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gasstingy · 05-03-11, 01:30 PM

When we built our home, I first bought a 16x64 MH to live on the property while we built. It was a bargain. I spent about $8500 on the MH, including all repairs/upgrades and sold it for $7500 when we moved into our new house. We lived in it for almost a year and a half for about $1000.

I wouldn't say I'm a big fan of the MH, but your plan could very well work.

You can site the MH for passive solar. As you rebuild the outside walls, you could put in enough good windows to see some benefit there, your overhang would provide the shade to minimize the summer sun heat. You can add solar light tubes. Your insulation plan is good. However, before I would go to that effort, I'd check with a real estate broker and ask what I'd have to call it if I wanted to sell it later. If you have to call it a remodelled MH, your resale value wouldn't be as high.

OTOH, I am almost finished with the outside of my garage / workshop project and my expenses are about where your total budget is, and I have yet to do anything inside. What I do have is a 24 x 36 building, sited for passive solar, with an upstairs room that is 16x36. If you ignore the opening for the stairs, we have a bit more than 1300 sf.

When I started this project, I thought I could dig my own footer. That plan didn't work for me. Lots of backbreaking work {my day job is behind a desk} and before it was over, I hired a backhoe for $400 and it was done in no time. I plan to build my own cabinets, what few I'll have and I visualize spending another $5-$8k to finish it. It's a good bit of money, but I'm happy with the way it is turning out.

05-03-11, 01:30 PM	#5
gasstingy Journeyman EcoRenovator Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Arab, AL Posts: 491 Thanks: 109 Thanked 49 Times in 43 Posts	When we built our home, I first bought a 16x64 MH to live on the property while we built. It was a bargain. I spent about $8500 on the MH, including all repairs/upgrades and sold it for $7500 when we moved into our new house. We lived in it for almost a year and a half for about $1000. I wouldn't say I'm a big fan of the MH, but your plan could very well work. You can site the MH for passive solar. As you rebuild the outside walls, you could put in enough good windows to see some benefit there, your overhang would provide the shade to minimize the summer sun heat. You can add solar light tubes. Your insulation plan is good. However, before I would go to that effort, I'd check with a real estate broker and ask what I'd have to call it if I wanted to sell it later. If you have to call it a remodelled MH, your resale value wouldn't be as high. OTOH, I am almost finished with the outside of my garage / workshop project and my expenses are about where your total budget is, and I have yet to do anything inside. What I do have is a 24 x 36 building, sited for passive solar, with an upstairs room that is 16x36. If you ignore the opening for the stairs, we have a bit more than 1300 sf. When I started this project, I thought I could dig my own footer. That plan didn't work for me. Lots of backbreaking work {my day job is behind a desk} and before it was over, I hired a backhoe for $400 and it was done in no time. I plan to build my own cabinets, what few I'll have and I visualize spending another $5-$8k to finish it. It's a good bit of money, but I'm happy with the way it is turning out.