hi Sally! it's active...does seem a bit slow lately tho. I'm new myself -just found this site a week or so ago.

I've been posting on the other boards also (kitchens, baths, etc) since I'll be remodeling a kitchen and a bath in my soon to be 'new' mfg home (used, just new to me). It's in pretty good shape - just needs prettyfied (a single guy had it for the last 9 yrs). it needs cleaned (really!), carpets cleaned (I'd like to replace them...), some new light fixtures etc. the most work is in the kitchen (ugh) and mstr bath. the bath might be ok also other than the vanity/sink, lights, floor and some new fixtures in the shower. hopefully I won't have to replace the whole shower.
the kitchen I'm planning to gut and put in new cabs (it has those crappy 'trailer' type cabs), counter top, new flooring, stove & DW. My fridge & MW are good for now. I don't cook much anymore but I do want it neat, clean and pretty!

I've been going thru old threads and reading those of use to me - and looking at the pics of newly done kitchens and baths! I've learned a lot already from doing that.

Hi! I am new here too. We sold our home in 2002 and bought our 16x80 mh - 3 years old at the time. We lived in a park for 3 years and then moved it to our land in the country. For the first couple of years we worked to get the outside and land in shape. We've done a lot of work inside, but have more to do. First we redid the bathrooms. In the master bath, we removed the garden tub, put in new flooring, put in a "real" sink and brushed nickel faucet, added beadboard, textured, painted, added trim around the window, baseboards and crown moulding. We just have a shower in there now, but have a very nice large bath. In the hall bath we did the same, added beadboard, textured, new fixtures and trim and flooring. We've just finished the back entry - beadboard, trim, textured, painted red, replaced light fixtures, door knobs, etc. In the kitchen, we added beadboard backsplash, trim around windows, crown moulding, baseboard, new light fixtures and pulls & hinges and just had new allure trafficmaster vinyl wood look planks installed - new laminate counter tops are next. What a transformation! Now on to the living room.

I wish I knew how to add photos, I've tried and just can't figure it out! Anyway, we really like our mobile home - it's just right for the 2 of us. When the kids and grandkids come, we hang out on the patio a lot!

It would be so nice to see pictures of what others have done with their mobile homes - for ideas!

Anyway, nice to meet you.

Lynn

I re did the counter in our bath Certainly not the look for many but I am sort of a crazy kind of gal. LOL It was easy and fun to do. The pictures do not do justice to the sparkle and shine. Makes the dark no window bath nicer to go into.

{{gwi:1901892}}

The Fantasy Fish was a happy accident so I added a bead for an eye.

This is just stained glass siliconed to mirror to make the back splash tiles 1/4 inch thick. I also used silicone to glue tiles to the existing counter.

Chris

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1996360}}

Lalynn, To add photos load them to Flicker and then you can copy paste the link into the Optional URL link. Then name your picture.

Chris

Here is a link that might be useful: Test

Let's try this.

Here is a link that might be useful: Remodel

OH WOW!!! Beautiful!!!! So glad you got the pictures to work. Now we get to ask for more details. First I can not tell you how lovely I think the work you have done is. I would love to see more on a close up on the trim in the kitchen on the window. None of our windows have trim yet and we have been trying to decide what to do. We have bull nosed corners on everything. Not sure if that would affect trimming the windows.

Second. We are going to reface all of our cabinets. The doors and drawers are wood but the cabinets are not. Want to use the bead board. Did you use the strips of it on your walls or the strips that hook together. I ask because I am wondering how thick the bead board is.

When we had our house built we had them leave out the garden tub in the master bath and so nice to have the added space in the room. Bet you are finding that too. Kitty is not happy because that was his mouse play pen at our other house. ICK

I am seeing a glimpse of crown molding and I see vaulted ceilings.Looks lovely.I would love to see what it looks like up at the top ,high part, of your ceiling.

Chris

Thank you, Chris. And I want to thank you for the picture-posting instructions. We are not really do-it-yourselfer's, so a friend helped us get started. We bought just regular, already primed bead board at Lowe's - I don't know the thickness. First we took the batten strips off and taped and floated the cracks. Then we textured with a leather texture roller, and painted the walls where the beadboard would not go. We cut it to the size we needed and glued it to the wall and added the trim to the top. We added crown moulding and baseboards and window trim - what a difference that made. If you look closely, our caulking and painting isn't perfect, but if you look at a room as whole, you don't even notice.

