Spring is in the air!
As the dreary wintery scene melts away, signs of life are sprouting up from the ground. In springtime, newness reigns supreme. With spring comes an innate desire to spruce up one’s home. And if you’re in search of some inspiration for springtime changes around your house, this collection of ideas is for you.
In this article, we’re looking at simple mobile home addition ideas. Spring expansion time is here, and it’s time to get fresh ideas brewing. We’ll give you a good range of ideas that are both utilitarian and practical.
11 Simple mobile home addition ideas
Below we have 11 simple mobile home addition ideas for spring expansion. Because it’s not generally acceptable or recommended that you tamper with the mobile home’s structure (more on that later), some of these mobile home addition ideas do not come in direct contact with the mobile home. Those that do come in direct contact with the mobile home could be added in a way that ensures they don’t compromise the structural integrity of the home.
For example, a deck could butt up against the mobile home yet be its own stand-alone construction. It would not be anchored to the mobile home. The same concept could be applied to the addition of a mudroom — the builder can ensure it hugs the home closely and is sealed yet isn’t anchored to the main structure.
1 – Create a picturesque porch
First on our list, let’s look at creating a picturesque porch. There are a couple of ways you can go about adding a porch to your mobile home. It can be as big or as small as you wish it to be.
To make a porch, you need to figure out your style. Do you want to do wood-only? Will you incorporate metal? Will you paint it or stain it? Are you going for a small, quaint porch? Or a porch that extends across the entire front of your mobile home?
Give yourself some time to dream and plan that porch! But don’t stop there. After it’s built, dress it up with some personality in the way of hanging plants and cozy chairs that fit your style. Be creative. Your home should reflect your family’s style and story.
2 – Add a romantic back deck
Option 2 is a romantic back deck. That’s right — the addition of a back deck can be romantic. Picture yourself out on your deck, reclined on a chair, and sipping a glass of your favorite beverage. The people you love most are sitting next to you enjoying the view with you as the sky changes from light to dark.
Your deck can be as simple or as extravagant as you wish. Make sure there’s space for a grill because who doesn’t love to get their grill game on during the warmer months. Down the road, you could even add an awning or umbrellas if they suit you.
3 – Set up a sunroom retreat
For our third spring expansion idea, let’s look at creating a sunroom retreat. There’s something therapeutic about a sunroom. It can give you an air-conditioned or heated area with plenty of light shining through. Aside from having additional square footage, some people love having the sunroom provide a cozy indoor oasis for reading, relaxing, and more.
Because of all the light shining into the sunroom, it’s the perfect room to keep a collection of beautiful plants in. Plants are great for human health! This area can turn into a great creative space for any artists or writers in your family.
4 – Make a mudroom to keep the mud away
And here’s another idea — a mudroom! While a sunroom can be mostly aesthetic, a mudroom is more utilitarian.
Mudrooms are great because they help with storage and organization. They’re often situated at an entryway, providing a barrier between the outside world and the rest of your home. A mudroom offers the perfect spot for storing your shoes and coats, dirty laundry, cleaning supplies, and more.
Another benefit is that mudrooms are versatile. You can use one as a laundry room. Christmas decorations can be stored here, too. In essence, a mudroom plays an integral role in curbing the clutter and dirt that could easily worm its way into your mobile home.
5 – Add an enclosed porch to repel mosquitos
Another option is to consider creating an enclosed porch rather than a regular porch. An enclosed porch will provide ample opportunity for you to enjoy the outdoors without the annoyance of mosquitos.
It can also serve as a place to unwind or as a place for the kids to play safely.
Your enclosed porch will also provide shelter from the elements so you can spend quality time with your loved ones and guests — rain or shine! Creating an enclosed mobile home porch would be a winning spring expansion project, in our opinion.
6 – Add or expand a laundry room
We talked about adding a mudroom. But what about a laundry room? You can create a room that centers around laundry. Imagine having enough space to iron and sort laundry — enough space to organize the dirty laundry for washing according to color. Think of how helpful it would be to have a nook just for laundry.
This can be a great, simple mobile home addition.
7 – Build an outdoor kitchen space
An outdoor kitchen space would prove an excellent mobile home addition. You can build an outdoor kitchen space that’s complete with an oven, stovetop, grill, plenty of counter space, a sink, and more.
You can set up bar stools on the counter, opposite the work area. That way guests can congregate without getting in the way of the chef.
An outdoor kitchen space is a fantastic addition to your mobile home — especially if you’re into hosting.
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8 – Cultivate a whimsical garden
And for our eighth idea, let’s look at cultivating a whimsical garden with beautiful landscaping. With the right landscaping ideas, you can add garden space that’s tailored to your mobile home’s particular aesthetic. And a garden is good for your mental health and wellbeing.
