Frost Line

Henro · Nov 6, 2003

<font color="blue"> We are going to move our mobile home onto the property and morph it into something with more room. The first step will be a porch all the way around the mobile with a roof that covers everything </font>

Reading those words brought back memories of when we bought our place and were going to add on to the old house...or I should say old garage that was converted to a living space of sorts...

A guy in the township office offered some unsolicited advice...get rid of the old, one way or another, and build all new. After first disregarding that advice...that is exactly what we did. We lived in that old place for four years while bulding next to it, then moved in the new and tore down and build new over where the old was.

No mortgage, pay as you go, save bucks over the winter and spend them spring to fall...

So I wonder...will the trailer come out after the roof is over everything?

My uncle spent a lot of time, effort and money on my grandparents home...covered it with brick, looks real nice from the outside. But go inside and it is still the same old house, more or less [mostly more].

I can not figure out how to link this post to the frostline /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Just a little unrelated, unsolicited, but hopefully worth something, advice... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif [in the event you are not planning at this point to remove the mobile home...]

JeffRey30747 · Nov 7, 2003

An addition to Henro's point above -
You might want to consider the cost of homeowner's insurance under both scenarios. Trailers are usually considered riskier to underwriters and premiums are higher. If you were to start a separate dwelling from scratch, it would be new construction and might even qualify for a little bit of discount. Talk with your insurance agent for specifics on what your particular company can do for you and what the $ impact will be.

Bird · Nov 7, 2003

Bob, every time I see your name on the forum, I'm reminded of a book I've had since 1966. It's Glacier Pilot by Beth Day ("The Story of Bob Reeve and the Flyers Who Pushed Back Alaska's Air Frontiers"). Of course he didn't have the "s" on the end of his name, but was a very interesting character in the history of Alaskan aviation.

BobReeves · Nov 7, 2003

I do appreciate the advice gentleman and I would say the same to anyone that asked, however....

I will be 60 in a couple of years and the thought of building a complete house just makes me tired, have too many other projects I want to get done before I can't. Our mobile is an older house but it is well built with 2x6 walls and the best part is it's paid for. Ya I wished I was 30 again I might make a different decision. As it is, I can invest another 20 or 30 thousand building a complete house or keep the $20,000 and use it to buy a tractor and build a small garage to keep it in.

The tractor I can use while I am still able and if the property's resale value is effected by the expanded trailer, well that's going to be my daughters problem.

bebster · Nov 7, 2003

Bob,
When you said you'd use the money you save by adding on to the existing home to buy a tractor, you will probably end all debate on the subject from the folks here! Good luck to you in your project.

Henro · Nov 7, 2003

<font color="blue"> I will be 60 in a couple of years and the thought of building a complete house just makes me tired...</font>

Hear ya !!!

Looking at what I built makes me tired too [if I think about doing it again]...I have told my wife more than once...too late to do it again...Was in my 30s when I started... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Still not finished... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Never will be finished... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Will turn 60 in a few years my self...very few actually... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

JerryG · Nov 7, 2003

Bob,
I know where Catoosa is, I have been through there many times. I live due east of you in AR right off of Highway 412. Around here everything goes in at 24".

pajoube · Nov 8, 2003

JerryG
How can you be a Platinum at over 900 posts
PJ

JerryG · Nov 8, 2003

Platinum is 500. : /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Cacinok · Nov 8, 2003

Bob,

try this link Your Oklahoma

or you can call the Tulsa inspection office

Director:
Ray Jordan

Phone: (918)596-5293 Fax: (918)596-5209

Tulsa County Annex
633 W. 3rd
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74103

At the moment I post this, I can't get into the web site.
Your building codes are entirely based upon what the county decides to enforce. I live in Oklahoma County and anything over 120 sq ft requires a permit, whereas Logan county about 7 miles north allows you to almost build a house w/o regulating much. So what reg's your under will be based on where you are located specifically.

As far as frost depth, if I remember right it's between 12" and 18"

Clint