Repairing roof damage caused by weather or old age is imperative for your mobile home to remain habitable. If your roof is beyond repair or at the end of its lifespan you might need to replace it in its entirety.
Before you can choose your best roofing option, you have to review and set your preferences like:
- Desired durability
- Energy efficiency
- Weather resistance
- Material quality
- Visual appearance
- Longevity
- Cost effectiveness
Knowing the type of roof your manufactured home needs not only makes your planning process easier, it also helps you decide if the cost makes it even worth it.
Sometimes repairing or replacing the roof on your mobile home is simply too expensive and donating is a more viable solution.
In this post, we breakdown your manufactured home roofing options, materials, and costs to help you plan your roofing project before you decide whether you want to go through with it or consider donating your mobile home instead.
Manufactured Home Roofing Options
A roof over and roof replacement are the go-to roofing options for most mobile home owners.
A complete roof replacement requires removing the old roof and installing a new one, while a roof over calls for installing a new layer of roofing material over the existing roof without removing the old one.
Complete Roof Replacement or Roof Over?
The extent of the damage of your mobile home roof will help you decide whether to go for a roof over or a complete roof replacement.
If your existing roof only needs minor repairs, that is when you should consider a roof-over for your mobile home. A roof-over is also a budget-friendly option.
More extensive repairs may call for a complete roof replacement, which might be a more expensive route to fixing your manufactured home roofing. Especially since you might need to hire a professional.
Each type of roofing material has a different life expectancy and material warranty. The longevity of a manufactured home roof heavily depends on the material. For example, metal roof overs can last up to 50 years.
Metal roofs are not your only option. You actually have a lot of different roofing styles to choose from:
- Asphalt shingles
- Aluminum or metal roofing
- TPO (TPO membranes)
- Rubber roofing
- Liquid roofing
Each of these manufactured home roofing styles offers something different. Some are more affordable than others, some are more durable, etc.
Comparison of Types of Manufactured Home Roofing
To help you understand your roofing options, we listed a detailed description of each manufactured home roofing type in the table below:
| Affordability | Installation | Lifespan | Pros | Cons | |
| Asphalt Shingles | Affordable | Easy to install | around 20 years | Comes in various colors and styles | Very thin Prone to leakage |
| Aluminum or metal roofing | Pricey | Tricky to install | 50 years | • Durable • Energy-efficient • Fire-resistant | Echoes loudly when it rains |
| TPO (TPO membranes) | Pricey | Installment must be done by a professional | 20 to 30 years | • Flexible • Resistant • Energy-efficient • Reflects sun rays | Pricey |
| Rubber roofing | Budget-friendly | Easy to install | 40 to 50 years | • Waterproof • Lightweight • Weather-resistant • Great for quick fixes | Not the prettiest design |
| Liquid roofing | Affordable | Fairly easy to install | 10 years | • Durable • Flexible • Water-resistant • Eco-friendly • Can be patched up cheaply | Lack color stability |
Average Cost for a Manufactured Home Roof Over
Roof overs are usually more affordable compared to the cost of installing a completely new roof.
The material and size of your roof over has a considerable effect on the overall cost of your roofing. The total cost will also depend on your location and additional insulation.
For single-wide mobile homes, the cost of a roof over typically falls anywhere between $1,000 to $3,500. For a double-wide, the cost usually ranges between $1,500 and $4,500.
If the contractor finds defects in your roof during inspection, a damaged or rotten roof can add a few hundred dollars to your project.
Another important point about having a roof over your home is that if you ever need to move or get rid of the house, you’ll have to take off the roof first. This can cost you more money in the long run.
What is the Best Manufactured Home Roofing Option for You
Picking the best roof for your mobile home is not always straight-forward and you should have a solid idea of what your options, budget, and needs are before purchasing any materials or hiring a contractor.
Here’s some key information about mobile home roofs to have at hand:
- Shingle and metal roofs are the best options for long-lasting durability and resistance to weather.
- If you need to replace an asphalt shingle roof on your mobile home, you must remove the entire roof to replace it. You can only install one layer of shingles in this process.
