactured homes.

With manufactured homes you can start with a basic floor plan and personalize it to your own personal taste, just like you can in a stick built construction. You can also leave it plain (at a cost savings, of course) and decorate it all yourself.

In all, I really like this home. It’s unique and definitely offers some trendy features. I do question the french doors beside the tub but I like privacy in a bathroom. Second, the on-frame porch seems to be a questionable move financially (on a price per foot basis). Lastly, I’m hesitant about manufactured homes with overly trendy decor ‘built in.’

Note: Remember, we are not affiliated with any dealers or builders (we think they are all a little shady and will continue to be until they stop selling HOUSES like used cars).

We do like to talk about manufactured homes, though. Like, a whole, whole lot….

Thank you for reading Mobile Home Living.

October 22, 2017
Manufactured Home Renovation on a $4,500 Double Wide

You will love this $45,000 manufactured home renovation!

Heather and her husband purchased this Naples, Florida manufactured home in the early part of Summer 2017 for only $4500. 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 $4500 homes, this double wide needed some work. It would need to be stripped to the studs. 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 with this $45,000 manufactured home renovation.

This 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.

Built-In Range And Curved Counters Were Cool Features But It Needed An Update.

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

The kitchen after it was completely gutted:

The New Kitchen is the Star of this $45,000 Manufactured Home Renovation!

Repurposing Furniture Reduced Costs In This $50,000 Manufactured Home Renovation.

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.

Stainless Steel Appliances Brighten The Kitchen.

We Love Everything About This Kitchen!

The Hutch Stays!

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.

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.

The Cottage Style Living Room Is So Cozy!

Second-Hand Stores Can Really Save Money And Create An Awesome Look At The Same Time.

We Love Gallery Walls!

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:

The Bathroom Before The Renovation.

The Bathroom After The Renovation Is Gorgeous!

The exterior was part of the $45,000 Manufactured Home Renovation, too!

The Exterior Needed A Little Freshening Up.

After The $45,000 Manufactured Home Renovation.

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.

September 24, 2017
This Complete 1964 Mobile Home Remodel is Amazing

As I’m sure you know, we love to share beautifully remodeled mobile homes! Whether they are lovingly remodeled by handy DIY homeowners or professionally renovated, we want to see and share them with you all. This complete 1964 mobile home remodel is definitely a professional remodel but it is a great example of the possibilities that a mobile home has. I would love to transform my mobile home into something like this!

We stumbled upon this amazing complete 1964 mobile home remodel on LA Times.

A Little History

Amy Shock, a designer from Los Angeles, decided she was ready for a change. She had a 4 bedroom home in Beverly Hills but was looking to move to the coast to live and work part time.

It took awhile but she finally found a 1964 double wide and transformed it into a dream home.

The home set on a small lot which kept many people from being interested so Amy managed to snag the 800 square foot mobile home for a steal at $5,200.

It took a little over a year and close to $200,000 for this complete 1964 mobile home remodel.

After the Complete 1964 Mobile Home Remodel

Amy knew the home had tons of potential but would need to be stripped to the bare minimum first.

The complete 1964 mobile home remodel consisted of new electric and plumbing, of course. Kitchen cabinets, light fixtures, and even

an addition and second bathroom were part of the remodeling process.

The Finished Product

As you can see by the pictures Amy was able to pull together an absolutely stunning home from the complete 1964 mobile home remodel. She can both work and live in this gorgeous home.

Her favorite feature in the new home was the addition of the floor to ceiling glass panels. These provide the living room with an abundance of light. Although she is most proud of the glass it also came with a hefty price tag of $40,000.

The final price was a little more then she had hoped at $180,000. However, Amy now splits her time between LA and her coastal paradise and is confident she made a great investment.

In California, older mobile homes are going for well over $180,000 without any kind of remodeling so this may be a real investment income for her. Read about Southern California’s house bidding wars here.

See a gorgeous Malibu double wide remodel here.

Los Angeles CA Home Prices & Home Values | Zillow states:

The median home value in Los Angeles is $632,000. Los Angeles home values have gone up 7.6% over the past year. Zillow predicts they will rise 1.8% within the next year. The median list price per square foot in Los Angeles is $476, which is higher than the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Metro average of $408.

The exterior of Amy’s complete 1964 mobile home remodel is a great example of modern lines and clean materials.

Related: Before and After Manufactured Home Remodel: It’s a Mod, Mod World

Have a home remodel you want to share with us? Comment below or send us an email. We would love to share your success with our readers!

And as always, thanks for reading Mobile Home Living.

September 10, 2017
DeDe’s Beautiful 1995 Double Wide Remodel

Sharing beautiful manufactured homes is our favorite past time here at Mobile Home Living. We want to be a positive online community where we can all be proud of our homes, share inspiration and ideas, and show the world just how beautiful mobile homes can be. DeDe’s 1995 double wide remodel does just that!

DeDe had shared a beautiful home on 5 acres in Florida with her husband of 37 years but when he passed she knew she needed to downsize. At a young 82 years old, she decided to find a home on the other side of the country and closer to her family. She found this 1995 Fleetwood Oakridge double wide manufactured home in Washington state and set out to make it hers.

DeDe’s 1995 double wide remodel is stunning!

DeDe’s Cute Living Room

As soon as DeDe moved in she got to work on her 1995 double wide remodel.

First to go was the ugly, dirty carpet in the living room and dining room. The contractor replaced it with wide plank laminate floors.

DeDe’s living room is a perfect mixture of comfort and style. She uses mirrors and light colors to help make her home feel more spacious.

That green accent chair is modern and marvelous!

Related: 5 Great Manufactured Home Interior Design Tricks

DeDe chose a small round glass coffee table to make the floors the center of attention and help make the room feel larger.

