Posted below are details about how one home owner approached the renovation of their mobile home.  You will need to make adjustments depending on your budget and skills, but it is a nice overview of the process.

Amy and her husband bought a newer home that apparently came without water leaks.  If there are water leaks anyplace in your home, fixing them should be the highest priority for your money and your time.  Even small leaks can rapidly cause major damage.

Amy writes:

"I completely agree that there are no helpful sources available on improving the aesthetics of a mobile home. My husband and I bought a 16x80 mobile home that was built in 2001. It was pretty good condition when we got it in 2009, but, I hate that "cheap trailer look".

The first thing we did was to tear down all of the drywall strips off the walls, fill the gaps between the sheets of drywall, sand, and paint. Just this one project alone made a huge improvement, making the walls flat and more "house-like".

The next thing we did was buy a big new front door and screen door. Again, this small project made a huge improvement.

Then we changed the hinges, handles, and drawer pulls in the kitchen and bathrooms, and tossed the old dated brass ones.

We are currently in the process of changing (in some instances adding) all the trim around the ceiling, doors, and windows, adding a backsplash in the kitchen, and installing wood flooring in the living room, kitchen, and laundry area/hallway. (Note from the Doctor: Click this link to learn more about Laminate flooring in mobile homes. )

When these projects are completed, we plan to update the cabinetry, sinks, and countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms, and install tile in the bathrooms.

Other small things that make a great improvement are light fixtures and ceiling fans. We've updated them in several rooms and it does make a big difference.

We also added a big wooden mantled gas fireplace to the living room, and hung our 50" flat screen tv over it. Nice furniture, curtains, and décor are important to the look of a mobile home, too.

Decks, porches, new siding and underpinning, new or repainted shutters, lighting, and landscaping can completely transform the outside as well. If nothing else, just a good thorough cleaning, and getting rid of the clutter will make any smaller home look better."

Thanks for writing, Amy

 

 

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I have mentioned elsewhere that a reversable cordless drill is the most useful tool you can have for working on a mobile home.

Corded drills are cheaper and have more torque (twisting power) but the cord can be a pain if you are climbing a ladder or crawling under the home.

Obviously, drills can be used for drilling holes.  There isn't actually a lot of value in that for mobile home renovation and repair.

For mobile homes the value is in the ease of tightening and replacing the thousands of screws that hold the siding and other parts in place.

For mobile home repair you need two bits; 1/4" and 5/16"   The bits should be magnetized so they hold the screw no matter how you have to reach.  In the picture above you see an original, rusted screw with a 1/4" head.  These screws rust and come loose over time.  I like to replace them with a 5/16" screw so they hold better.  I usually go a little longer but with care.  You don't want the new screw poking through a wall or hitting an electrical wire in the wall.

Some older homes have a few screws with a square opening.

I mostly found these holding up mirrors in the bathroom.  Sometimes you can get them out with a regular Phillips head bit, but they actually make bits with a square head.  The picture above shows a No. 2 square head bit tip.

You can get a lot of work done, save a lot of time, and spare yourself from tennis elbow with a good drill and the right bits.

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