There are several reasons why most folks choose to remodel their mobile homes. You may want to increase its property value for sale, improve the home’s aesthetic appeal or feel more comfortable in your home. However, hiring experts for a professional mobile home remodel can end up costing you an arm and a leg. That’s why we’ve written up this quick guide to mobile home remodeling.
Get your hands dirty
Renovating a mobile home by yourself ensures you give it a more personalized touch tailored to suit your tastes and preferences. Just like any other construction work, mobile home remodeling requires a substantial budget to achieve your desired results. Plan ahead so that your expectations don’t exceed the resources at your disposal. It’s always a good idea to factor in some extra cash to cover any unforeseen expenses that could arise.
There are a few tricks used by Do It Yourself experts that can be helpful for those on a tight budget. One of these includes exploring competitively priced purchase options for items you need. This includes buying used pieces that are still in good condition as opposed to expensive brand new ones. Also, keep an eye on hardware store sales and clearance sections. Using last season’s models can help lower your costs too.
When planning your remodel, make sure to go through each part of your home. Changing out your floor tiling, removing walls, installing wallpaper or wood paneling, adding cabinets or changing the ceiling heights can all enhance visual appeal. You may also consider changing out fixtures such as doorknobs, handles, and faucets for added appeal.
Mr. mobile home owner, tear down that wall!
Mobile home remodeling more often than not involves tampering with existing walls. The primary objective is to open up tight spaces and freshen up your interior design. You can also remove walls to transform a single unit into a double-wide mobile home.
Instead of tearing down, you could also consider adding to your walls. A majority of mobile home owners remodel walls by providing extra padding on the existing surface. Doing this creates better insulation to manage heat loss. Using more soundproof material can decrease noise levels. A common insulator in use by most is the R11 insulation.
Here’s how you would install insulating material such as the R11:
- Remove the old paneling with the help of a claw hammer or a pry bar and a cordless drill to remove screws.
- Run the R11 insulation over the wall trying not to interfere with the existing insulation to avoid destroying electrical wires.
- Next, affix the insulation all around with a heavy duty stapler.
- Seal every seam with Duct tape at the adjoining edges of the R11 insulation to prevent any heat escape.
- Lastly, cut a piece of sheetrock to fit the space and screw it to the studs before taping it to block any spaces.
Wood paneling is another section that you should tackle during mobile home remodeling. You can either remove the existing panel completely or polish the existing one. Varied improvements include treating the existing panels to expose wood grain features, applying paint, and even greasing for a glossier look.
It’s all in the details
When it comes to fixtures and fittings, mobile homeowners will have their choice of fine details to decorate their home. Some commonly overlooked details are choosing knobs, door handles, and faucets that complement the surrounding features in your home. To cut on costs, you can try shopping around for better bargains from other mobile home owners who have undertaken recent renovations.
Your ceiling needs attention too!
You’ll dampen your mobile improvement if that unsightly patchy, rotting, sagging and leaky ceiling isn’t taken care of. Besides the beauty effect, ceilings can pose a health risk if mold and harmful fungi begin to breed.
To address the saggy look, consider using stained boards to push the ceiling panels symmetrically along the seams. You can follow the steps here for a complete repair. If the ceiling is damaged beyond repair, consider overhauling the whole ceiling or embarking on the tedious task of finding a matching tile to replace it.
Think outside the box with mobile home remodeling
Space permitting, a screened-in porch is a brilliant mobile home remodeling idea. Above and beyond the extra living space this creates, a porch is perfect for outdoor gigs and barbecues as your guests savor the scenic surroundings.
Get started!
Mobile home remodeling doesn’t always require a sledgehammer to make drastic improvements to your home. However, it’s important that you begin with the largest projects first so that you can complete them on-budget. Your kitchen and bathroom are some of the most important rooms to consider remodeling because of their frequent use, but remodeling your living room can really change your home’s feel. Get started with these tips today and enjoy transforming your mobile home.
About Dan Leighton
