Mobile Home Remodeling

All of us sometimes need something that would become a so-called breath of fresh air: some kind of new emotion, a trip to a nice place, or even massive things like a room or a home remodeling. And while many people think of their regular home reconstruction and design changes, they often skip the idea of remodeling their mobile home if they have one.

Many owners consider it unnecessary, and others say that everything works perfectly, and there is no need to change, and some people prefer to invest money in something else. However, if you have ever gotten such a brilliant idea, we strongly recommend you to catch it and never let it go.

Any home remodeling is a magnificent adventure full of interesting moments and thoughts with a fantastic outcome. In our review, we will try to provide you with some useful items and resources for inspiration.

Why People Even Buy Mobile Homes

If you are not sure that you need a mobile home (also known as a manufactured home) or don’t really know how people use such things, you may start from here.

There are two main aims (and these aims are the reasons as well) for purchasing mobile homes:

• Saving money on buying a place to live

It is a well-known fact in the United States and other parts of the world: a mobile home is an opportunity for many people to organize a place to live if they cannot afford a regular house or apartment. Unfortunately, this problem is familiar to tons of US residents and other countries’ citizens. Even though it may seem extremely inconvenient and disappointing, still, some buyers prefer getting a mobile home instead of having no living space, which would be their own.

• Having an opportunity of long-distance traveling

Another solid reason to purchase a manufactured home is a desire to organize a long-distance trip that requires several places to sleep on the way. In such a home, travelers will be able to stay with more convenience than on the plain ground in a sleeping bag, having no chance to visit a bathroom or to cook in a kitchen. If this sounds like your problem and you travel often, maybe it is time to think of buying a decent mobile home for your next trip.

Of course, there are different types of mobile homes produced for different aims and tasks. But all of them will get older through time and might need a good-quality renovation that will impress their owners!

Ok, maybe you already have a mobile home and either actively use it, or it is your basic living place. Still, having no clue why it might need a remodel? Or facing doubts about the remodeling plan? There are some reasons to do the reconstruction that you might not even take into account.

So, why would I renovate my mobile home?

Here are the top-7 reasons that explain why you should think of your mobile home renovation or at least interior correction.

1. Give It a Modern or Different Look

The first and probably the most obvious reason why people may think of their mobile home renovation is to update the interior or exterior. These both may become either way too old or just annoying. It also happens with regular real property from time to time, doesn’t it?

Whether you want to prepare your home for sale or keep living there for a very long time, renovating and changing the look is a great idea. You will definitely feel more satisfied with the place if you stay there or proud if you rent or sell it.

A wish to give your mobile home a modern look is not the only reason to renovate it: maybe you want to make it more “livable” and comfortable, or your taste has changed, and you would prefer another design right now. All of the reasons mentioned above are solid enough to start the remodeling process.

Also worth mentioning

You can go for a simple and quick renovation of your interior that will include repainting the walls and buying new furniture, or there is an option to make significant corrections and change the layout. The depth of your home’s future changes depends on your wish and budget; with the current remodeling and building technologies, almost any idea can be implemented.

It is hard to believe but changing the layout mentioned above is a possible option. Some mobile homeowners think they will never be able to do it because the home is fragile, and everything may ruin. However, it is a popular misconception, and sometimes it is even easier to change the layout of a manufactured home than of a regular one.

Another thing for consideration is to remodel the home’s exterior. Maybe it is time to check your roof or repaint your walls? Look at your building and check if it has any flaws on the outside that you would fix.

2. Fix the Existing Problems

Through time, any home gets certain problems related to the deterioration of materials, utility systems, and connections. They can be major and become a bottleneck that you have to fix right away because it affects your life dramatically, or they can be so small that you won’t even notice them until you start your home renovation.

Even though the homes produced today are much more durable and reliable than those made in the past century, still, you cannot avoid depreciation.

There is a set of things to look at if you decide to renovate your manufactured home:

• Plumbing system
• Electricity system
• Floors
• Walls
• Ceilings

All of these require constant checking because a mobile home is usually made from thinner materials than the regular ones. This also affects the home’s state because it is more sensitive to awful weather conditions (for instance, hard rains or winds). Some mobile homes’ walls can even bend a bit in extreme conditions.

So, if you feel like the frame of your home requires checking and may have leaks, holes, or other problems, starting a home remodeling process is a must.

3. Ensure Your Home’s Durability

This reason appears from the previous point: one day you may need to improve your home and make it more durable and reliable due to weather conditions.

Here is what you can do:

• Improve the roof

You may either wrap it with special waterproof materials or set a pitched one that will protect you from a long rain. Wrapping will also help in case you live in a sunny region.

• Paint the exterior walls

If walls outside your house don’t look nice because it’s constantly raining, consider choosing waterproof paint and renovate the walls on a sunny day.

• Set stormproof windows and doors

Again, living in a region with extreme weather conditions requires all protection measurements possible. Setting such windows and doors will save you time, money, and nerves.

• Solidify the gutters, skirting, and drainage

These things will let you free from floods and rats; always pay attention to them when making remodeling your manufactured home.

