Exterior Mobile Home Remodel: Complete Double Wide Transformation

Many of us have paid cash for an older mobile home then made upgrades to the home as our budget allowed and the results are fantastic! This exterior mobile home remodel is another great example of the beautiful results one can achieve with a complete mobile home remodel.

Exterior Mobile Home Remodel – Humble Beginnings

This double wide began as an already fine home – it just needed to be modernized and enlarged a bit to fit the owners needs. You can see the home before the complete remodel in the three images below.

Installing New Materials Can Save on Energy Costs

Obviously, energy efficiency was an important aspect of the remodel, especially considering the location.

Remodeling an older mobile home using smart energy efficient techniques can help you save a lot of money on heating and cooling costs.

New materials, products, and building techniques are added to the market every day. This innovation has created insulating properties and longer-lasting finishes that weren’t considered possible a few short years ago.

Upfront costs for new materials and construction can easily be recouped via energy savings in a few years, especially for homes located in areas with a drastic climate such as deserts.

Related: The Ultimate Green Mobile Home Remodel 

Advantages of Installing a Pitched Roof 

This mobile home had a pitched roof but it was a very low pitch which is typical for older manufactured homes.

Raising the pitch on a manufactured home’s roof is a smart choice for a few reasons. On the blog roofcalc.net they state the pros and cons of a pitched roof (though they call it a gabled roof):

Pros: Gable roofs will easily shed water and snow, provide more space for an attic or vaulted ceilings and allow more ventilation. Their simple design make it easy to build them and cheaper than more complex designs.

Cons: Gable roofs can be problematic in high wind and hurricane areas. If the frames are not properly constructed with adequate supports, the roof can collapse. High winds can also cause materials to peel away from gable roofs. If there is too much of an overhang, winds can create an uplift underneath and cause the roof to detach from the walls.

New Windows

Replacing old windows is one of the best upgrades that can do to a mobile home.

Related: 14 Great Mobile Home Makeover Ideas for Every Budget

New windows increase energy efficiency and improve the home’s aesthetics. Not only does it improve the exterior of the home, but it also improves the interior as well. It’s a very smart home improvement project!

Foam Insulation Installed over Old Siding

To further increase the mobile home’s energy efficiency the owners opted to place foam insulation board directly over the original siding. This reduces landfill waste and adds another layer of protection to the home. The foam insulation was then stuccoed.

Rigid foam insulation typically has an R-Value of 6-6.5 per inch. 

When deciding to place new material over old, such as foam board and stucco over wood siding, it’s important to ensure all the material stays dry and that all potential leaking be minimized.

Air pockets can be an advantage or a disadvantage when installing new siding over old. Air acts as an insulator in most cases but air movement and moisture can lead to condensation. The Green Building Advisor website states the following in regards to foam insulation used on exterior walls:

In a cold climate during the heating season, moisture vapor inside a building is driven outward into exterior walls. When it reaches a surface that’s below the dew point, the vapor condenses into a liquid. That surface is typically the back side of the exterior sheathing.

Using a moisture barrier can remedy this issue.  If you’re in a southern location that doesn’t experience cold winter temperatures you won’t have to worry too much about condensation.

Related: The Ultimate Mobile Home Siding Guide

New Porch 

A large porch or deck is another top choice for an exterior mobile home remodel.

A new porch can completely change the look of your home and add outdoor living space.

Related: 45 Great Porch Designs for Manufactured Homes

Related: Beautiful Southwestern Style Mobile Home 

This is great exterior mobile home remodel that proves, once again, that older manufactured homes have unlimited potential!

Once the home is paid for the money you save on mortgage payments can be put into remodeling or updating the structure, and when you’re finished you’ll end up with a beautiful home like this!

This exterior mobile home remodel project was originally published on a blog titled Remodeling the Casa de Que Pasa. All images are the property of that blog. 

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