Manufactured Home Installations

Does a home installer need to obtain a permit? Yes/No/Maybe

The correct answer is Yes. Manufactured home installers must obtain a permit. They notify enforcement agency inspectors at least 24 hours in advance of installation and Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) or local government inspectors monitor home installations. Inspectors specifically check utility connections and the foundation. Homes have to be registered with HCD. Inspectors notify county records offices when homes are installed in parks.

Can inside natural gas lines leak when a manufactured home is delivered? Yes/No/Maybe

The correct answer is Yes. Installers perform various tests in the presence of inspectors. For instance, drinking water pipes, drain pipes, and natural gas pipes are tested for leaks. Inspectors check gas appliance vents to see that they were not dislodged during transit. Contractors test electrical wiring and power supplies for proper connections and grounding. When homes consist of multiple sections, installers examine electrical connections between the sections.

Manufactured homes cannot be installed closer than six feet to any other home? Yes/No/Maybe.

The correct answer is Maybe. HCD or local government inspectors verify the home placement. In parks constructed before September 15, 1961, manufactured homes cannot be closer than six feet to any other home or permanent building. In parks constructed after September 15, 1961 the following standards apply:

• Manufactured homes shall not be less than ten feet from a permanent building.
• One side of a home cannot be less than ten feet from the side of another unit.
• One side of a home should not be less than eight feet from the front or rear of an adjacent unit.
• The distance from the front or rear of a home to the front or rear of an adjacent unit cannot be less than eight feet.

Can manufactured homes be installed up to a lot line? Yes/No/Maybe

The correct answer is Maybe. The eave overhang of manufactured homes must be set back at least three feet from the lot lines. Homes may be installed up to a roadway or common area lot line.

Do inspectors check the roofs of manufactured homes during installation? Yes/No/Maybe.

The correct answer is Maybe. Heavy snows can damage manufactured home roofs. Homes installed in parks located in mountain areas need to withstand snow loads. HCD regulations set snow load standards by county and elevation. In most areas of California, the required roof load is twenty pounds per square foot (psf). Depending upon elevations (up to 4,000 feet) in selected counties, HCD may require roof loads of 30 psf or 60 psf. Above 4,000 ft. elevation, HCD rules require that manufactured home roofs have snow loads of 60 psf and parks have active snow removal programs.

Can newly installed manufactured homes be occupied without being inspected? Yes/No/Maybe

The correct answer is No. Manufactured homes may not be occupied unless authorized by HCD or local inspectors. HCD or enforcement agencies will issue either a Mobilehome Installation Acceptance or Certificate of Occupancy. If a manufactured home is moved, the acceptance or certificate becomes null and void.

“Mobilehome Parks and Installations.” Article 7, Sections 1324, 1326, 1328, 1330, 1338, 1338.1, 1362, and 1366.

Copyright - Carl Eric Leivo, Ph.D.

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