Our Guide to Planning a Manufactured Home Remodel

Remodeling ain’t easy. Sure, the DIY shows make it look simple but it can be a big undertaking for even the most experienced of homeowners. There are budgets to consider, costs for materials, not to mention making the time to complete the project. Our guide to planning a manufactured home remodel from beginning to end is a wonderful resource to help take away some of the stress that comes from remodeling, whether you are hiring someone or doing the work yourself!

Planning a Manufactured Home Remodel

A manufactured home remodel requires having a plan. So, before beginning any work sit down and think about the following:

• What is your project?
• How much money are you willing to spend?
• How are you going to finance the project?
• Are you hiring out the work or is it a DIY project?
• What is your time frame?

Once you have the answers to these questions it’s time to get started.

Your Project

What part of your manufactured home is getting a remodel? The kitchen, bathroom, maybe an exterior update? Before you can start thinking about a budget or how you are going to pay for the project, you have to decide just how big your remodeling project is going to be.

DIY or Contractor?

Once you know what your project is, its time to decide if you can Do It Yourself or if you will need to hire a contractor to do the work.
If you decide that the project needs a professional, be sure to do your homework before making a final decision on a contractor. Don’t be afraid to ask for referrals from their customers. A good contractor will be glad to give you the names and numbers of clients.
Also, get everything in writing. Make sure to include the payment schedule, the time frame for the project, and how you will handle any changes to the project (like unexpected delays or costs). This protects both you and the contractor from any surprises.

Your Budget

Once you have decided what your project is and whether you can tackle it yourself or need to hire a contractor, you will want to set a budget for your project. That means pricing materials and securing estimates if you are using a professional. Keep in mind, you will want to add 10-20% to your budget to help cover any unexpected expenses that might come from the project.
Check out this cool example of a printable budget worksheet to help bring your project into reality (you can download it from here):

Financing Options

There are several ways to finance a manufactured home remodel depending on how big the project is. You can refinance your home to free up extra cash, secure a home equity line of credit, apply for a loan or grant from a federal agency (depending on your financial situation), use a credit card, or pay in cash.
Make sure that when you are looking at your finance options you choose the one that is best for your overall home budget. A new bathroom is nice, but you don’t want to put your family in a bind to pay for it.

How Long is This Going to Take?

It’s good to set a time frame for any remodeling project, that way you have an idea how long your manufactured home is going to be in chaos! Especially if you are remodeling your bathroom or kitchen you don’t want those out of commission for an extended period of time.
House Logic has a good breakdown of how long typical renovations may take:

• Bathroom remodel 2 to 3 weeks
• Complete kitchen remodel 8 to 12 weeks
• Kitchen update 1 to 2 weeks
• Replacing roof 1 week
• Siding replacement 1 to 2 weeks

Of course, this is just an estimate of how long your project may take. If you are doing the work yourself when time allows it may take longer and if you hire a contractor with a couple of guys working the job it could get done quicker.

As you can see there is a lot to think about when planning a manufactured home remodel. But, with a budget in place and plenty of research, you can have that dream kitchen or bathroom you have been longing for!

Don’t forget, we are always looking for remodeling projects to share with our readers. If you have a project you would like to share, visit our Get Featured page to learn more.

Thanks for reading Mobile Home Living®.