How modern manufactured homes are delivered

At most Clayton locations, home consultants will handle hiring site preparation crews and managing the on-site completion of your home. If your location does not, they can provide a list of local contractors familiar with our homes and guide you through the site preparation process. This may seem overwhelming to do alone, so we want to make sure you and your home consultant work together to satisfy the building and code requirements for your new home.

So, what do you need to do to help this process go smoothly? Before the contractor begins preparing your land for the home’s delivery, be sure to let them know ahead of time if they’ll have to:

• Avoid trees, brush, fences or other obstacles

• Avoid low hanging power lines or an underpass

• Drive on narrow roads with tight corners

• Cross someone else’s land to get to yours

You’ll also work with the on-site construction crew to plan the delivery and determine the position of the home on your land. Once you and your crew have confirmed that your land is accessible for home delivery, land preparation can begin.

Home site preparation

 We’ll go into more detail about how a contractor prepares your land below, but first, here’s a helpful site preparation guide so you know what to expect.

To prepare your land, the contractor will first ensure it is level and compacted. They’ll also make sure your land is graded properly for drainage, meaning the ground slopes away from the home on all sides to help prevent water from collecting underneath.

At this time, contractors will also:

• Check the soil type

• Determine the frost line

• Ensure ground anchors will be used

After everything is verified to make sure the ground underneath it will be stable, the foundation can then be constructed. The steps for how the foundation is constructed depend on the type. Common types of manufactured home foundations include pier and beam, runner, slab, crawl space, and basement. Your home consultant can help you evaluate which foundation type is right for your needs based on factors like the land layout, the size of your home, your local climate, building code requirements, and your budget or financing.

This is also when you and your home consultant will need to arrange for a separate contractor to dig for and install your septic system or well, if needed, and prepare for the home to be connected to utilities. At this time, you’ll also want to plan for your driveway and any other land improvement. Once all of this is complete, it will be time for your home to be delivered.

Delivering your modern manufactured home

To help ensure our modern manufactured homes are delivered safely and to give you peace of mind, we created Clayton Connect. Its primary mission is to deliver your manufactured home to your home site.

Many of our customers can work with the Clayton Connect team rather than a third party, which makes it easier for Clayton to coordinate and oversee each step of the home delivery process. Our home delivery drivers are committed to quality service and are available to help answer questions you may have.

On-site completion of your modern manufactured home

Once your home arrives at your home site, you'll have the opportunity to do a walkthrough with your home consultant before move-in day. If there are any concerns, your home consultant will work with the home building facility to resolve them as soon as possible.

After your home has arrived at the home site, the on-site construction crew will place it on the foundation using a jack-and-rolling system or a crane. The home is then evaluated to make sure its weight is distributed evenly across the foundation system. Next, the home is anchored with tie-downs, and, if it’s a multi-section home, the sections are securely joined together. The tie-down and anchor system helps stabilize your home against wind.

To finish installing your home at the site, your crew will:

• Connect utilities

• Test hookups

• Install appliances and any remaining home equipment

• Complete interior touch-ups

• Install exterior skirting if you choose to add skirting

As you can see, your home consultant, delivery team, and on-site crew all work together to help deliver a high-quality modern manufactured home and a great service experience. We can’t wait to give you and your family the keys to your new life. Visit a Clayton location near you today to start your path to homeownership.