In the kitchen, my cabinets by the fridge had "trailer glass" - you know, the frosted stuff with a bunch of gold and mirror. I replace that with "real" glass and you can see through it. The inside of the cabinet was white and everything just blended in. So, I painted inside the cabinet red and I liked it so much I decided to re-paint the back entry red - now that was a job - got red on white and white on red, but it finally looks ok now. We put beadboard as a back splash and around the island and range hood. Of course, more crown and base. And we put Allure TrafficMaster vinyl planks on the floor - I love it.

Now, I'm going to take a few close up shots for you and post them. I'll take a picture of a living room window (we're just getting ready to re-do in there) so you can see what the kitchen window looked like before. Oh, yes, we have crown to put as trim above the cabinets - we'll put that up this week. I've bought a new single bowl stainless kitchen sink and hope to have that installed along with new counter tops within a month or so.

I know this is long, but I'll go take some pics and be back to post. I'm a bit technically challenged, so bear with me. :)

Ok, here are a few more pics. I show one of the windows in the living room - untrimmed. This is the way the kitched windows looked. Also showing the crown moulding, some beadboard & trim. Thanks.

Here is a link that might be useful: More remodel

I love what you have done. I had no idea you could put crown on a vaulted ceiling and now I see it it looks so nice!!! I was not going to do it on top of our kitchen cabinets when we get the refaced. I wanted the things on top of the cabinets to show and the crown hides it now. Maybe need a smaller crown.

The difference the trim makes on your windows is amazing. So much nicer.Elegant Rich. Starting to re think what I want to do here. This is a brand new place and I am already changing things.

Thank you for taking the extra pictures. So much nicer to have a visual.Your home is lovely.

Chris

Thanks, Chris. When you start your work, be sure to post pictures. I love looking at what others have done - can get some great ideas. I love your tiles!! That's something I'd never try - seems too hard!! :0

Lynn

Take a look at ronbre's jaw-dropping gorgeous living room in her double-wide. She has decorating posts on many of the GW forums, all on point. Enjoy.

Here is a link that might be useful: ronbre's living room

wow this is a great new thread I need to spend more time here again !! I'll admit I have been busy.

Chris I love love love the counter backsplash in your house..my goodness girl..that is gorgeous..

first ..Hi Sally and welcome, I love my double wide..it isn't a stick built..but hey it is a great home..sure there are quirks with settling and stuff..and we had a few leaks around roof vents..and some scarey noises the first years as things settle..but you get what you pay for..i love our home ..it is 2040 square feet on a cement crawl and i've been here for going on 6 years..and am getting established with gardens around the area.

Steph, the decorating site has some creative gals on it with decorating advice..beware..they can be a little on the stuffy side sometimes when it comes to higher class type info..so pick and choose what you listen too..
the small homes site also is helpful.
I'm sure you will enjoy your home more the longer you are in it and get it the way you want it..cleaning up after a man..good grief..that is a tough call !

Lynn, go to www.tinypics.com and copy and paste the first link to your message body..then preview and it should pop up...this way the photo is on this site rather than having to go to another site to see it...you are doing a lot..great job..i know all about trying to get the land in shape..been working on that here for a while now.
and to

Posted by wantoretire_did (My Page) on Mon, May 4, 09 at 5:27

Take a look at ronbre's jaw-dropping gorgeous living room in her double-wide. She has decorating posts on many of the GW forums, all on point. Enjoy.

what a very sweet thing for you to say..thank you..i'm embarrassedly blessed by your words..bre

Ronbre, first let me say that your living room is just beautiful. I only hope that when we've finished ours it looks half as nice as your's!!! Thanks for the picture posting help - I wanted to post in the message but couldn't figure it out. Still working on it. I am quite technically challenged. Do you have pictures of any other rooms? Our mh is a single wide - so don't have much room and I like getting ideas from others.

