FHA Foundation Inspections for Utah Manufactured Homes
Engineer-stamped foundation inspection reports for manufactured and mobile homes — FHA, VA, USDA, and conventional loan-compliant. Reports typically delivered within 5–10 business days.
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Updated May 2026 · By the Ludlow Engineering team
Buying, selling, or refinancing a manufactured or mobile home in Utah? Most FHA, VA, USDA, and many conventional lenders require an FHA foundation inspection — also called an engineer report or HUD-7584 certification — before they'll close the loan. Ludlow Engineering provides engineer-stamped foundation inspections for manufactured and mobile homes across Utah, with reports written to satisfy HUD's Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing (PFGMH). Most reports go out within 5–10 business days. Call (435) 623-0897 or request a quote online.
Your lender almost certainly asked for an "engineer's letter" or "structural inspection" on the manufactured home foundation. What they need is an engineer-stamped report confirming the foundation meets HUD-7584 standards under the Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing (PFGMH). That's the document we produce — and the document FHA, VA, and USDA underwriters accept.
What Is an FHA Foundation Inspection?
An FHA foundation inspection is an engineer-performed inspection and report that certifies a manufactured or mobile home's foundation meets HUD's Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing (PFGMH), the federal standard for permanent foundations under HUD-7584. The deliverable is a signed and stamped report from a licensed Professional Engineer — the document FHA, VA, USDA, and most conventional lenders require before approving a manufactured-home mortgage.
The terms vary by lender but the inspection is the same. You may hear it called any of these:
- FHA foundation inspection
- Manufactured home foundation inspection
- HUD-7584 inspection or HUD compliance inspection
- Manufactured home engineer inspection
- PFGMH inspection
- Engineer report or engineer's letter for a manufactured home
- Structural engineer report for a manufactured home
- Mobile home engineer inspection
If your lender, real estate agent, or title company asked for any of those, this is the service. The output is the same: an engineer-stamped report that proves the foundation meets HUD requirements.
When You Need an FHA Foundation Inspection in Utah
The inspection is required (or strongly recommended) in these situations:
FHA-Insured Mortgage
FHA loans on manufactured housing require a foundation certification confirming the home is on a permanent foundation per HUD-7584.
VA Loan
VA loans on manufactured homes require the same engineer-stamped foundation certification. Many VA appraisers will flag it before closing.
USDA Rural Development Loan
USDA RD loans on manufactured homes require PFGMH-compliant foundation certification. Common on rural Utah properties.
Conventional Loan with Specific Underwriting
Many conventional lenders require the same certification for manufactured homes, especially when the home will be classified as real property.
Refinancing
Refinancing a manufactured home from a chattel loan to a real-estate-secured mortgage typically requires a fresh engineer inspection.
Selling the Home
Sellers often need the inspection to satisfy the buyer's lender. Getting it done early can prevent closing delays.
HUD-7584 & the Permanent Foundations Guide (PFGMH)
HUD-7584 is the certification form. The Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing (PFGMH) is the technical document HUD uses to define what counts as a permanent foundation. The engineer's job is to inspect the home's foundation system, confirm it complies with PFGMH, and issue the stamped certification.
To meet PFGMH and qualify for FHA, VA, or USDA financing, the foundation must address every one of these requirements:
- Permanent foundation system. Piers, footings, anchors, and ground anchors must be designed and installed to resist all loads — vertical, lateral, uplift, and seismic — for the specific Utah site conditions.
- Site-appropriate footings. Footings must be sized for the soil bearing capacity and placed below the frost line. In most of Utah, frost depth ranges from 24 to 42 inches depending on elevation and county.
- Permanent perimeter skirting. The skirting must be permanently attached to a structural backing of concrete, masonry, or treated wood — not just plywood or vinyl tacked to the home.
- Anchorage and tie-downs. The home must be anchored to resist wind uplift and lateral loads per HUD's design wind zone for the Utah location.
