Expert: Richard Taylor, AIA - 6/1/2005

Question
Yes the house trailers or manufactured trailers will have a common roof over the top and sided all around so from the out side they will look like on house.  do I need to put a support beam in the middle? or will it be ok with the top and sides connected?-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
We want to put two house trailers together and make them one.  I want to know how to take the wall out of the middle (bewteen the two) and how to go about framing it.  They are side by side and we only want to take out a portion of the wall in the middle. thanks.
Answer -
Hi Leane - thanks for your question!

The building codes call house trailers "manufactured homes" and have strict guidelines regarding their construction; when you undertake structural modifications to them you need to consider the impact of the codes.

Manufactured homes are built differently than fixed homes; they're "interdependent"; that is, the whole "box" has to remain intact in order for it to have structural stability. That stability will be compromised as soon as you take out a wall, even it you connect it to another unit.

I would recommend that you contact the manufacturer (or at least the dealer) for some guidelines on how to merge the two units without sacrificing the structure.

But if you can't find that information, here's what I suggest (keep in mind that my comments are for general informational purposes only and are NOT to be considered as structural engineering):

First make sure both units are sitting on and securely attached to a common foundation (not two separate ones)and that both units are level and plumb.

Next, permanently attach the "common" walls of the two units to each other (this is where you'll need some on-site expert help) everywhere except the location of the opening you want to create.

Mark the opening location and reinforce it on the top and both sides and you're ready to cut the opening.

A few other things you'll want to deal with include the transition between the two floors; the connection of the roofs (you need to cover the "joint" between the two units to keep water from getting down between them); and the utilities - will the units continue to be served by separate electric, water, propane, etc. or will you consolidate the services?

Hope this helps!

Richard Taylor, AIA
Richard Taylor Architects, LLC
www.rtastudio.com
www.betterhomedesign.blogspot.com

Answer
Leane:

That's a structural engineering question and outside of the scope of what I'm allowed to do in this forum.  You might need some type of support, but that's a question for the manufacturer or a local structural engineer.

You need someone onsite to actually see and measure the units to make engineering determinations.

Hope you can make this work!

Richard Taylor, AIA