# Using mobile home while doing self-build?



## galway-girl (14 Aug 2008)

Hi all.. I'm new to all this so forgive me if i'm posting in the wrong place! I am thinking of buying a mobile home to live in, with my partner and two babies, while building a house.  Any advice would be much appreciated i.e how much to spend on one, where to buy one and any general advice on how to survive living in one! Many thanks


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## Sue Ellen (14 Aug 2008)

Hi,

Welcome to AAM.

I will move your thread to the Homes and Gardens Forum as you may get more replies there.

This previous thread might give some advice.  If you run the search option both in that forum and the main board you may find some other relevant ones.


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## sandyg (15 Aug 2008)

I have been living in one for the last two years. We are just about to move out of ours and into our new house next month.  House was built within the year (living on the site had a lot to do with it).  We installed seven radiators and boiler into ours and had it nice and cosy for the winter.  The gas water heater didnt work right so we installed an electric heater which worked out great with hot water on tap!  I would recommend it if you are ready to start building.  Shop around for a good mobile.


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## galway-girl (15 Aug 2008)

thanks sandyg.. what are you going to do with your mobile now that your finished with it.. i was wondering if people hold on to them or sell them on?


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## krissovo (15 Aug 2008)

galway-girl said:


> thanks sandyg.. what are you going to do with your mobile now that your finished with it.. i was wondering if people hold on to them or sell them on?



If you look on buy and sell etc you will come across loads for sale from people who have done the same thing.  We are about to do the same and have looked at a few both from people looking to shift them after they moved in the new home and from traders.

It seams there are two options:

1. Ex Summer homes - these have no insulation but you can get these from a trader sited for 2k.  In fact we have been offered buy one get one free (for builders to use, toilet/office).  These are so cheap as it costs 3k to recycle them and at the end of their life (18 years) so the trader gets an extra few bob instead of paying for disposal.

2. Ex residential - These are insulated and designed for 4 seasons, we are finding these cost about 6k for a 80's built van but much more rare.

Our plan is looking like an ex summer home and fitting loads of electric oil filled rads to try and keep it warm.  For washing machine facilities we are going to build a block shed that will become a utility room and then a shed once the build is complete.

One more point, we visited a couple who are living in one with  1 child and they are struggling with space.  They said it would be fine without the kids but with is quite stressful!


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## sydthebeat (15 Aug 2008)

an important factor to remember is that having the mobile home on-site requires planning permission as well.


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## DavyJones (15 Aug 2008)

A lot of people build their garage first and make it in to a mini home.  You could make it a comfortable dwelling for less then the cost of a decent mobile home.


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## S.L.F (15 Aug 2008)

sydthebeat said:


> an important factor to remember is that having the mobile home on-site requires planning permission as well.



I thought because a mobile home was moveable  it would not require PP.


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## sydthebeat (18 Aug 2008)

S.L.F said:


> I thought because a mobile home was moveable it would not require PP.


 
*No. Mobile homes are not exempt from planning.*

there is only some allowances for having caravans on a piece of land for less than 10 days.... a caravan is not a mobile home.

The mobile home has to be connected to some kind of effluent treatment system as well.


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## Teabag (18 Aug 2008)

galway-girl said:


> Hi all.. I'm new to all this so forgive me if i'm posting in the wrong place! I am thinking of buying a mobile home to live in, with my partner and two babies, while building a house.  Any advice would be much appreciated i.e how much to spend on one, where to buy one and any general advice on how to survive living in one! Many thanks




I would think long and hard about this one. I know 2 friends with 2 kids and they did the same for over 15 months. They found it very very tough. I think they regretted it in hindsight. They reckoned they should have rented a small house nearby instead.


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## sandyg (18 Aug 2008)

Hi galway girl,

A fella called to see our house when it was being built and offered us a very reasonable offer.  Hes taking it at the end of September decking and all.  It worked out perfect for us. 

p.s. when we were applying for our planning permission we also put in for *temporary *planning permission for our mobile home.


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## S.L.F (18 Aug 2008)

sydthebeat said:


> *No. Mobile homes are not exempt from planning.*
> 
> there is only some allowances for having caravans on a piece of land for less than 10 days.... a caravan is not a mobile home.
> 
> The mobile home has to be connected to some kind of effluent treatment system as well.



Thanks for clearing that up syd.


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## galway-girl (27 Aug 2008)

hi,
thanks everyone for the advice.. thinking about going up north to purchase a good one, much cheaper than here i think,and with the kids i'll need a good comfy one! Thanks again x


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## Mary Jones (29 Aug 2008)

We had our mobile home on site and it was great but there is no way I would do it with 2 smallies - we didn't build our garage big mistake - I'd go with building the garage first and using it as a mini home


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