Can You Put A Modular Home On A Basement?
If you are looking to purchase a modular home, you may be curious if you can have a basement underneath it.
Basement space gives you extra storage space and room for entertainment.
Can You Put A Modular Home On A Basement?
When thinking about basements, you may wonder can you put a modular home on a basement, and the answer is yes.
A basement can be built under any house.
There are guidelines in the HUD code that help to create safe basements for all of your needs.
The Benefits of A Basement
There are many benefits of a modular home basement, and they include:
Extra storage space
No matter how big your modular home is, you always need more storage space.
Recreational space
Having a basement can also give you a great recreational space. You can put game space, television space, and toy space in your new basement.
Personal gym
If you want to have workout equipment like a treadmill, exercise bike, and more, a basement is a perfect spot for them.
You will be able to exercise in peace without having to deal with being interrupted or having equipment all over your home.
Extra living space
You may get a basement added to your home for extra living space.
If you have more children or you have a family member that needs to come to live with you, this will give you much-needed space.
Hobby space
If you have a hobby or even a side business, a basement can be a great location for you to do your crafting and not worry about pets or your children messing with your crafting materials.
Storm shelter
If you live in an area that is prone to severe weather, having a storm shelter is an excellent idea.
Your basement is the best location when severe weather strikes.
Increasing Your Home’s value
Adding a basement can increase the value of your home. This could be a huge selling feature if you ever decide to sell your home.
Things You Need To Know About Modular Home Basements
When learning about can you have a basement under a modular home, you will find that you can indeed add a basement, but there are several things that will need to be done when building that basement.
1. The Shape of the Land
When getting a basement put in, placement will be different depending on the land that you have.
For example, if your land has a lot of hills in it, and you want your home to sit on a raised section, the installed look may be different than it would have been if you installed the basement and house on a flat piece of land.
2. Building Codes
It is imperative to check out your area building codes before adding your basement.
Building codes will be the same whether or not you are living in a stick-built home or a modular home.
You will need to make sure that you follow the rules of egress allowed in your basement. This is especially true if you want to have a bedroom or bathroom in your basement.
3. The Total Cost
You will want to consider the total cost of your basement project. You will need a lot of materials, including cinder blocks, steel beams, concrete, and more.
You will also need to consider how much it will be to dig up the dirt and remove it from your site.
You do not want to get into a situation where you start the project and then run out of funds. Your contractor can work with you on creating a budget for this project.
4. The Logistics
In order to have the best basement possible, you need to go with a contractor.
While it is possible to build your own basement, you would have to have the skills in building the basement, electrical and more.
There are also many different codes that you will have to follow.
If you are caught doing your own basement without following these codes, you could get into some serious trouble.
Not only could you get into trouble with your local code enforcement, but you can also create an unsafe space.
For example, if you do something wrong with a wall that is bearing the weight of the house, you could do some serious damage and even put lives at risk.
Finding a reliable contractor that can help you with all the logistics of this basement build is imperative.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to find a basement building contractor?
If you want to have a basement added on, you can first ask the manufacturer of your modular home who they recommend.
Chances are they know a company that does all their basement building for them.
If they do not have one, you can go online and look for a contractor that does basement building in your area.
When looking at a contractor, you will want to make sure that you read reviews for them. This will help you to get a good feel for the company.
What size basement can I have?
This will depend on several factors that include the size of your land, the shape of your land, rules about how far you can go past the frost line, and your own personal preferences.
Your contractor can help you to determine what size basement you can safely have.
Can I finance a basement build?
In some cases, you may be able to finance your basement build-in with the purchase of your modular home.
If this is not the case, you can look at getting a loan to cover the build.
Just make sure that you check out the monthly payments and see if it is something you can afford.
Can I have a bathroom in my modular home basement?
Yes, you can. It will need to be put in by a licensed plumbing company to ensure that everything is done correctly.
Final Thoughts
You can most definitely build a modular home on top of a basement. It will just take some planning and the use of a reliable building contractor.
They will be able to help you create an extra space that you can entertain in, store things in, and have protection during severe weather.
