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Basements and manufactured or modular Homes

Slab used when a basement is desired.


The first thing you will need to know about basements for manufactured homes is that they are expensive. Usually, the cost of the basement will be almost as much as the cost of the home itself. The reason for this is that they need to be built stronger and reinforced better than they would have to be for a site-built home. The weight of a manufactured home is greater than a comparably sized site-built home due to the steel framing needed for its transportation.


Courtesy of MHI Manufactured homes can be craned or rolled onto the basement. Craning the home onto the basement is usually easier but is more expensive because of the cost of the crane. A perimeter frame is not necessary but is recommended because it distributes the weight more evenly and does not put all the weight on the I-beams.

Basement walls and footings must be designed and constructed to meet local soil conditions, energy and building codes. Consult your local building codes for concrete construction and steel reinforcement requirements.

There can also be drainage pipes needed as well as coarse gravel under the slab for drainage purposes. The walls will have to be coated and sealed to prevent seepage from ground water. The number of central support columns will be determined by the size of the home. Once again, local building codes will have to be met.

We have never heard of anyone putting a singlewide on a basement. They are not offered with a perimeter frame and the usuable space in such a small area would be very minimal at best. The cost-effectiveness of such a small space would probably be undesirable as well. In other words, it's probably just not worth the effort.
