An Engineering Certification is a specialized report prepared by a licensed professional engineer that verifies a manufactured home’s foundation meets the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) standards for permanence and structural integrity. This certification is crucial for obtaining an FHA-insured loan, as it ensures the manufactured home is properly anchored and permanently affixed to the land, qualifying it as real estate rather than movable personal property.
Manufactured homes differ from traditional stick-built houses in that they are factory-built and transported to a site. FHA loans require these homes to have a permanent foundation system, which includes stable piers and footings, adequate anchoring systems to resist movement (especially in adverse conditions like high winds), proper drainage, and compliance with the HUD Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing (PFGMH). The engineer’s assessment focuses solely on the foundation system, not on other home components.
This certification is typically required whenever you purchase or refinance a manufactured home using FHA financing. Without it, lenders cannot approve the loan. The report may identify any deficiencies that must be repaired to meet FHA standards before certification can be granted. Only licensed engineers with expertise in manufactured home foundations and FHA regulations can issue this certification.
Getting this certification involves an on-site inspection where the engineer examines the foundation piers, anchoring, enclosures around the home, crawl space accessibility, and overall compliance with HUD guidelines. The engineer then issues a detailed report stating whether the foundation meets FHA requirements or recommends necessary corrective work.
Buyers should budget for this certification as part of the loan process and schedule the inspection early to allow time for any needed repairs. Sellers may benefit from a pre-sale certification to avoid delays during closing. It’s important to note that FHA loans for manufactured homes require the borrower to own the land; homes on rented land do not qualify, even with an Engineering Certification.
For more details on manufactured home foundations, see our article on Manufactured Home Foundation Guidelines and learn about loan specifics via our Manufactured Home Loan glossary entry.
References:
- HUD Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing, available at HUD.gov HUD PFGMH PDF
- FHA Manufactured Home Loans overview by NerdWallet NerdWallet FHA Loans