Is there a technical bulletin or anything special for an elevation certificate for a mobile/manufactured home?
I read somewhere that, assuming there is only aluminum/vinyl skirting below, you should use diagram 5.
I swear I read somewhere--maybe here--you don't shoot the finish floor, but the bottom of the floor joist--even in an AE zone...
16) Which diagram should be used for manufactured homes that have vinyl
or aluminum skirting?
If the vinyl or aluminum skirting is purely for decorative purposes, the skirting can be disregarded and Diagram 5 can be used in both A and V Zones. However, if the area below the manufactured home’s lowest floor is enclosed by something other than vinyl or aluminum skirting, it may be an enclosure in which case Diagrams 6 or 8 may be more appropriate. The surveyor can note in the Comments section whether the manufactured home includes vinyl or aluminum skirting. Openings are not required if vinyl or aluminum skirting is used.
The local official should document on the permit whether skirting will be used or whether the area below the manufactured home’s lowest floor will be an enclosure before issuing a permit. If an enclosure is created below the manufactured home’s lowest floor, the enclosure can only be used for parking, access, or storage. If the manufactured home is located in an A Zone, the enclosed area must include openings [44 CFR 60.3(c)(5)]. If it is located in a V Zone, the area below the lowest horizontal structural member of the lowest floor must be either free of obstruction or constructed with non-supporting breakaway walls, open-wood lattice-work, or insect screening intended to collapse under wind and water loads without causing collapse, displacement, or other structural damage to the elevated
I show them as #5 and use the floor for the lowest living, as per a FEMA rep, but I also shoot the bottom of the beam and add a note in the comment section.
The only time the instructions say to use the bottom of the beam is for V zones, but state law requires that the bottom of the beam be above the BFE, but I was told that by the parish floodplain administrator.
Around here the bottom of the main frame is the "top of bottom floor" (C2-A). That has to be 2 ft above the BFE, putting the first floor about 4 ft above grade.
Vinyl/Aluminum skirting is not considered "enclosed", so no openings are needed. Usually it is Bld Diagram 6. Often times it's the AC/Furnace unit on a slab next to it that gets them in trouble.
Last one I did on a DW was in Charleston County in an AE 12. It had brick skirting with adequate openings....called it a diagram 8...no problems!
Thanks guys!
Excluding V zones or A zones with an enclosure the finish floor elev. of a mobile home goes in section C2a no matter where you live.
If anyone "federal, state or local agency" require the bottom of the beam elevation be at or above the BFE the floor elev. still goes in the C2a and the bottom of the beam elev. would go in the comments section.
Remember the Elev. certificate was written by FEMA for FEMA so you have to follow their rules "not some local agency" when filling it out. Local agencies can mandate a freeboard or higher requirement for the BFE and that would go in the comments section.
