Whether you’re buying a modular home or building your own, getting your lot ready is an important part of the process. We’ve helped thousands of customers set up their home sites in order to take delivery of their new home, and we want to help you too! To make sure you get off on the right foot with your delivery we’ve put together this helpful guide on how to prepare your lot for a modular home. Just follow these simple steps and soon you’ll be ready to roll in that brand new modular or manufactured home!
Planning Your New Home Site
If you’re planning on taking delivery of your home on a new site, first determine if your property is right for a modular home. A new site means it may be necessary to have power and water service lines installed, as well as determine how to access your new home. If you’re developing land, it may be necessary to obtain permits from town or city councils before any work can begin. Our home specialists can help walk you through the entire process.
Create Clearance Areas
To accommodate delivery and access around your home, we recommend clearing an area at least 4 feet wide around your home site. The space needed to deliver each home is 24×80 access for a 20×76 home and 20×80 access for a 16×76 home. You may also want to remove any trees or shrubs near your entryway so the home can be easily delivered on your lot.
Types of Foundations
Residential modular homes typically include one of three types of foundations: a wood block foundation, cement piles or a cement foundation. If you’re not familiar with these terms, don’t worry; we’ll break it down for you. These options are safe and effective ways to secure your new home, but they do have their differences. Before installing any foundation, our home specialists will help you to determine which works best for your site, weather conditions, soil quality and other factors. To make sure you make an informed decision about your lot preparation, let’s cover them in more detail below.
Wood Blocks
Best Buy Homes can provide CSA approved wood block piles as the most common and economical option for a foundation. As part of the delivery process, wood blocks are installed over a gravel pad. Wood piles do not require as much prep work like concrete piers do because they allow some flexibility in where you can place them before actually setting them into place. These durable wood block piles hold the house as our setup team levels the home on them.
Cement Piles
Cement pilings cost more initially but they hold up better over time. When using cement piers, it is important that they be properly dug out and set in concrete below ground level so that there is no movement under pressure over time which will weaken its structural integrity.
Cement Foundation or Basement
Choosing between a concrete foundation or a basement? It may seem like an easy decision but it can be more complicated than you think. In general, concrete foundations are less expensive and easier to construct, whereas a basement is more expensive and harder to build, but it gives you more room. The important thing is that you choose what makes sense for your lifestyle and family so you’re ready to take delivery of your new home without any surprises. Basements are only available on select multi-section homes. Be sure to contact your home specialist about homes with “basement access.”
We can assist you with exploring options for setting piles or a more traditional cement foundation. Contact a home specialist today.
Finding a Tradesperson
When considering how to prepare your Lot for a Modular Homeyour mobile home, it’s important to talk with us about exactly what you need, especially when it comes to electrical and plumbing hookups. You’ll also need a qualified tradesperson on site who can make sure your septic tank (for sewage) and well (for water) are connected correctly. When hiring someone to do work on your home, make sure they are licensed in your province and that their license is active. If possible, ask if they have worked with modular homes before or look to your home specialist to provide local contacts.
Connecting to Utilities
Before you can take delivery of your new home, there are several things you’ll need to do. The first step is connecting to utility services in your community. Contacting your RM or modular home community manager will help you through that process by pointing out utility lines in your lot and educating you on how they get hooked up. It may seem like an insignificant detail, but it’s one of many steps that help ensure everything goes smoothly when it comes time for move-in day.
PLUMBING
Our homes include all sinks, toilets, tubs, fixtures water heater, and hook ups for laundry. Arrangements must be made with a qualified plumber to connect the home to the fresh water and sewer system. This is a fairly easy task, but a plumber must do the work. On average, the cost of this set up is $1,500 – $4,000.
ELECTRICAL
Similar to plumbing, a qualified electrician will be required to connect your home to existing power systems on your property.
Checklist
• Provide a site plan before delivery is scheduled
– Measurements of the driveway, road, and ditches must be included
• Provide site photos
– Minimum of 10 photos must include road to driveway, driveway, approach to home site, pad, trees and buildings near site.
• Please make sure the site is accessible
– 24×80 access for a 20×76 home and 20×80 access for a 16×76 home
– Trees and any other objects in the way of the home must be removed.
• The pad needs to be at least 4” higher than the surrounding area, and should consist of crushed gravel.
– Piers and piles cannot be higher than 16”
• Footings need to be back filled.
• Installation of holding tanks
• Trenches and septic fields should occur after the home is situated on site.
– Any trenches under the home should run perpendicular to the length of the home (across the width).
Summary
Preparing your lot for a modular home is one of those necessary components that can be broken down into simple steps. Feel free to contact your home specialist at any point to help answer questions or provide you recommendations for tradespeople. As long as you follow our advice, you’ll be on your way to enjoying all of those comforts of home soon! Good luck!
Get your full guide on what to expect when you’re expecting a home by downloading this free PDF: