Archive for Manufactured Home inspection

4 Compelling Reasons to Hire Manufactured Home Inspection Inc.

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Whether you’re selling a home or buying one, home inspections play a vital role in helping you reach a decision. At Manufactured Home Inspection Inc. We provide comprehensive home inspection services in San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange County California.

If you are considering buying or selling a manufactured or moving home in the near future, here are 4 undeniable reasons to get in touch with us.

The Process

We follow procedure as listed in Title 25 – the law that regulates the health and safety prerequisites for the inspection process of manufactured and mobile homes in the state of California. The extensive guidelines ensure we extend quality inspections for each home we commit to.

We don’t just follow the laws and regulations, but also make conscious efforts towards staying abreast with its latest changes and updates. This allows us to put our best foot forwards when inspecting homes.

The Experience

Manufactured Home Inspection Inc. is a family run business that has been serving the residents of southern California for more than 3 decades. We cater to a wide range of clients which include independent home owners, home dealers, and popular names like Bear Flag and Monarch.

We’re Licensed and Insured

We hold a C47 specialty license as General Contractor in California. This automatically makes us adhere to the stringent standards imposed by the legislature. Also, since we are insured, you as our client do not have to worry about coverage for mishaps that may occur on the course of home inspection.

Affordability

We quote competitive prices for our services that are decided based on the custom services you wish to avail. You can obtain an estimated price for your project from us anytime without any additional costs. For a simple home inspection, you have to pay just $250 to avail our services.

That’s not all; we also cater to the home setups, repair and remodeling requests from our clients. It doesn’t matter whether it’s manufactured or moving; new or used – we will set it up, repair or remodel, and inspect it tailored to your specifications.

 

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What is the Life Expectancy of Manufactured Homes?

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Today’s manufactured homes have a life expectancy of 30 to 55 years, depending on the level of maintenance, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Although that maybe a true lifespan estimate, but there are a number of variables other than owner care that will affect how long a mobile home lasts:

  1. The HUD projection was based on today’s standards for mobile home construction. They established a nationwide building code for manufactured homes in 1976, and have ratcheted up the construction standards every few years since then. Newer homes are built to be more windstorm and fire resistant, along with other requirements that make the homes sturdier overall.
  2. While an aging mobile home may still be habitable, there are several downsides to continuing to maintain it. Lack of adequate insulation is one problem. Older mobiles are notorious for high utility bills during the winter heating or sweltering summer seasons. Many have 60 or 100-amp electric panels, which are marginally adequate for today’s higher electric usage. Also, the floor plans often feel cramped by modern standards, with narrow hallways and tiny bathrooms.
  3. The budget models that offered lots of square footage at an amazingly low price when they were originally purchased will not last as long the more expensive, better quality homes. Lower-priced mobile homes can start to show signs of age within 10 years if poorly maintained. To understand how to tell the difference between the several levels of quality of mobile home construction.
  4. The conditions at the homesite also affect the longevity of a manufactured home. If the home is installed over ground that is wet for part of the year or the site is not graded so that rainwater will flow away from the home on all sides and it’s prone to puddling water under the home, then moisture will begin to deteriorate the underside of the home prematurely, especially if the bellyboard has been torn open in places. Homes built during the 1980s with fiber-board siding are especially vulnerable to high moisture. To find out how to avoid the mold and wood rot that result from a wet site or other moisture-intrusion problems.
  5. Remodeling an older mobile home can be a sensible strategy for extending its life, especially if a large part of the budget goes to roofing, siding, insulation, windows, and interior upgrades that will improve both the weather-tightness and livability of the home. For more on remodeling.

In summary, selecting a better quality manufactured home and careful maintenance of both the home and its site are the keys to reaching the 50+ years of longevity for your mobile home that HUD predicts.

For more information about scheduling a home inspection please call us (714) 353-1360 or contact us online 

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10 Very Important Questions to Ask Your Home Inspector

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1. What does your inspection cover?

The inspector should ensure that their inspection and inspection report will meet all applicable requirements in your state if applicable and will comply with a well-recognized standard of practice and code of ethics. You should be able to request and see a copy of these items ahead of time and ask any questions you may have. If there are any areas you want to make sure are inspected, be sure to identify them upfront.

2. How long have you been practicing in the home inspection profession and how many inspections have you completed?

The inspector should be able to provide his or her history in the profession and perhaps even a few names as referrals. Newer inspectors can be very qualified, and many work with a partner or have access to more experienced inspectors to assist them in the inspection.

3. Are you specifically experienced in residential inspection?

Related experience in construction or engineering is helpful, but is no substitute for training and experience in the unique discipline of home inspection. If the inspection is for a commercial property, then this should be asked about as well.

4. Do you offer to do repairs or improvements based on the inspection?

Some inspector associations and state regulations allow the inspector to perform repair work on problems uncovered in the inspection. Other associations and regulations strictly forbid this as a conflict of interest.

5. How long will the inspection take?

The average on-site inspection time for a single inspector is two to three hours for a typical single-family house; anything significantly less may not be enough time to perform a thorough inspection. Additional inspectors may be brought in for very large properties and buildings.

6. How much will it cost?

Costs vary dramatically, depending on the region, size and age of the house, scope of services and other factors. A typical range might be $300-$500, but consider the value of the home inspection in terms of the investment being made. Cost does not necessarily reflect quality.

7. What type of inspection report do you provide and how long will it take to receive the report?

Ask to see samples and determine whether or not you can understand the inspector’s reporting style and if the time parameters fulfill your needs. Most inspectors provide their full report within 24 hours of the inspection.

8. Will I be able to attend the inspection?

This is a valuable educational opportunity, and an inspector’s refusal to allow this should raise a red flag. Never pass up this opportunity to see your prospective home through the eyes of an expert.

9. Do you maintain membership in a professional home inspector association?

There are many state and national associations for home inspectors. Request to see their membership ID, and perform whatever due diligence you deem appropriate.

10. Do you participate in continuing education programs to keep your expertise up to date?

One can never know it all, and the inspector’s commitment to continuing education is a good measure of his or her professionalism and service to the consumer. This is especially important in cases where the home is much older or includes unique elements requiring additional or updated training.

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Mobile Home and Manufactured Home Repairs

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When you are planning to buy a mobile home or manufactured home, it is Highly recommended that you get a Health and safety Inspection before closing escrow. From the outward appearance, the used mobile home or manufactured home you are buying, may appear perfectly fine. The problem is, what you can’t see.

I have many examples of new home owners that decided not to have an inspection, only to discover shortly after moving in that they need all new plumbing or they need a new roof. These type of repairs can add up to thousands of dollars. To replumb an entire mobile home can cost anywhere form $2500 to $6000 depending on who you ask. A new roof can be just as expensive, if not more. These unseen items are exactly why you want a professional mobile home/ manufactured home inspector to take a look before making that final decision.

So what happens after you received a home inspection and there is a long list of repairs to be made? Who pays for these repairs and how much will the repairs cost? Well, that is exactly why more buyers and sellers choose our manufactured home inspection service over our competition. We include photos of all the repairs required to bring the home up to Title 25 health and safety standards. Next to each photo, we include estimated cost of repairs. These costs are crucial when you are negotiating the final selling price of your home. We are the only mobile home inspector to offer estimated repair costs in our inspection report and this is one reason the mobile home agents continue to use our services.

Once you receive your mobile home inspection report with photos and estimate cost of repairs, where do you find a contractor to do the actual repairs? Once again, that is the advantage of using our company. We are a licensed mobile home specialist who can do all the repairs included in your report. We will do the repairs for the estimated cost that is quoted in your inspection report. Not only can we do the repairs, but many times we can do them before escrow closes. Mobile home sales people request our services again and again, because we are able to perform the inspection and the reports in a timely manner.

An additional value added service that we offer to mobile home buyers, is a complete remodeling quote at no charge.Lets say you are thinking about buying a mobile home, but you want to know how much it will cost to demo and install a whole new kitchen. Maybe you want to remove the carpet and install all new laminate floors. Many times buyers want to drywall over the existing panel walls, add crown molding and recessed lighting. We can offer a free estimate for these items before you make your purchase decision.

