What are HUD Foundations?
​HUD foundations refer to single family residential dwellings built in compliance with the Federal Manufactured Housing and Construction Standards, as amended, also known as the HUD Code, after June 15, 1976. Foundations for manufactured homes can be structurally designed to any code. However, if you want to get a loan that is insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or by the US Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), then the foundation needs to meet the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). So, whenever you’re getting a FHA Loan, what you need is a HUD Foundation Certification since there’s no such thing as a FHA Foundation Certification.

​Sustainability Aspects for Foundations:

• A high-quality permanent foundation improves the lifetime performance of the home, its energy efficiency and aesthetic appeal.
• A foundation that meets all lender requirements allowing for a better initial mortgage and increasing the potential for successful resale of the home.

Permanent foundations must be constructed of durable materials (i.e., concrete, mortared masonry, treated wood)-and be site-built. It shall have attachment points to anchor and stabilize the manufactured home to transfer all loads, herein defined, to the underlying soil or rock.

​Inspection of an Existing Manufactured Home Foundation:
A structural engineer visits the site where the manufactured home is located and, with approval of the current owner, will inspect the existing foundation. The inspection is visual, where the structural engineer inspects the foundation by looking through the access panel in the crawl space below the manufactured home to see the type of foundation system used. An experienced engineer can look at a manufactured home's foundation and determine right there on the spot whether the foundation meets FHA requirements.​