Charlotte, NC | FHA Foundation Certifications

At Structural Design Solutions of Charlotte, we provide a variety of engineering and inspection services for Manufactured Homes (mobile homes) in and around the Charlotte, North Carolina areas.  Our inspection services are mainly focused on certifying that homes are structurally sound and meet the provisions of both FHA (Federal Housing Administration) or VA (Veterans Affairs) and HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development).  The governing document for these FHA requirements is "The Permanent Foundation Guide for Manufactured Homes (PFGMH)" or commonly referred to as the HUD Handbook 007487, dated 1996.  This handbook applies to all loans requiring HUD or FHA certification in North Carolina, including Charlotte and the surrounding areas.

A manufactured home or mobile home is commonly defined as a structure built on a permanent chassis, transportable in one or more sections that are no more than 8 feet wide and 40 feet long, or 320 square feet when erected on the site.  It is designed to be used as a dwelling and contain plumbing, heating, air-conditioning and electrical systems.  Manufactured homes do not include recreational vehicles, structures designed for temporary living, or modular homes.

Why and when is FHA or VA Certification Required for Manufactured Home?

When purchasing or selling a manufactured home in Charlotte, NC or surrounding areas it is important understand that the lenders (commonly banks) want to ensure that the structure meets a certain standard of structural stability.  In general, there are two types of requirements for manufactured homes defined as those related to the local North Carolina (NC) building codes and those necessary to meet the standards of the HUD Handbook 007487, such as FHA foundation requirements.

Today, manufactured homes, mobile homes, or double wides are set up based on the requirements stated in the local building codes governing manufactured or mobile home installation, typically the NC Building Code and other special provision by local authorities, such as Charlotte, NC.  Set-up Contractors ensure that these provisions are meet during the initial installation and placement.  This includes providing concrete footers, appropriate earth anchoring tie downs, adequately sized and spaced piers, and various other detailing requirements.  If the property is not insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or Veterans Affairs (VA), the home set up is complete.  Only when the potential buyers or current homeowners wanting to refinance require the additional assistance of an FHA or VA backed loan does the property require further attention (the property must meet the requirements of the HUD Handbook 007487).

Basic FHA qualifications of manufactured homes in NC (General FHA Qualifications)

• Manufactured or mobile home must be double wide
• Manufactured home must be constructed AFTER June 15, 1976
• The mobile home cannot have been moved more than once (only moved from the dealership to the current piece of land)
• Flood Insurance - No part of the finished grade level under the home can be below the 100 year flood level
• Tie Downs (Earth Anchors) - The manufactured home or mobile home (double wide) must have an acceptable number of tie downs, usually the number is eight
• Additions are allowed! However, they must have been permitted additions
• Working farms are not allowed
• Manufactured home must comply with the general FHA requirements and PASS a structural engineering foundation review and certification based on the HUD Handbook 007487, The Permanent Foundation Guide for Manufactured Homes, 1996.  This document outlines the FHA Foundation Requirements, which are in addition to the local NC building code provisions

Things to know about FHA Foundation Certification & Inspection of Charlotte, NC

• Engineering (FHA) foundation certification and inspection (HUD) required on all manufactured or mobile home loans backed by the FHA and VA
• FHA Foundation Certification and inspection certifies that the home meets a certain standard of structural stability and assures that it is permanently affixed to the ground and cannot be moved
• Always add a little extra on the max LTV financing in case FHA foundation upgrades are required
• Engineering FHA foundation inspection and certification for manufactured homes should be performed by a licensed structural engineer in the state of NC, who practices in the Charlotte and surrounding areas of North Carolina
• VA and FHA foundation requirements in North Carolina (NC) are both based on the HUD Handbook 007487 (The Permanent Foundation Guide for Manufactured Homes, 1996).  Therefore, the engineering requirements for VA and FHA foundation certifications are similar.

Other cities and FHA Foundation Requirements: Gastonia, Shelby, Lincolnton, Hickory, and Surrounding Areas

The HUD foundation requirements for manufactured homes to PASS the structural engineering FHA certification are statewide.  In other words, the HUD and FHA foundation requirements for manufactured or mobile homes do not change based on the county or city.  The FHA requirements stated above are directly applicable to the surrounding areas of Charlotte, NC, including but not limited to Gastonia, Shelby, Lincolnton, and Hickory.