More Mirrors Reflect Light And Help Make The Room Bright And Airy.

The Kitchen is the Star of this 1995 Double Wide Remodel

DeDe spent the most time and effort in the kitchen and it looks great!

Admittedly, DeDe’s budget wasn’t small so this 1995 double wide remodel wasn’t cheap. However, it’s an investment that will undoubtedly increase the home’s equity and add lots of smiles every time someone walks into the home.

DeDe gutted the kitchen. It was a standard kitchen that you see in most 1995 double wides with oak cabinetry and white laminate counter tops.

The layout of the room didn’t work for her so it was easier to completely gut the room and start fresh.

She wanted the sink directly under the window. She also wanted kitchen cabinets with glass doors so she could showcase her extensive glass collection.

DeDe decided to splurge on the cabinets and had them custom built by a local cabinet maker for around $9000. She also had an antique kitchen table that she has had for over 50 years repainted and the cushions recovered.

Being 82 at the time, DeDe wanted to avoid having to stoop and bend to look for things in the lower cabinets. She solved that problem by installing pull-out shelves in all the lower cabinets. She had a pull-out pantry installed, as well.

Like all remodeling projects, you never know what you might run across. For DeDe and her contractor, the issue came when she started replacing the kitchen floor. Turns out that the back door had leaked and rotted the floor out. So that had to be repaired and a new back door and storm door installed.

Bathroom and Bedrooms

The bathrooms and bedrooms were updated and modernized. DeDe had the fiberglass basins in both bathrooms replaced as well as the toilet in the master bath. She also painted the vanities and linen closets.

She also used some leftover tiles from her former remodel and was able to use them to create a backsplash behind the vanity. DeDe was smart to keep all of her extra materials, they definitely came in handy.

Although the home is a 3 bedroom, DeDe and her 10 pound Pomeranian guard dog Rascal, only needed one bedroom so she uses one bedroom as a home office and the remaining bedroom as a sewing/craft room.

Exterior Update

DeDe’s 1995 double wide before the exterior update:

DeDe replaced the front door and storm door. See mobile home exterior doors here.

She also replaced the skirting around the home with clean white faux rock panels for a total cost of around $2500.

Read our Ultimate Mobile Home Skirting Guide here.

DeDe wanted lots of flowers and plants in her yard but she needed new porches and sidewalks first. She spent approximately $19,000 to get it all completed exactly how she wanted.

Related: See 45 great mobile Home Deck and Porch Designs.

DeDe says she knows she spent more than she really wanted to on the entire remodel but it was worth it. She is now 84 years old and is still making little changes when she can. For instance, she is getting ready to repaint a 40-year-old dresser in her bedroom as well as the guest vanity. She enjoys adding all the different pops of color to her new home.

Summary

This 1995 double wide remodel is a great example of living in style in a manufactured home. DeDe knew what she wanted and she made it happen!

I don’t know many 82-year-old ladies that will take on such an extensive home remodeling project. I am so happy she is making her home how she wants it!

Thank you, DeDe, for letting us share your beautiful home. You are a true inspiration!

We hope you enjoyed DeDe’s total remodel as much as we did! Have a remodel you would like to share? Be sure to reach out to us, we would love to share it!

Thanks for reading Mobile Home Living!

August 27, 2017
1986 Double Wide Makeover

Mobile Home Living is extremely lucky to receive so many reader submissions every month. It’s so inspiring and helpful to see great mobile home remodels and makeovers. Today, we are sharing the Scheid’s 1986 double wide makeover in Dallas, Georgia.

The Backstory

Mike Scheid and his family of Dallas, GA purchased this 1986 double wide and knew they were going to have their hands full.

According to Mike, the house had great bones but it was run down and “looked as if the 80’s died in the house”. Even parts of the floor were giving away. Thankfully, Mike was an experienced handyman and knew he would be able to do most of the work himself.

Before the 1986 Double Wide Makeover

Helpful: Replacing Mobile Home Windows

The Process for the 1986 Double Wide Makeover

The first step in this remodel was to decide exactly what they wanted to accomplish. They knew they had a budget and hoped to stick close to it.

Next was demolition. There were definitely some obstacles that they faced along the way. The front bathroom was the toughest because the tub didn’t want to go in and the wall didn’t seem to want to hold the paint.

The plumbing was a bit of a challenge, as well. Learn more about mobile home plumbing here.

Related: Mobile Home Bathroom Guide

“It looked as if the 80’s died in the house!”

After the 1986 Double Wide Makeover

It would probably be easier to say what wasn’t changed during this 1986 double wide makeover rather than what was!

First of all, drywall was replaced in the home. Then new tubs were installed. Also, new cabinets and countertops were added in the kitchen. New carpet and laminate flooring were laid throughout the entire home. Finally, they replaced the tile around the fireplace in the den.

There was a ton of painting involved and the results are awesome!

Related: How to Update Vinyl Walls in Mobile Homes

New Bathroom In 1986 Double Wide Makeover.

Related: See a bathroom with a sheet metal tub surround here.

New Bathroom In 1986 Double Wide Makeover. Notice The Unique Tub Surround?

Kitchen After The Makeover.

Updated Fireplace, Flooring, And Paint In The Living Room.

Kitchen After The Makeover.

We have many beautiful double wide makeovers here!

In Closing

We asked Mike what his favorite room in the house was and he said he loved the entire project but really loved the fireplaces in the den and the master bedroom.

The final cost of the project was around $15,000. Consequently, Mike offered a little piece of advice about going into any remodeling project: make sure you have the funds to cover the whole project because it gets expensive fast, buy cheap, and make sure the electrical is good!

Have a mobile home remodel you want to share with us? Comment below or send us an email. We would love to share your success with our readers.

And as always, thanks for reading Mobile Home Living.

July 16, 2017