Leveling Prefabricated Homes During On-Site Construction

https://www.claytonhomes.com/studio/how-are-mobile-homes-leveled

Learn how manufactured homes are leveled and what needs to be done to re-level a home!

One of the most important stages during the on-site construction of a Clayton Built® manufactured home is the leveling. This happens once your home has been delivered to your home site and has been positioned onto the prefabricated home foundation. The leveling process insures that the weight of the home is equally distributed and helps to ensure the floors are level across the entire home, even if your home is set across a piece of land with varying elevations.

How a manufactured home is leveled

With access to the crawl space, the installation contractor will typically use a construction water level to ensure that the home is level from pier to pier if your home is set on a pier and beam foundation.* If adjustments are needed, the contractor will make appropriate modifications until they can confirm that the home is completely level.

*Leveling processes may vary depending on the contractor and foundation system the home is placed on.

What impacts leveling?

Although there are several different types of manufactured home foundations, the leveling process remains the same for each foundation. However, there are variations with land that can impact the leveling. One end of your home may need to have the foundation elevated for it to be level. For example, if your manufactured home is going to be placed on a hill, then one side of your foundation may need to be lifted higher to be level with the other side of the home.

Leveling a Single Wide vs. Leveling a Double Wide

During the leveling process, there’s not much difference when it comes to single wide and double wide homes. The main difference is that the first section of a double wide home must be leveled first before the second section can be connected. Once the sections are joined, the second section is “racked” which means it is shifted up and down and side to side until it is properly connected where the two sections meet.

How to Check if a Home is Level

As a home settles over time, it’s possible that it could become unlevel.  Signs that your home may need to be re-leveled can be cracks in the skirting, floors or walls. If a you suspect your  prefabricated home requires re-leveling,  you should  contact a local professional who can safely and properly inspect your home. However, a professional can check to make sure your manufactured home is level by using the following steps:

1. Wear proper safety gear and have someone stand outside the crawlspace until you exit the crawlspace.
2. Remove the skirting of your home and get into the crawlspace.
3. Starting at the center of the support beam, use a water level to check the alignment of your home.
4. Use chalk, a pencil or something similar to mark each area that isn’t level.

The professional who inspect your home for leveling issues should also be able to correct and relevel your home.

Hiring a Professional to Level a Manufactured Home

Although leveling or re-leveling a home may sound simple, it can actually be complicated and dangerous, which is why only a professional local contractor should be used to relevel a home. Not only will a professional contractor be experienced and knowledgeable, but they will also have the proper equipment. Hiring a professional can also help prevent future leveling issues because they will make sure the job is done properly.

Making sure that a prefabricated home is level is important for the durability and safety of your home. You can learn more about how Clayton Built® prefabricated homes are built and set up in the Learn section of Claytonhomes.com!