12 things you can do to make your manufactured home look like it was 
built on-site.

1. Roof angle: So now that we’ve gone over cast iron’s virtues here’s why I love this way of hanging cast iron on the wall. After burning your pans out you can hang them hot and let them cool there. Otherwise, you would have to let them cool on the stove until they can be put away. In this example, they just have a board with hooks but I like a full wall board to protect the wall from the heat and getting dinged up by the skillets and pans. The more dings and burns on your wallboard the more rustic it’ll look. Floor to ceiling. You can hang everything here.

2. Extended eaves: Another roof treatment is the eaves. They are typically flush or very short on manufactured homes. By extending these it adds a little style to the roof. If you really wanted to get fancy you could add some decorative brocade or wainscoting to accentuate the roof from the home’s siding.

3. Exterior Cladding: Manufactured homes typically come with standard vinyl siding. This weathers well and looks ok but if you want to punch it up a notch you can choose an alternative exterior cladding. Brick, stone, natural wood, genuine clapboard siding, stucco, log, or even something like industrial metal with a rusted patina. The only limitation is your pocketbook, imagination, and taste.

4. Basement or foundation flush with the ground: Another dead giveaway for manufactured homes is the skirting covering the under part of the home where it is lifted and balanced. If the home is placed flush to the ground on a solid permanent foundation this skirting is not needed and the home has the look of a home that was built on-site. Plus the home will settle better over time on the superior foundation.

5. Garage: Building a garage as a separate addition can add huge appeal to a manufactured home. This makes the home appear larger as well as adding more complexity to the shape and form. The garage can be attached to the home or not. Such structures will also greatly increase the value of the home.

6. Out Buildings: Like the garage, any outbuildings you build will add to the home’s appeal as well as its value. These can be attached to the home or not as you choose. A greenhouse, shed, barn, or workshop would be good outbuildings to add to your home.

7. Landscaping: Good landscaping will do wonders to create a permanent site-built appeal to your home. If your home is lifted with skirting you could plant shrubs and bushes that break up the visual of the skirting making it a less prominent feature. Having paths to your doors creates a welcoming atmosphere and adds beauty to your home. A yard full of trees and flowers will accentuate any home.

8. Replace the doors: Manufactured homes typically have special smaller doors and unique door frames. Replacing these with standard larger doors can make your home look nicer as well as providing better entry access. Standard door handles do not fit manufactured home doors without special adaption kits. If you want a nice front door with a fancy doorknob and knocker you can get a standard door and have it fitted to your manufactured home. It’ll make a great entry impression.

9. Add a porch, or two: Adding porches to manufactured homes is always a good idea if you have the room. It breaks up the rectangular shape of the home as well as providing a nice area to enjoy. You can add trestles and climbing vines to really make your porch a showcase.

10. Lighting Fixtures: Adding good-looking lighting fixtures always makes a home pop. Whether site built or manufactured. These pieces of sculpture will enhance your home whether the lights are on or off.

11. Interior wainscoting and crown molding: Wainscoting is a great way to make an interior wall look fancy. It’s just a wooden or plaster form adding texture and depth to the lower part of the wall. Croan molding does the same for the top of the wall where it meets the ceiling. This treatment will turn any room into a showpiece. And it isn’t very difficult and doesn’t require any sort of demolition. You are just adding to what is already there.

12. Interior drywall: Drywall looks good. It has a custom-made appeal. Drywall has texture and dampening qualities that will improve a room’s presentation. This a pretty involved effort but the results will be spectacular.