Renovation Advice

[jon24538]

We have purchased a mobile home that joins our property for our children, the oldest get's married in October. I have gutted the entire home except for the ceiling which is in good shape. The first thing we did was a roof over from Southern Builders (very pleased). I know some of ya'll have delt with about every area I am about to take on and would very much appreciate any advice I can get. Here's where I am at!
1. Removed all interior paneling and insulation
2. Removed all interior walls
3. Removed all flooring
4. Removed and cut out all belly/insulation (most was on the ground or gone totally)
5. Removed all plumbing pipe (not drain or vent pipes), going back with pex????
6. Ordered new replacement Low-E windows.
7. New HVAC coming including trunk line and vents.

The home is underpinned in cinderblock.
It is a 1980 Oakwood. 14x65

My next move is to try and do the floor in a good lasting way. I have full access to it from above, below is very tight and virtually impossible on one end.

I see some sharp folks here, any help or opinions are greatly appreciated.

[JD]

Hi Jon and welcome to the forum,

There really aren't any real questions in your post. It sounds like your have a good plan and yes, many of us have done these repairs before. When you get to needing details abot a repair, please ask away.

One thing that I would just offer up is to use 3/4" Stud-I-Floor, tongue and groove plywood under carpet areas. You can also use it under vinyl areas but you will need to float the plywood smooth or install underlayment over the plywood (an excellent plan). Studifloor on it's own is way too rough for vinyl flooring. The tongue and groove edges will help keep sharp edges from pushing up through the floor. Even the Sturdifloor is installed with 1/8" - 1/4" of gap for expansion. This seam will need to be floated out with floor compound.

Sturdifloor is great when it comes to subfloor seams over hvac ductwork. There are usually difficult areas to frame in. With sturdifloor, you can span over the ductowrk without additional framing. You will still need to frame the ends of the repairs and at walls usually.

[jon24538]

Thanks JD,
We do plan to use Sturdifloor. The mail living area/kitchen will all be laminate hardood. My immediate issue is insulating the floor. I have removed 100% of the flooring, insulation and belly from the home. Almost half of the home is pretty much impossible to do anything from the underside due to it being so close to the ground. I am considering using tyvec and basically boxing each joist in seperately then laying the bat in. I'm doing everything I can think of to keep critters out from under the home (screens over vents, foaming seal etc....) but I'm not sure if they got in if they would chew through the tyvec. Basically it looks like whatever I do will mostly have to be done from above before I install the sturdifloor.

Also can I level this home accurately over the floor joist before the floor is installed?

Thanks Very Much!

[Greg]

Mobiles are leveled by the frame rails, Use a water level.

You may be able to get by with insulating the skirting, It might be easier than trying to work under the home. If you don't get the bitter cold it may work for you. I am a huge fan of metal skirting, it is about bullet proof and any critter that chews through it can stay there I'm not messing with it!!!

Greg

[jon24538]

Thanks Greg!!! I have gotten in way deeper than anticipated, everything I have done has led to something else. I appreciate the advice!

[JD]

You do have a bit of a challenge with your set-up. It really is not good for your home to be close to the ground like that. Ideally, the bottom of the siding will be 28" from the ground This makes for 32"-36" skirting to the top trim. The home needs some air flow under it and as you have found out, there is a lot of service stuff that needs to be done from underneath.

In order to level the home, you would have to be able to get to and adjust the piers. The piers should not be more than 5' apart, so you should have access to the entire underside. It may be easier to check the level while the subfloors are out. You could fish the leveling tube from room to room. Hopefully, the level is good and you don't need to crawl under, but I wouldn't count on it.

[Greg S]

Having the entire floor removed would make for a good opportunity to raise the entire home a foot or two while leveling.

[Steve-WA]

Raising the whole thing is really really good advice - great idea. Jacking and adding at least a cinder block of height at each pier will give you the ventilation you need and the room under the house that you WILL eventually wish you had.

[jon24538]

Thanks Ya'll, sorry for the delayed response. I work for a power company in Va so after last weeks storm it's been a little crazy!

[Greg]

Been there, done that. Don't miss it, just the $$$$

Greg

[jon24538]

Fresh Question,
As stated earlier I have removed all insullation and belly from the home. All plumbing is being re-done in pex and a new hvac system including duct work is scheduled for next week.

I thought I had a plan for the floor. I planned to take a 10' roll of Tyvec and cut into 4-30" rolls. My plan was to cut each to length and secure them between individual floor joist. 30" would allow an overlap on both sides over the joist. I planned to secure it good on the sides and ends then lay bat in it before installing the floor.

I have since read where Tyvec will let moisture vapor pass through and then trap liquid therefore soaking the insullation.

Has any one had any experience with this or can you offer a better idea? It's really not an option to get under the upper third to do a genuine belly. The trailer has cinderblock skirting all the way around except for a 3' door on the lower end. it does have 4 vents in the block.

I realize I sound ignorant and with good reason I assure you! HA! I am trying hard to do this right so it will last for our children as they grow older. It's intended as kind of a stepping stone for them. Thank Ya'll very much!

[Greg]

[quote="jon24538"]

I realize I sound ignorant and with good reason I assure you!


"The difference between stupidity and ignorance is that ignorance is easily over come by education, Stupidity on the other hand ......."

Please ask questions, do it right the first time.

Greg

[jon24538]

Update and Question:

Update; HVAC started Thursday on total new system, went with a fully self contained for better or worse. All new Pex installed along with entirely new drain system, I didn't like the way sinks and showers dained into a small pipe that ran a good ways up the home before dropping into the main line and coming all the way back down the home.

Question; As I said before I have removed all the walls and changed up the floor plan a little. I now have the shower and toilet in it's own room with the vanity outside in the main master area. The original large round hole and roof vent for the exhaust fan will now be over the vanity and not in the room with the shower so I will need to install a fan in the shower area and pipe over to the vent. Has anyone had any experience with this and is so is there an easy convert from the large round vent down to a flex duct like the new fan will have? Also I guess I'll be needing advice on patching that hole in the ceiling after the install.

Thanks and I sure hope to be able to offer advice rather than ask for it so much as soon as the project is complete.

[UmpJJ]

We moved our MH last October and I had it set 48" off the ground so I'd have room to get under it and work with more room. Because of the height I looked for better skirting, and ended up with Rapid Wall skirting - 2" insulated vinyl - and it's great. Very strong, no blowouts, no warping, and it stands up nicely to the weed eater. Pricey - about $2100 for a 16'X80' - but no more freeze problems in the winter and a lot better on my old back when I'm crawling around under there!

UmpJJ

[jon24538]

This project is complete. I appreciate the advice given. We started with a roof over in Feb and after fighting a dead beat renter that was there was able to start on the inside on May 1st. On October 6th we walked out of a completed home, the following weekend our oldest got married and moved in!

As soon as I figure out how to post pics I will put some up, a LOT of hard work but we are proud of it.