- Removal of axles, wheels, and hitch. The towing assembly must be removed for the home to qualify as real property under most state and federal definitions.
- Adequate ventilation under the home. Crawl-space ventilation must meet code, and a vapor barrier may be required depending on soil moisture.
- Connection to permanent utilities. Water, sewer, and electrical connections must be permanent installations, not temporary hookups.
Our engineers inspect each of these items, document conditions with measurements and photographs, and produce a report stamped and signed by a Utah-licensed Professional Engineer.
What's in the Engineer Report
Every engineer report for a manufactured home we deliver includes the following items — both because HUD requires them and because lender underwriters check that these specific elements are present:
- HUD Form 7584 certification (the document the lender actually needs)
- Property address, parcel number, and manufactured home identification
- Inspection date and inspector identification
- Photographic documentation of the foundation, skirting, and anchoring
- Foundation type identification (pier and beam, slab, basement, etc.)
- Compliance statement referencing HUD-7584 and PFGMH
- Findings on each PFGMH requirement
- List of any required corrections, if applicable
- Professional Engineer's stamp and signature
- Engineer's license number for verification
If the home doesn't pass on first inspection — which happens on roughly 1 in 4 inspections we perform — the report lists exactly what needs to be corrected to bring it into compliance. After corrections are made, we re-inspect and re-certify.
Structural Engineer Report for a Manufactured Home
A structural engineer report for a manufactured home is the same deliverable as an FHA foundation inspection — the terminology varies by lender and underwriter. Some lenders ask for "an engineer's letter," some for "a structural inspection," some specifically for "a manufactured home structural engineer report." All of these names refer to the engineer-stamped PFGMH compliance certification we produce.
What makes our reports accepted by underwriters: the engineer is licensed in Utah, the report explicitly references HUD-7584 and PFGMH, the certification language matches what underwriters look for, and the report contains the photographic documentation a sharp underwriter will flag if it's missing.
Mobile Home Foundation Inspectors vs. Engineer Inspections
A common confusion: a home inspector performs a general home inspection — they look at the roof, HVAC, plumbing, and obvious safety issues. A structural engineer performs the PFGMH-compliance inspection that lenders require for manufactured homes. The two are not interchangeable. Lenders specifically require an engineer's stamp, which only a licensed Professional Engineer can provide.
If you've already had a general home inspection but the lender is asking for a "foundation engineer" or "structural engineer report," you need this separate engineer inspection — that's what we do.
Our Inspection Process
Every inspection follows the same workflow. The whole process from first call to delivered report typically takes 1–2 weeks.
Quote & Scheduling
Call us with the home's address. We send a fixed-fee quote within 2–3 hours and schedule the inspection — typically within 3–7 days.
On-Site Inspection
One of our engineers visits the property and inspects the foundation, skirting, anchoring, utilities, and overall site conditions. Inspection takes 45–90 minutes for most homes.
Report Drafting
The engineer compiles the inspection findings, photographic documentation, and PFGMH compliance assessment into a draft report.
Engineer Review & Stamp
The licensed Professional Engineer reviews and signs the final report. Stamped and ready to send to your lender.
Delivery to You and Your Lender
You receive a PDF copy by email and a paper copy by mail if needed. Most clients forward the PDF directly to the lender.
FHA Foundation Inspection Pricing in Utah
Pricing depends on home location, foundation type, and whether a re-inspection is needed after corrections. The ranges below are typical Ludlow Engineering pricing for Utah projects:
| Project Type | Typical Scope | Typical Price |
|---|---|---|
| Single-section manufactured home | Standard PFGMH inspection & HUD-7584 report | $400 – $600 |
| Multi-section / double-wide | Standard PFGMH inspection & HUD-7584 report | $500 – $750 |
| Modular home | Engineer letter for modular home foundation | $450 – $700 |
| Re-inspection after corrections | Follow-up site visit + updated report | $200 – $400 |
| Rural / remote location surcharge | Travel time outside central Utah | + $100 – $300 |
| Expedited / rush turnaround | Report within 3 business days | + $150 – $300 |
All quotes are fixed-fee in writing. We confirm pricing before scheduling, so there are no surprises on the invoice. If corrections are needed, we tell you exactly what's required and quote the re-inspection separately.
