We inspected this Mobile Home in the Fleetwood Area of Surrey recently. Mobile/Manufactured Homes are interesting to inspect – the foundations, electrical and roofing systems are completely different than a site-built home.
The unit was a small single-wide, approximately 70 ft long and clad with a metal exterior, and a metal roof. The trailer featured some newer vinyl windows – a nice upgrade from the original aluminium windows.
There were a few concerns at the exterior, particularly this exposed corner that was allowing water to enter the wall cavity from above. Flashing should be added right away to prevent further deterioration.
A covered porch / workshop had been built off the side, which was starting to deteriorate and we deemed it unsafe until the rotten framing was replaced.
The porch felt spongy when stepped on – investigation below revealed several wood posts that were rotting and needed replacement. The porch was also poorly constructed, using 2×4″ wood joists which were bowing due to lack of support.
Manufactured Homes require specialized furnaces that are rated for manufactured buildings. This furnace featured a stamp authorizing it for use in this setting. The furnace was a 1983 Intertherm that was clean and operating well.
The electric hot water tank was located in the bedroom closet. At 13 years old (and starting to corrode), it had reached the end of its expected service life. These tanks typically last 8-12 years, and the GE-brand tanks tend to fail earlier due to their poor quality control. This will cost about $800 to replace.
Overall, the home was in fair condition, and the buyers negotiated to have the hot water tank replaced and the deck repair paid for- about $3000 in savings.
Author David Fairbairn is a certified, licensed home inspector serving Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. He has been featured in the media and has contributed to "24" Newspaper, and Global TV. He has spent years working with residential and commercial building projects, and holds a Power Engineering License in BC. Why not give him a call for your next Home Inspection? Call 604 395-2795 or email david@fairbairninspections.com today!