Building around a single wide

[Jon mackay]

I came across a house that started as a single wide trailer.
One side wall of the single wide was remaoved and now there is framing all around the trailer except for the rear end of the trailer which is now enclosed in the garage area.

I was unable to view much of the structure but did notice some settlement cracking at the center walls around 1/8" (this is where the trailer wall was removed).

Are there any issues with doing this? I have not seen this type of construction before.

[John Kogel]

Yes there can be many issues like weak construction - resting additional framing on thin mobile walls, poor insulation, aluminum branch circuits with copper extensions, uneven settling, drafty seams, etc.

The big issue is whether it is being sold as an old mobile with an addition -maybe OK, or as a new home period - definitely not OK. Where I live, all mobiles have a registration #, which must appear on the title.

[John Kogel]

I dug up some pics to illustrate some things I've found. The roof in the first pic is well supported, but that wall is the original 2" trailer wall. Second pic, under that blown-in insulation, an aluminum shell. Thrid pic, new floor meets old 1970's plywood.
Another issue with old trailers, the outlet boxes can be too shallow for additional wire splices.
Look for a date stamped inside the original electrical panel. Another place I've found dates is on the timber stamp if you can find some original framing. Hope this helps.

[Mike Truss Guy]

Another trailer mansion...

http://www.furniturestoreblog.com/image/Trailer%20Mansion.jpg