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Buying a Mobile Home and What to Look For

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Buying a mobile home in 2013 is the right choice. Many “Baby Boomers” are discovering that the 4 bedroom house and large mortgage payment are just too much too maintain. When all of your kids have moved out of your home, finished college and started families of their own, maybe its time to consider downsizing to a mobile home?
My father and I have combined experience in the mobile home industry of more than 50 years.I personally have inspected thousands of mobile homes and have recently been seeing more and more people getting ready for retirement and discovering that buying a mobile or manufactured home is the right choice. With space rent averaging somewhere between $600 and $1500 per month, you are nearly guaranteed low rent as you advance into your golden years.
Mobile homes are selling for 1/3 the price they were selling for in 2008. I am seeing doublewide mobile homes in Huntington Beach sell for $30,000 and less. Of course, some of these homes may be outdated in appearance, but if the bones are good, remodeling is fairly inexpensive. The key to buying a mobile home is making sure these items are in good shape:
1) Roof
2) Plumbing
3) Electrical
4) Piers and pads
5) Windows
6) Siding/Skirting
7) Furnace/AC

If these items are in good shape, then a little paint, some new floors and possibly new appliances will make a huge difference. I look at mobile and manufactured homes everyday, that’s all I inspect. I look at 1970’s mobile homes all the way to the new triplewide 2013 mobile homes. I pretty much see the same problems occurring again and again. These are the most regular problems I see as a mobile home inspector.

1) mobile home water heater needs earthquake straps
2) mobile home missing smoke detectors or carbon monoxide detectors
3) Leaks under the mobile home in bathroom or kitchen areas
4) dead rodents under manufactured home due to improperly sealed perimeter
5) mobile home has soft floors near toilets and high moisture areas
6) mobile home has ceiling stains near roof vents
7) mobile home lights not working
8) mobile home outlets not working
9) mobile doors not shutting properly
10) mobile home has low water pressure

These are all fairly inexpensive things to fix if caught early. But if these problems are not corrected early enough, then the problems just gets worse. The great thing about having a mobile home inspection done before you buy a home, you can negotiate with the seller to have these items repaired before you move in!! Thats much better than moving in and being faced with a major water leak after escrow has closed. Our fee for a Manufactured or mobile home inspection is a flat fee of $200 which includes a 9 page report with photos. 90% of the time I find more than $1000 in repairs that are negotiable before the home closes escrow. Now you tell me if it’s worth it?

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About our Mobile Home Inspection Process

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My name is Jerry McKinish and I am your Manufactured Home Inspector. Our business is a Father son business which has an accumulation of over 30 years in the mobile and manufactured home business. My father started working on mobile homes long ago with his C47 license which allows him to specialize in Mobile home and manufactured home repairs. Not long there after, he also received his B, General Contractors license which allows him to work on single family residences as well. My father and I have worked together in this business since I was old enough to work. We have built some solid relationships with mobile home dealers like Monarch, Advantage, OC Mobile Homes, Wallace homes, Blue Carpet, Sunrise, Strictly Mobiles, Heritage and J&R. Our Manufactured Home Inspection Business has been so successful all these years because we are honest, trustworthy and objective. We approach every manufactured home inspection as if it was our own mother who was buying it.

Our extensive Manufactured Home Inspection takes between an hour and an hour and a half. We start on the outside of the manufactured home by inspecting the siding , the skirting, the windows, driveways, awnings, shed, electrical outlets, lights, utilities, water heater closet, furnace, AC, gutters, downspout, roof, vents, porch, steps and doors. We then enter the home and inspect all plumbing, faucets, drains, outlets, lights, appliances, walls, ceilings, doors, windows, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, electrical panel, showers, baths and flooring materials. When the interior and exterior inspection has been completed, do a crawl space inspection or under carriage inspection. This is when we put on the coveralls and get dirty. When we go under the home we look for damaged bellyboard and insulation, rusted piers, missing piers, cracked piers, improper electrical, plumbing leaks, duct work, dryer vent connection, axles, earthquake bracing, vapor barrier, tie downs and marriage piers.