- TPO is a great option for your mobile home if you want something that you can rely on to be durable and energy-efficient.
- Rubber roofing is a budget-friendly option and it’s suitable for quick repairs and roof-overs.
- Liquid RV roof is a cost-effective solution, especially if your mobile home has any existing leaks or if you wish to prevent any future leakage from happening.
- Liquid roof is also a great option if you’re trying to get a new roof for a fraction of the cost of a new mobile home roof.
- Cedar shakes are very common mobile home roofs in Florida. They insulate well and don’t rot like fiberglass shingle roofs do. While they are a very popular choice, they can be pricier than some other manufactured home roofing options out there.
Things to Consider When Deciding for Your Manufactured Home Roof
Essentially, what you want to consider when looking at your new potential mobile home roof is:
- Cost
- Weight
- Thickness
- Design
Longevity outshines cost and a mobile home roof that can last for years is likely to come out cheaper in the long run.
Visual appearance or design of your mobile home exterior can increase the value of your mobile home. It’s worth keeping this in mind when you’re thinking about sacrificing the visual quality of your manufactured home roofing to save money.
Mobile home roofs can range from 1/4 inch to 3/4 inch in thickness. For instance, metal roofing panels are typically extremely thin, while asphalt shingles are often around 1/4 inch thick.
The thickness of mobile home roofs depends not only on the material, but the construction of the roof as well. This is important to ask about when choosing between a flat roof or a pitched roof.
Weight restrictions of roofing materials are also very important to consider before you make your choice. This matters especially if you plan to move or remove the home, as the frame must handle the roof’s weight during removal and transportation. Some manufactured home roofing styles might be too heavy for the structure of your mobile home. Assess the structure of your mobile home first or consult with your contractor before starting the project.
Before you decide on your roofing, it’s best to weigh all the options, construction safety standards, and go with the plan that meets your budget and your roofing needs.
When to Hire and when to DIY
Some mobile homeowners might have the skillset to tackle manufactured roofing projects on their own, but sometimes the extent of the damage might require professional help.
If you’re making repairs on your mobile home roof, consider the safety factor first.
DIY roofing projects can be unsafe and result in costly mistakes, if you’re unsure of what you’re doing.
Professional installations can often save you time and effort. The contractor you hire will have the tools and expertise to complete the work safely and correctly.
Paying for the material and hiring a professional to fully replace your mobile home roof can cost up to $5,000. Rubber roofing can be quite pricey, while liquid roofing is more affordable.
If you’ve assessed that it’s safe enough for you to DIY your roofing project, you’ll need to purchase a few different tools on top of your material.
For rubber roofing:
- Hammer ($20-$30)
For metal roofing:
- Electric screwdriver ($30-$80) and a metal cutter ($90-$200)
For shingle roofing:
- Shingle cutter ($120-$180)
For liquid roofing:
- Paint rollers and covers ($10-$15), paint trays ($2-$7), and an extension pole ($15-$40)
Conclusion
In the end, your personal needs and preferences are what matter most when you’re deciding which manufactured home roofing option is best for your mobile home.
The most common way to fix your manufactured roofing damage is either by installing a mobile home roof over and or replacing your mobile home roof.
In most cases, mobile homeowners choose to replace their roof with the exact same material since it’s the easiest way to deal with a damaged roof.
Some mobile homeowners choose to upgrade to a different material. You might have a shingle mobile home roofing system and it is absolutely okay to upgrade to a metal roofing system.
Whichever route you choose, both regular maintenance and proper installation are necessary in prolonging the life of any roofing system.
You might also decide that the cost of roof repairs or replacement is adding up to be higher than you expected it to be. Donating a mobile home might be a valuable solution at that moment for you.
When you donate your mobile home, you get a tax rebate and a family gets a home.
If you choose to donate, Banyan Mobile Home Removal can help take your mobile home off your land for free and place it with a family in need of a shelter.We’ll pick it up and take it away at zero cost, all you need to do is contact us via phone call or email today.