Would love to see pictures from Everyone!! :)

single wides have space challenges..but the always have a lot of light !! windows on both sides..that's always helpful.

yeah I have posted a lot of pictures on here..right now my laptop has my photos on it and my son has my laptop..however here is a close up of the paint I used on the wall in the living room

they also have some that is called candlelight that has a bit of a shimmer to it..and there are others too..that will really add interest when you paint.

In smaller homes you can get away with some really dramatic paint and you can also afford better paint with smaller rooms..if you don't have crown moulding..put it up..and always paint your ceilings..never leave them white.

i'd love for you to be able to put some pictures on this forum...so please..try this..

go to www.tinypic.com

hit browse..
browse your pictures on your computer and then click on one and click open..

click upload (if you haven't resized your picture to less than 2x2 jpg do so before trying to upload them..on a photo program.

when the photo uploads..then go to the first link and click in then right click copy and paste the link onto the message box of your message here..then hit preview and you will see if it worked..then hit post.

Hi Sally,
After years of throwing money away in cramped, noisy apartments, I recently discovered the tremendous benefits of mobile home buying. I wish I had known about it sooner! I enjoyed the whole process so much I'm writing a blog about it that may provide answers to many of your questions, so feel free to check it out below. Hope your experience is as rewarding as mine has been!

Here is a link that might be useful: Mobile Home Buying Blog

"cleaning up after a man..good grief..that is a tough call"

lol! it sure is! haven't done it in over 25 yrs either - (when I got divorced). I won't count my young son back then...or my boy dog...
I'll have help tho - my dbf will be helping me. and I'm gonna try to pay someone to help also. I can't do a lot of the bending and reaching (cleaning back of cabinets, tubs etc).

dbf will sweep everything w/his shop vac, then I'll vaccum with my oreck... then we're gonna test clean a section of carpet. if it cleans up good, I'm gonna hire someone to clean them all. (too much for me to do even tho I have a carpet cleaner). At least this guy didn't have any pets. my dbf has some workmen to help with patching some walls, replacing doors, a few windows, painting. I might be able to help with some painting if I get one of those long handled roller sticks.
A lot of the 'dirt' is from sitting empty in the desert (dirt blows everywhere) and a few broken windows (done by the guys who moved it a few yrs ago). it's been sitting on some land of dbf's for a few yrs.

I've lived on my land in a beat up old '72 trailer (really - no heat, a/c in one room, windows don't even close so desert dirt blows in - ugh) for the past 11 yrs. most of the time I've been too sick to care. This past yr or so I'm staying awake more and doing a bit better. Now I can look around and CARE, just not strong enough to do much about it. I'm about 8 yrs behind in my cleaning here. Best thing to do in that case is - move. lol!

anyway, this new one is at least 1400 sq ft for me and my 2 dogs so we'll have room to spread out and put in bookcases etc to put things into (I've been living out of boxes and bins mostly). It's at least twice the space I have now. I'll think I'm in a palace - lol!
I'm planning to live in it about 6 months before I do anything major to the kitchen or master bath. the main bath looks (under lots of dirt) to be ok (maybe I'll change out the faucets - it is missing a shower head anyway. not that I'll be using that shower).
I'm so glad I found this site! so much to read, learn etc. have gathered up tons of ideas - and many posts have caused me to rethink a previous plan... I've copied out a lot of pics and the site urls into folders on my computer - labeled 'bath', 'kitchen', 'sinks', 'appliances' etc. and will be making a list of things to do and possible ideas for each room.
I've also learned a lot from my sister - her and her dh built down the road from me about 2 yrs ago. We have the same disability and she's learned from their mistakes and things that make it easier on us in our daily lives. So I've got a list of things to put in / not put in from her also. I need to make it as easy to clean and do things as possible. I have many bad stretches physically so I want to be prepared for them - as much as I can.

