Manufactured Home Fixtures and Appliances | TMH 005
While reading up on a prospective purchase of a manufactured home (MH), and researching materials for my last post (Manufactured Homes and Germane Materials 01: General | TMH 004), google threw up articles on “How To Replace Mobile Home Windows,” “How To Replace Mobile Home Doors,” and “How To Remodel a Mobile Home Kitchen.” This made me wonder if the windows in a MH are different from those in a conventional home? What about appliances? Bathtubs? Could doors really be different? The answer is - wait for it - MAYBE! Yeah, that seems to be answer to just about every question I have ever had about MHs.
So, I’m going to go over fixtures (physical property that is attached to a home or MH) and appliances. If I need to, there will be a follow up entry going into more detail about a given fixture or appliance in the future, but right now I think one entry should cover it. I’m going to talk about Doors, Windows, Bathrooms, and then Appliances.
Doors | Standard door height, on a conventional home or really anywhere, is 80” (6’-8”). In a MH of today the most common door size is 32” X 76” - that is 2’-8” x 6’-4”. Older MHs can have even smaller doors which can be as short as 72” - that is only 6’-0” tall. Also, there are heights in between, and some doors may actually be 80”. Replacement of a door is relatively simple and inexpensive (based on the door you choose), replacement of a door to a larger size is not as simple and not as inexpensive. One last consideration is that a MH door may not be made out of wood. It could be made of metal, or even fiberglass - which is something to research if you are planning on painting your door.
Windows | Window in MHs aren’t usually anything odd, but their size may be. They can be smaller than what you would find in a conventional home, and may be non-standard sizes. This can make window replacement costly because you may not be able to find stock windows. Not only will you come up dry at the home improvement store, but also from manufacturers. That means you will need to order custom sized windows, or retrofit the existing windows opening to make them a standard, smaller size.
The only kind of odd window you may find in a MH is what is called a Jalousie. A Jalousie window is one made up of operable, horizontal glass louvers. They are not seen much anymore as they are incredible drafty.
Bathrooms | The fixtures in a MH bathroom are usually all standard sizes, but may be on the smallest size available - small bathrooms get small fixtures. One fixture that is consistently smaller is the bathtub. Standard bathtub size is 60″ x 32″ (5’-0” x 2’-8”) while a MH bath is usually 54” x 27” (4’-6” x 2’-3”). The tub length is not just an issue if you happen to be tall. Bathroom widths are usually the full length of the tub - 4’-6” wide - that means a full bathroom remodel and replacement of the bathtub to a larger, standard size may not be feasible. Lastly, Corner Tubs were very popular in MHs, and are usually of a smaller size than standard corner tubs. MH Corner Tubs are usually 54” x 54” (4’-6” x 4’-6”) as opposed to a standard Corner Tubs that are 60” x 60” (5’-0” x 5’-0”).
Kitchens | Kitchens cabinets are usually standard sizes. Base cabinets are 24” deep and uppers are 12”-13” deep - but they could be smaller especially if they are older. Also, walking space may be smaller between cabinets - 30” is tight, but it could be as slim 24”. Appliances may be smaller, and “Apartment Size.” These are usually not too hard to find for replacement, but you should make sure they will not only fit in the space allotted, but also fit through one of those narrow entry doors as well. If you are remodeling a MH, appliances can be upgraded to a larger size, but that will likely come at the expense of cabinet space. This can also be true of washer and dryers.
Other fixtures, faucets, lights, and ceiling fans should all be of stock sizes, but may be of a smaller model, so measure and research before purchasing a replacement.
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