Print this Page

Mobile Homes

Site Preparation, Foundation, Anchorage Requirements

Building Permits

What is required for mobile homes?

The Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie requires a Conditional Use Order, in most areas, before a Mobile Home is permitted.

In the City of Portage la Prairie, Mobile Homes are only permitted in a Mobile Home Park or in a Mobile Home Subdivision.

A Development Permit is required to situate a Mobile Home in these areas.

How do I know if my mobile home is CSA certified?

All mobile homes in Manitoba are required to be CSA certified. New mobile homes come with this certification. However, if you are dealing with an older mobile home, it may not be certified.

A certification sticker can be found on all mobile homes that are CSA certified. This sticker can usually be found near the doorway or the electrical panel. If a mobile home is not certified, an inspection must be performed by the Office of the Fire Commissioner. Contact their Winnipeg office directly.

Site Preparation

What steps must be taken during site preparation for a mobile home?

As a first step, all topsoil and organic material must be removed from the site below the mobile home location. The base of the excavated site area should then be graded from the center to the outside or from side to side, with a minimum slope of 2% to prevent water accumulation under the home. The area should then be filled with gravel or other suitable granular inorganic material to be level above the surrounding finished grade.

All backfill in the area of footings for surface foundations should be compacted. This fill should be similarly graded with a minimum slope of 2%.

A ground cover shall be placed over the entire area below the mobile home and shall extend 150 mm (6 in.) beyond the perimeter to prevent upward movement of moisture into the space beneath the home. If the ground cover cannot be one piece, the sections must be overlapped at least 100 mm (4 in.) at the joints.

Clearance

Is there a minimum clearance required under the mobile home?

Yes. A vertical clearance of at least 600 mm (24 in.) shall be maintained between the top of the finished grade under the home and the bottom of the floor joists. In homes that incorporate a lowered section (i.e. sunken living room) or where the home is installed on a sloping site, the vertical clearance between the top of the finished grade and the bottom of the joists of the lowered section shall be at least 300 mm (12 in.).

In all cases, sufficient vertical clearance shall be provided to allow ready access for servicing and replacement of heating, plumbing, and other equipment located under the home.

Foundations

Does one acceptable foundation system exist for all mobile homes?

No. Depending on the soil type and ground conditions, a number of different systems can be incorporated. Two of the more common foundation systems are the concrete block surface foundation and the wood crib surface foundation. 

Concrete Block Surface Foundation

Concrete block foundation consists of a reinforced precast concrete slab placed on top of proper base. 200 x 200 x 400 mm (8x8x16 in.) concrete blocks are then placed on the concrete slab (may require more than 1 layer of blocks). 2 layers of 400 x 400 x19 mm (16x16x3/4 in.) exterior plywood and/or 38 mm (1 1/2 in.) solid lumber are placed on top of blocks.

Wood Crib Surface Foundation

Any wood crib piers that are used should consist of sound lumber placed so that adjacent layers are at right angles to each other, with each layer nailed securely to the layer beneath it.

Anchorage

Does my mobile home require an anchoring system?

Two items to look at when anchoring a Mobile Home:
 - wind pressure for the area; and
 - the gross weight of the mobile home.

Ground anchorage is not required when it can be shown that wind pressure will not affect the mobile home. Single-wide mobile homes having a gross weight of at least 8400 kg (18,500 lbs), do not normally require additional anchorage beyond that sufficient to maintain the structural integrity of the box between the main structure frame and the foundation.

Are there any design requirements for anchorage systems?

Where ground anchors are used to resist wind forces, they should be at a sufficient depth to be free of movement from frost action. If the foundation units move upward as a result of frost action and the ground anchors resist this movement, damage to the mobile home will likely occur. Therefore, it is extremely important that a means of adjusting the anchor cable tension be provided.

Typical Anchorage Systems 

• Ground auger type anchor
• ‘Duckbill’ type anchor
• Concrete ‘deadman’

Skirting and Ventilation

Are there any requirements for the skirting around a mobile home?

Skirting should be designed to accommodate a minimum of 50 mm (2 in.) vertical movement of the soil surface due to frost action. Any part of the skirting in contact with the ground should be corrosion resistant or pressure-preservative treated. Cut ends of wood members should be brush or dip treated in accordance with the instructions of the preservative manufacturer. The exterior surface of mobile home skirting should also be painted or otherwise made resistant to the weather.

What type of ventilation is required?

When skirting is used, it must allow for year-round ventilation. This can be accomplished by installing screened louvers or grilles of at least 0.1 m sq of unobstructed venting for each 50 m sq (1 sq ft for each 500 sq ft) of floor area of the mobile home. These grilles should be uniformly spaced on each side of the mobile home.

At least one access panel of not less than 500 x 700 mm (20 x 28 in.) shall be provided in the skirting for periodic inspections and maintenance of services. This panel should be located close to sewer and water connections.

What are the requirements for any additions or accessory structures?

All additions, porches, garages and accessory structures shall be of an equivalent quality and appearance as the mobile home unit and shall complement the exterior. A building permit is required for any additions.

 

---

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this page. However, in case of a discrepancy between this information and the respective By-laws, the By-law will take precedence.

Please contact us for further information.