Water, heat, electricity, gas – without these, your mobile home would be nothing more than four walls and a ceiling. Hooking up these utilities to your mobile home can be a difficult process depending on where you’re located. While most mobile home parks will have these utilities ready for you to connect to, some people will have to do extra work hooking these up if they’re moving to undeveloped land. If you’re planning on installing your mobile home soon, there’s a good chance you fit into one of these scenarios. Take a look below to learn what you need to know to hook up utilities to your mobile home for both situations.
Mobile home SET UP: Hook up utilities in a park
Setting up utilities to your mobile home is going to be a much easier process if you’re moving into a mobile home park. Existing utilities like gas, water and electricity will most likely be available on site waiting for you. This means you won’t have to do the extra legwork of developing the land ahead of time, finding permits, installing sewer lines, etc.
We recommend leaving the utility installation to the professionals as you don’t want to be held responsible for any errors, especially if you’re living in a park. While the park manager is responsible for land upkeep, they aren’t required to fix any damages made to your home as it’s your personal property. Additionally, many states require you to get a license if you want to install a mobile home. Hooking the home up to sewer lines and electric meters is not a simple DIY project.
With that said, try finding a moving company that can will handle all aspects of installation. Some moving companies will only go so far to transport your mobile home and leave it to you to find a plumber, electrician, etc. to do the rest of the work. These professionals can cost anywhere from $300 – $500 a day. You will want to find someone who can disconnect and reconnect your utility lines. If you’re unfamiliar with the area you’re moving to, it might be worth asking your mobile home park neighbors to get an idea of how they went about connecting utilities.
Mobile home SET UP: Hook up utilities on undeveloped land
We’re not going to lie to you – setting up utilities on undeveloped land can be a real headache. We hope you aren’t searching how to do this after you’ve already purchased land as this process can vary greatly in difficulty depending on your location.
The first thing you should know about setting up utilities on undeveloped land is the importance of research. In addition to finding a piece of land that meets your personal preferences and location, you also want to find out where the existing utility hookups are located. Utility hookups could be as far as a mile away in some cases. The golden rule here is that the further away your mobile home is from hookups, the more costly it’s going to be to connect. According to LandCentury.com, the entire process could cost anywhere from $10,000 – $30,000 in most cases.
Sewage
Note that you may have to install a septic tank on your property if you decide against connecting to a local sewer system. One of the downsides to installing a septic tank is that its upfront cost can vary. Some basic tanks are as low as $3,000 while more advanced systems can cost upwards of $20,000. You’ll also need to obtain a permit for installation and get a percolation test (or “perc” test) to evaluate the quality of your property’s water source. Don’t expect to install a septic tank overnight.
The cost to connect to your city’s sewer line will once again vary depending on how far away you are. Do the proper research first and get an estimate on how much this will cost before making any decisions.
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Water
You may also opt to install a well instead of connecting to your public water system. Like septic tanks, the cost of installing a well can vary greatly. This is mostly dependent on the land you’re sitting on. For example, a professional installing a well may charge you more if he/she had to dig through rocks or other materials to finish the job. Also, take into consideration the costs for inspecting the land, required permits and the electrical supply that will connect the well to your home.
LandCentury.com estimates that it will cost $300 to connect a main water pipe to the home. We suggest contacting a local expert for a quote as these prices – you guessed it – can vary. Like a well, there may be unforeseen obstructions within the ground that could jack up the price of installation.
Gas and electricity
For gas, you have the choice between connecting to a natural gas line or installing a propane tank. Both options have their benefits and drawbacks. While propane is more powerful than natural gas, it can also be more expensive and is considered less safe by some. Your decision should ultimately depend on which option is cheaper. Take a look at this side-by-side comparison to get a better idea of the pros and cons.
You’ll have to follow the golden rule once again for electricity, as the distance between your mobile home and the power source will jump the further away it is. You might have to factor in the costs of poles and transmission lines to your home into your overall cost.
Keep in mind that your gas and electricity hookups need to be handled by professionals. You should not be attempting to hook these up by yourself if you don’t have a license. Seek out your local professionals to get a better idea of what these hookups will cost you.
Time to get installing
A mobile home hook up to utilities can be a challenging process if you’re moving onto undeveloped land, so we hope this guide nudged you in the right direction. Since prices aren’t very consistent when it comes to utility hookups, make sure to contact your local experts for more accurate quotes. Take a look at these other costs you should factor into your mobile home budget if you’re new to this living situation.