4. Make Your Home More Valuable

Let’s touch on the topic of mobile homes’ disadvantages. The main thing to mention here is they are losing value extremely fast. To add some more value to your mobile home, consider renovating it.

Although some people tend to think that all the renovation will lose its value as quickly as the home itself did. Still, many other mobile home buyers and owners do not agree with such a statement. Of course, it depends on how deep you will go with your mobile home renovation and what will change; but a good-quality renovation can raise your home’s value with ease. One thing is for sure: if you want to improve the rent or sales potential of a manufactured house, it is better to remodel it than to do nothing.

The reason to consider that mobile homes are only a temporary solution and there is no way to use them on a daily basis comes from the XX century stereotype. Back then, people thought that such houses are not durable at all, and it is much better to get a regular home. We cannot disagree with this statement; however, today, mobile homes are made of much better materials and offer a better quality of life for their inhabitants. Besides, the price for real estate is still way too high for lots of citizens. Many of them prefer renting places until the end of their lives because there is no way to pay the offered sums. So, for renters, a mobile home can be (and already is) a great alternative and a decent piece of property.

When starting any kind of mobile home renovation, remember that you have to act in accordance with the rules set by the American Department of Housing and Urban Development (or HUD). These rules are included in the HUD code; those who break them during renovation can face the price drop for their homes.

5. Rebuilt a Room for Different Purposes

At some point, you may face significant changes in your life: you may get married, and your spouse will join you in your mobile home, or you may need an office room to start working remotely (this is what almost all of us got during the pandemic, for example), or you have found a new hobby that requires an additional space like sewing or painting.

Any of these and a hundred similar reasons may make you consider changing the existing space into something new. And to do so, you need to start a room remodeling process.

When you begin, remember to be careful and consult a good renovation company, so other premises of your mobile home are not ruined in the future. Of course, it is better to renovate all at once and change other rooms, but sometimes the budget doesn’t allow you to do it all right away.

6. Make an Eco-Friendly Home

This is a new trend, but it becomes popular day by day. More and more people tend to become eco-friendly and protect nature in all possible ways. While some Earth inhabitants refuse to use plastic and control their water and electricity usage, others go further and remodel their homes to make them 100% eco-friendly places.

Making your home green is easier than you may think. Mostly, you will have to check the plumbing system to see if your water spending is adequate, eliminate leaks and wall cracks, and modernize your flooring, ceilings, and walls in terms of isolation. Stormproof windows and doors will also help.

7. Get Ready for the Near Future

It is something more than simply attach another purpose to your room which is what we have discussed above. Sometimes you are expecting a major event like a newborn child coming into your life or your parents moving to your home (or maybe you will retire soon, too). Another option is you are planning to move out and deciding to keep the manufactured home and make it simpler, taking away most of the things and furniture. All those events require massive changes in your mobile home interior. If we take the example with an expected kid, it is time to make your mobile home safer and think of a room for a baby where they can sleep and play. Attaching some safe sockets, doors, and windows is a must.

If you are retiring soon or your parents or grandparents are moving in, consider making your place cozier in general and maybe set a convenient porch outside. Typically, the older you get, the more time you spend at home, and your home will need to be the nicest place then.Lastly, moving out and keeping the house may mean that you are either going to rent it or travel in it. These aims demand different approaches to the remodeling process; however, remodeling is a great thing to do after you finish the relocation.

As you can see, there are many reasons why your manufactured home might need a renovation. If you are not sure what to do about it and where to pick the design ideas, we recommend checking various online resources to get inspired (for instance, Pinterest will work). Also, check out our advice below.

What to Consider When Remodeling Your Mobile Home

So, imagine that you have made this decision and you want to renovate your manufactured home as soon as possible. Where to start?

Here, we propose a plan for you that might help and make you more relaxed about this complicated procedure.

1. Choose the Areas for Renovation

You may plan to renovate parts of your home or may decide to reconstruct every single thing. This depends on the budget you have and on some other reasons. If the whole home is to be remodeled, count the money wisely and build an order in which you will proceed.

2. Think of Additional Works

When counting the budget and thinking of areas to remodel, remember there might be additional things to do: for one, if you break a wall, highly likely, this will affect the electricity system. Do not forget to include those in your plan.

3. Decide Who Will Implement the Project

There are three options: either you do it on your own or hire a team of professionals, or it is a combination of two.

The first option is less expensive; however, there are risks because you may not know all the remodeling peculiarities. The second option is more expensive but can be more reliable if you have a proven contractor that cares about its clients and wants to make them happy.

Lastly, you may have enough knowledge regarding the renovation of some areas while others require the contractor’s hand. This is a good option that allows you to get the balance of money and time spending.

4. Count the Money

After you have contacted the contractor or decided to do everything on your own, remember to finalize your budget and finally understand what you are able to do. Be realistic and try to include as many possible expenses as you can imagine, especially those that can be unexpected. Usually, when home renovation occurs, homeowners spend more than they had planned. Estimating the final budget will let you know if you are capable of implementing all your plans in life right now.

5. Start the Renovation

After all the work is done, you can begin your remodeling process. Hopefully, your mobile home will become much better, and you will enjoy the result!