Since you’ve spent a lot of time in your mobile home, you know all its in’s and out’s quite well. Because you’ve seen all its features every day, you likely know which ones you’d like to change. Hence, you’ve been planning a makeover. However, you’re not quite sure whether it’s feasible or not.
Partly, your concern has to do with a question you have. Are there load bearing walls in a mobile home that I need to avoid? Whether you’re planning on a DIY remodel or thinking of hiring a professional, you want to know the answer. It will affect what you can and can’t do as you change your home.
YES, THERE ARE LOAD BEARING WALLS
It’s a great question: are there load bearing walls in a mobile home? In a single-wide, not necessarily. However, in larger models, the short answer is yes. According to Study.com “A load-bearing wall is one that supports the weight of a structure.” Then the author adds, “Those are the walls you definitely don’t want to tear down.”
So, it looks like your question is going to be pretty important. As you attempt to change what your mobile home looks like, you want to take this question seriously.
WHY ARE THERE LOAD BEARING WALLS IN A MOBILE HOME?
Every good home needs a roof. A roof to keep off rain, snow, tree branches. Actually, to keep off all things that might land on your house. Consequently, you need the roof to be sturdy. And sturdy comes at a price.
We’re saying your roof isn’t going to be as light as a feather. For those of you who are now getting curious about roof weights, check out this article. Even though it’s not specifically about mobile home roofs, it will give you a little general insight.
YOU DON’T WANT STUFF CRASHING DOWN ON YOUR HEAD, OF COURSE
Since you know your roof isn’t exactly a featherweight, you also know it’s bearing down on the house. That’s the function of load-bearing walls. They help hold up that weight. So, obviously, if you want the roof staying up at the top where it belongs, you don’t want to pull its load-bearing walls out from under it.
NOT ALL WALLS ARE CREATED EQUAL
However, the good news is that not all walls are load bearing. When it comes to load bearing walls, we can give you a heads up about a couple walls you won’t want to mess with. That is, if you want your house intact.
EXTERIOR WALLS
Obviously, don’t mess with exterior walls. These are the outer walls of the house. Many people would likely assume that they shouldn’t mess with these. But let’s throw it out there just in case.
WALLS WHERE THE TWO SECTIONS MEET
While this may not apply to all mobile homes, definitely pay attention if you have a mobile home that consists of more than one section. For instance, if you have a double wide, the walls where the two sections meet may or may not be candidates for removal.
HEADS UP (LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY)
Next, look up. Before you remove a wall, note that the ceilings in your home may matter. You could have a home where the ceilings are different in different areas, a cathedral ceiling for example. Accordingly, be aware that you that you may have a load bearing wall where the change occurs.
SINGLE WIDES & OTHER CONCERNS
“Are there load bearing walls in a mobile home?” is not the only question you should ask before tearing down a wall, though. Even though the interior walls of a single wide are not load bearing, they still house wiring, plumbing, outlets, etc. Be sure to take those into consideration before you start any kind of remodel or try to remove a wall.
NO, THIS DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T REMODEL
Does this mean you should give up on remodeling your mobile home? Of course not. As you plan your change, determine what walls you can and can’t remove.
ASK THE EXPERTS
Now, we’re about to get to the most important part. Here, we’re just going to admonish you to do your due diligence. Get out there and make sure for yourself. Go straight to the source. Contact your mobile home manufacturer and ask them specifically which walls are load bearing in your model.
Forewarned is forearmed as the saying goes. We hope that by addressing your question are there load bearing walls in a mobile home, we’ve helped your remodel planning process. Use this knowledge as a jumping off point to make sound structural decisions as you remodel.
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