Turn your backyard into a therapeutic place for a jaunt. If it were up to us, every mobile home owner would have their own whimsical garden space.
9 – Add a faux wall
You could also add a faux wall to your mobile home. This adds a dimension of classiness to your abode — without a huge expense.
You can get faux wall paneling that’s durable and beautiful. What’s not to love about that! You can opt for a faux wall in brick, stone, or another material.
10 – Install a picturesque fence
Have you thought about installing a picturesque fence?
If you choose to add a fence to your mobile home, you’re adding an asset. It gives you added security by keeping your children or pets safely within the confines of your yard. Additionally, if it’s a privacy fence, it will offer the benefit of increased privacy. Your neighbors won’t be able to see in, and you’ll enjoy the benefits of feeling more secluded from prying eyes.
Plus you can paint or stain your fence the color you desire. Thus the fence itself can be representative of your style.
11 – Build a treehouse for the kids
Here’s a fun mobile home addition for you — a treehouse for your youngsters! This is a great project to implement. It will encourage your kids to spend more time outdoors, and you’ll love seeing them explore the wonders of the backyard.
A treehouse can ignite awe and wonder in the eyes of a child.
A note about mobile home additions
To be clear, you shouldn’t attach mobile home additions to your mobile home structure without verifying it’s acceptable. Doing so could nullify your mobile home’s compliance certification or compromise the structure. Either blunder would cause grief if you ever wanted to sell the mobile home to another person. In short, you might never be able to see your mobile home pass inspection.
Do your own research
Of course, your best bet is to contact your local government office to find out what your locality’s regulations are for mobile home additions. Some localities may not take issue with an attached addition so long as an engineer signed off on the addition.
Financing troubles
And a word on financing — it’s hard enough for a buyer to acquire financing for a mobile home. Toss a mobile home addition into the mix, and it may add to the difficulties of securing financing.
Remember: not attached, but sealed
As you can see, we have a few good reasons to advise you to make sure that your mobile home additions are separate from the mobile home. There are ways to handle construction so that the addition is not attached yet is sealed where it touches the mobile home. You want your addition to stand alone, but you also want to prevent air leaks.
How to move forward with an addition
Now, let’s discuss what it takes to move forward with an addition. Spring is a good time to pursue an addition project. You’ll appreciate the following tips to launch the process and see your idea realized right before your eyes.
Come up with a plan and budget
To win at moving forward with an addition, you need to plan. Without a plan, you’re just floundering. So make it a point to develop a plan that will get you through the project from start to finish.
As part of the planning process, you’ll also want to budget. In your budget, calculate for contingency. This will give you wiggle room when things don’t go according to plan. Contingency will help you survive the unexpected expenses that inevitably come along despite the best planning efforts.
DIY or contractor?
If you’re looking to move forward with an addition, you need to decide if you’re going to DIY the project or hire a contractor.
There are pros and cons to either option. If you want to DIY the project, make sure it’s not a project that will require a licensed professional. For example, some localities will require licensed plumbers for certain plumbing jobs.
While you can save money by taking the DIY approach where permissible, consider the cost of failing. If you’re not used to taking the DIY route, remember that you could save money in the long run by hiring a contractor who knows what they’re doing.
Look into building codes and regulations
As you navigate how to move forward with an addition, don’t forget to look into building codes and regulations. Some localities or homeowner’s associations will not be amiable toward your plans. It would be a shame to find yourself knee-deep in a mobile home addition only to discover that you’ll need to tear it all down.
At the end of the day, you’re responsible for doing your own research. It’s important that you take the time to plan and look into your options
Are you ready to move forward with your mobile home addition idea?
Benefits to having an addition
There are multiple benefits to having an addition for your mobile home. First of all, it can add more square footage to your living space. Second, it can enhance your family life. For example, having spaces that inspire creativity by allowing in more natural lighting can be a big win.
If you’re trying to encourage more time outdoors, a treehouse will inspire that.
See how your family life can be enhanced through your mobile home additions. You’ll love seeing the benefits of bringing an addition into your life. You’ll see your family bloom and flourish.
Embrace the spring possibilities
Are you ready to bring on the spring expansion?
There’s a whole new world of possibilities on the horizon with spring in the air. Give yourself the opportunity to explore and chase after new ideas. Whether you chose to go with the treehouse or the porch addition or some other option, we believe you’ll find satisfaction in your mobile home addition.
As you chase your mobile home addition dreams, remember to be patient and take your time in the planning process.
With spring here, take some time to read our mobile home spring cleaning and post-winter checklist. Our checklist will take you from winter hibernation cobwebs into a spruced-up and freshened-up home.
