underbelly nightmare!!!!

[nylasmom]

I recently bought a 1973 lamplighter mobile home and through naiveness didn't check the underbelly. I'm learning as I go along but underneath looks like a scene from a sci-fi movie. Insulations hanging down,sub floors are hanging down in spots. I tried to do new rolled insulation but it keeps falling down, then thought maybe the belly plastic would hold it up(not!). The fumes under this thing are horrid! Next to a wetland area.Is it expensive to have it done professionally? I'm over my head with this project. thanks

[JD]

The material cost for a 60' double wide is about $650 to $700, half that for a single. A contractor will usually add an overhead charge to the materials cost. It could take an experienced crew 3-4 days to do a double, depending on the height from ground and degree of difficulty. Labor rates can be different from one area to the next, but $80 and hour for a 2-man crew is normal here in the Central Valley, CA.

A handyman could be considerably less expensive, but he would be working illegally, may or may not know what he is doing (I guess that is true of some contractors too), and you would have no recourse but civil law suit if anything goes bad with the work or money.

JMO
JD

[nylasmom]

Thanks for the info. I've spent the last 6 days getting 1/4 of the insulation done only to have some fall down. The odor/fumes underneath are bad. I tried to put up poly over the insulation due to rain coming in but just got all tangled. I'm 60 and still trying to do this stuff. I'll check around locally for a handy person to do this, I have to say "uncle" for this project. Thanks again.

[Greg]

That is just "one of those jobs" Not fun!! I would get some of the skirting open and get some air flow under the home. Greg

[sd0321]

nylasmom,

I so admire you for even venturing under your mobile home! I recently bought an "as is" 1974 New Moon, and I have only seen the insulation from the "tearing up some hallway floor" point of view....(and the insulation looked okay, thank goodness). But I just wanted to say, even though you are going to find a handyman or someone to put that insulation up, I sure admire you for getting under there and trying to do it yourself, I'll think about you if I have to go under mine to figure out how to keep the pipes from freezing this winter - sherry

[nylasmom]

Thanks Sherry. I'm dealing with not only the mess left for me, but the fumes from a wetland(metho something) plus vapors from a burst oil tank that's partly cleaned up from the previous owners. I can only stay underneath for 2 hours at a time before the fumes get to me. I have noticed the spiders are unusual colors, very interesting,not scarey though. The entire back area was covered with heating oil and some did get underneath but my plan was to cover the ground area with plastic to stop the odor from coming into the trailer......after I got the insulation done...I'll get back under and try again because I'm determined to do this and begrudge paying someone to do it. Thanks again for your boost in maorale, it meant a lot. kat

[sd0321]

Hey Kat,

When you say rolled insulation, are you talking about the pink insulation with no backing? Could you get the kind with paper or foil backing and staple it in from underneath? Or is that what you are already trying to do? Sherry

[troyster]

Man I sure am glad my floor insulation is spray foamed insulation as well as walls and ceiling. I can only imagine what a task that would be laying on the ground on your back all day. not a fun job. hang in there and the best of luck. troyster

[nylasmom]

Hi Sherry, I'm using the paper backed, cheaper then the foil type. There's nothing to staple it to. Metal gridframe, false flooring is gone in many areas and what's remaining is not holding the staples so I'm tucking it under spots on the frame but loosely to allow air flow. My saga for this month, stay tuned, kat

[preppypyro]

Just joining this thread to read more about your problem

Has the smell started to go away?

When I first got my MH, it had a bit of a smell underneath too.
I did some underbelly repairs a little different (and Im sure a little incorrect to a pro MH repair guy) but I got the smell to go away, and the underbelly patched so there is no wind and whatnot.

[nylasmom]

Hi, No the smell is still there but I'm confident when I do get the whole thing done and a tarp on the ground directly it'll go away. Long haul but getting there!

[srpiper225]

I just finished re-insulating my underbelly and closing it up in places that were open. We use Gorilla Tape and Tarps that we cut to the length we needed, then we taped up the insulation and took the tarp and taped that over the insulation.


Hope this Helps

[Yanita]

Hi,

I am a little confused when you say the "false flooring" is gone, could you please explain what that is? Also you have to have floor joist underneath your home in order to have any type of flooring. This is what you would staple your paper backed insulation to. Loosely put the insulation between the joist, and then staple the paper edge to the joist.

Now, it is my responsibility to let you know that although tarps are cheaper in the short run they are not a true substitute for belly material. A tarp will dry rot within a short time. Belly material is impregnated with an oil type substance, this helps reduce rot and bugs, and protecting your underbelly from ground moisture evaporation.

Once you are done your belly repairs you are wise to lay down a moisture barrier. Make sure the seams over lap by at least 6 inches, pull the 6 mil plastic as close to the piers as possible, same with the edges of the home. You can tape the seams.

To help reduce the smell and moisture under your home, while you are doing your repairs remove several pieces of skirting. This will also provide more light, ventilation and crawl space access.

I have re read this entire thread and there are a few more things I would like to mention. Although everyone is free to repair their homes as they choose, we as moderators have to let you know the correct repair procedures.

We do not recommend spray foam insulation under your home. To do so will not allow the warm air to circulate keeping your floors warm, and more importantly helping to protect your water lines from possible freeze.

What a mess you will have should you ever need to repair water lines or duct work and even electrical, JMO.

I certainly admire your tenacity! Just the thought of going underneath gives me cold chills! I hope I have helped in some small way. I hate to see you do all this work and in a few years need to go back under.

I am going to leave you with a link that shows you how our homes are constructed...

http://www.mygreathome.com/fix-it_guide/diagram.htm

Yanita

[nylasmom]

srpiper what did you tape to? all I have is metal grid(frame) and I know I can't close it so tight it'll stop airflow, but, I doubt I could get it airtight anyway.

[srpiper225]

we taped the tarp to the existing belly paper in the spots that we needed to repair. I have a cement slab that the trailer is on and we live in Maine.