"beware..they can be a little on the stuffy side sometimes when it comes to higher class type info"

boy, I caught that! I about fell off the bed (where I work on computer) reading about how much some pay for a stove etc! whoa... eating just isn't THAT important to me (well, eating is more important to me than cooking). I seldom cook anymore. If I did, I STILL wouldn't pay that much! tho, it has been yrs and yrs since I've had reason to buy an appl - last I bought was my fridge in '98. only got a small one - at 800.00. i am adjusting to the sticker shock too. but if I can get a decent stove for 6-700.00 why would I pay 5,000 for one? not me...just ain't worth it to me.
I do want things nice, clean and roomy but material things aren't that important to me. I have a lot of nice things now...don't need anymore. In this mfg home the main things will be kitchen cabs, new sink and a couple of appliances I'll need. and new counter top. Even tho I don't do much cooking I want it clean, fresh, good storage and easy for me to clean. In the mstr bath - new vanity and possibly shower (after the kitchen is done).

dbf is talking about putting out a decent size porch / patio and ramp for me(easier for me and my older dog). I have several sets of steps now (6 I think! and only 2 doors now - 3 in the new one). and he'll fence an area for my dogs (I have 2 acres) so I can just open the door and let them in and out without me taking them down the steps to cable them outside (which I do now).

ronbre - great seeing your LR. I have a lot of big, 'ol antiques myself. good to see how they look in a mfg home! I will need to have a few pieces re-upholstered down the road too. Will do that next yr - after colors are settled on etc - then I'll look for fabric for them.
Does that RL paint have the normal paint smell to it? one thing I've found is I'm very sensitive to smells as the yrs go by. Things that never used to bother me now make me very sick. but I sure like the looks of that paint!

this board has helped a lot on things - even down to knowing there's an option in toilet seat heights! I'm getting older so guess I need to check into that one! lol! and I had no idea that toto existed until this board! I'm so behind the times (being very sick for 8 yrs will do that to ya).
They had a thread on handicapped bathroom access over on the bath board - that was very helpful. I'll be putting in at least 1 grab bar.

end of chapter...

We have a window unit AC that we want to install to save some $$$ on our electric bill this summer. Our windows are those standard metal framed windows that you see in many mobile homes that slide up to open. The metal frame is rather thin. My fear is that the window will not support the weight of the AC. Can anyone help?

They sell kits you can buy or make your own~

{{gwi:1996362}}

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.amazon.com/Window-Support-Heavy-Conditioner-Bracket/dp/B000274SEU

Laylnn, You remodeling is fantastic.....I'd like to ask, where you got the corner cupboard you have in the bathroom or do you have someone make it.....I've been searching for one very much like that......Keep posting, I love to look at the pictures.....

Wow! I didn't realize I'd been away from this forum for so long!! Sunny - the corner cabinet in my bathroom is an antique that I bought from a lady 22 years ago. She had it in her kitchen and wanted something different and said I could have it for $100! I snatched it up and have loved it ever since. I think it's been in every room in my house. Right now we are waiting for flooring people to come install new flooring in our living room. We just repainted the living room a pale yellow and will continue that color in the kitchen. The corner cabinet is in our living room now. I am constantly changing things around - just can't help myself - lol. When we are done I'll take some pics and post. We had an odd shaped corner in our living room when we bought this house and had a cabinet maker build a bookcase for us. I've repainted it white and want to put beadboard wallpaper inside it. I had to order the wallpaper and it should be here in a week or so. So, when I'm done with that I'll take some pics! Since I posted last, I've retired, had a new grandbaby, have to take care of an elderly mother...don't know when I had time for work! I also love looking at pics of mobile home interiors.....such great ideas!

Hi all - Glad to see some postings here. This is short as I just had open heart surgery last week, so any projects are now on the way back burner, but I just wanted to say hi for now and welcome to the new posters.

After years of living in a home, in a declining neighborhood, we lucked up on some rural property with a doublewide. Long story short, three years later, no mortgage, some improvements, upgrades, a two car carport with walls added, and the addition of a room on the back (with sliding windows made from plexiglass!)and many more improvements still to come, we are very happy! I wish I had done this years ago. I still fret when the weather turns scary, but a storm shelter is on the "to do" list. We installed a new white metal roof and the difference in our cooling bills in incredible. It should pay for itself over time. I just wish we had done it sooner. We can actually spend our time doing other things like traveling and actually having a life, instead of being married to a house and all it's problems.