When your extensive manufactured home inspection is complete, we will email you 20-40 photos of what we discovered. these photos will have complete descriptions of what the problem was and how it relates to Title 25 of the Health and safety code. Within 24-48 hours, we will type an extensive 9 page report which details every little thing I just discussed. Once you have this report in hand, you can enter negotiations with the mobile home seller to see how these repairs will be completed. When all is said and done, $200 is a very small price to pay to have such an extensive and objective analysis of your manufactured home.

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Top 10 Reasons to Complete a Mobile Home Inspection

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If you are interested in buying a mobile home, manufactured home or modular home in the near future, there is one thing that is very important to do before closing escrow- GET A MOBILE HOME INSPECTION!! Why you ask? There are several reasons to get a mobile home inspection, here is a list of the top 10 reasons every mobile home buyer should get their prospective home inspected.

  1. Know what you are buying- A mobile home inspection is a detailed report with photos that lists any possible problem with your home. From plumbing to Roofing, dont you think you should know what you are buying?
    mobile home inspectors

    plumbing leak

  2. Be Safe- There may actually be a gas leak or rotten porch or electrical hazard that you are unaware of. Let a professional, mobile home inspector, inspect your home to give you the assurance you need.
  3. Negotiate the purchase price- If you have a mobile home inspection and the estimated cost of repairs is $1000 or more, this is something that needs to be discussed before closing escrow. You may be entitled to a discount on the purchase price.
  4. Prevent future problems- There may be a problem lurking in your new mobile home that the seller may not even be aware of. Many times larger problems can be prevented if small problems are taken care of soon enough.
  5. Save Money- If you purchase a mobile home before having an inspection, then you own the problems that come with it.
  6. Educate yourself- If you have never owned a mobile home or manufactured home before, you may not understand how they are built and problems that regularly occur with mobile homes. Meeting with a licensed mobile home inspector will offer you the opportunity to learn about what it is you are getting into.
  7. Know whats possible- Meeting with a professional Manufactured Home Inspector will give you the opportunity to ask about kitchen remodel ideas or bathroom remodel ideas. It’s best to know what the possibilities are from the start.
  8. Get it fixed first- If problems are discovered during the extensive mobile home inspection, you can negotiate with the seller to have these problems all fixed before moving in. Thats a stress reliever!
  9. Dont buy a lemon- It may just be that there are many more problems with the mobile home than you had expected. It may just be better to find a better home with less problems.
  10. Peace of Mind- For an inspection fee of only $200, the cost is minimal compared to the peace of mind you will have once the mobile home inspection report is in your hands!
    hidden leak under mobile home

    under carriage leak

 

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Are you seeking a Mobile Home Inspector in Orange County California?

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Are you seeking a Mobile Home Inspector in Orange County California?

Look no further. Manufactured Home Inspection has been in this business for over 30 years. Founded by Mr. Clyde Jerry McKinish, he puts his reputation on the line every single day when visiting a home for inspection. Referred by many Mobile Home Sales Agents like Blue Carpet, Advantage, Monarch, Heritage Homes, J&R Homes, Strictly Mobiles, OC Mobile Homes, Wallace Homes, First Team and Bear Flag, our Mobile Home inspections are affordable and extensive. After we visit the mobile home and conduct a thorough one hour to one and half hour inspection, we return to the office and transcribe the notes into a professionally type written mobile home inspection report which highlights any outstanding health and safety repairs that need to be done. This report can be used during escrow as it may be required to finalize the sale of the home.

There may be other mobile home inspectors in the area, but Manufactured Home Inspection is an licensed mobile home inspector, that you could trust when it comes to your mother or grandmother. Our inspections take elderly needs into consideration and we check for tripping hazards, roof leaks, plumbing leaks, leveling issues, proper ventilation, smoke detectors, electrical outlets, furnace AC, stove and oven. All of these items are reported in our in depth overview for you to keep.

We welcome new customers and strive to make all clients into satisfied clients. To schedule an appointment, please call Jerry McKinish Jr. on his direct line Now. 714-353-1360

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