Counties & Cities We Serve
From our Nephi office, our engineers inspect manufactured and mobile homes across central, southern, and northern Utah. Most-served counties:
We also regularly inspect homes in Salt Lake County, Davis County, Weber County, Wasatch County, Carbon County, and southern Utah's Iron and Washington counties. Travel costs to outlying counties are disclosed up front.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an FHA foundation inspection cost in Utah?
A standard single-section manufactured home inspection in Utah typically runs $400–$600. Multi-section (double-wide) homes are $500–$750. Modular homes run $450–$700. Re-inspections after corrections are $200–$400. See our pricing table above for the full breakdown.
How long does it take to get the report?
Most reports go out within 5–10 business days of the inspection. Rush turnaround (3 business days) is available for an additional fee. The biggest variable is scheduling the site visit, which we usually do within 3–7 days of your call.
What's the difference between an FHA foundation inspection and a regular home inspection?
A regular home inspection is performed by a home inspector and covers the overall condition of the house — roof, HVAC, plumbing, etc. An FHA foundation inspection is performed by a licensed Professional Engineer and certifies that the foundation meets HUD's PFGMH requirements. Lenders specifically require an engineer's stamp on this report — a home inspector's report doesn't qualify.
Does an FHA loan always require a foundation inspection on a manufactured home?
For FHA loans on manufactured homes, yes. The Federal Housing Administration requires manufactured homes to be on a permanent foundation meeting HUD-7584 / PFGMH standards. Confirmation of compliance requires an engineer-stamped report. The same is true for VA loans, USDA Rural Development loans, and many conventional loan products on manufactured housing.
What if my home fails the inspection?
About 1 in 4 homes don't pass on the first inspection — usually because of skirting issues, missing anchoring, or a removed-but-not-permanently-disposed-of axle assembly. Our report lists exactly what needs to be corrected. After the corrections are made, we re-inspect and re-certify. Re-inspections run $200–$400.
Can you inspect mobile homes (not just manufactured homes)?
Yes. We inspect both manufactured homes (built after 1976 to HUD code) and older mobile homes. For pre-1976 mobile homes, the inspection is still possible but qualifying for FHA/VA financing is more difficult because the home predates HUD's manufactured-home standards. We'll tell you what we find — but pre-1976 homes often don't qualify for FHA loans regardless.
What is HUD-7584 and where does PFGMH come in?
HUD-7584 is the certification form issued by HUD. The Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing (PFGMH) is the technical document HUD uses to define a permanent foundation. The engineer inspects the foundation against PFGMH requirements and issues HUD Form 7584 confirming compliance. The two work together — PFGMH is the standard, HUD-7584 is the certification document.
Do you inspect modular homes?
Yes. Modular homes are built to state and local building codes (not HUD codes), but lenders often still require an engineer's letter confirming the foundation. Our modular home engineer letters run $450–$700.
What information do you need to send a quote?
The home's address, the type of home (manufactured, mobile, or modular), and the type of loan (FHA, VA, USDA, conventional). With that we can send a fixed-fee quote within 2–3 hours and schedule the inspection.
Can you do the inspection outside of central Utah?
Yes — we serve the entire state. Travel surcharges for outlying counties are disclosed in the quote up front. Most counties on the Wasatch Front, central Utah, and southern Utah are within our regular service area. Northern Utah and southwestern Utah projects may include a $100–$300 travel surcharge.
How do I get my lender the report?
We send you the stamped PDF by email. You forward it directly to your lender, or we can email it to them on your behalf if you give us the contact information. Most lenders accept the PDF; a few request a mailed paper copy, which we can also provide.