Foundation

🧱 FOUNDATION – What type of foundation is needed for a mobile or modular home?

The foundation of a mobile or modular home always depends on the soil conditions of the site.
The appropriate foundation type is determined based on a geotechnical report, prepared by a specialist following soil sampling and lab testing.

✅ When is a shallow foundation sufficient?

If the soil is stable and has good load-bearing capacity, a shallow foundation is usually sufficient.

Common options include:

• Slab foundation

• Strip foundation

• Beam foundation

• Beam-grid foundation

• Pad or short bored pile foundation
  
  

These foundations are typically installed 80–150 cm deep, below the frost line.

🛠️ Common shallow foundation types:

Slab foundation
A reinforced concrete slab across the full floor area. Offers excellent load distribution and fast installation.

Strip foundation
A continuous concrete base under the main load-bearing walls. Requires dense, stable soil.

Beam foundation
Reinforced concrete beams transferring loads to pads or columns.

Beam-grid foundation
A grid of longitudinal and transverse reinforced beams. Good load distribution and flexibility.

Shell foundation (floating slab)
A thin, continuous concrete slab used on well-compacted soils. Fast and cost-effective.

Short bored pile foundation
Reinforced piles 1.5–3.0 meters deep. Minimal excavation needed, but for limited loads only.

🌀 Ground screw foundations for mobile homes

Ground screws are an ideal solution for lightweight or temporary mobile homes.

✅ Advantages:

• Fast installation, no concrete required

• Removable and reusable

• Low environmental impact
  
  

Typical installation:

1 ground screw per 1.5–2 m² → ~25–35 screws for a 50 m² unit

Recommended sizes:

• For loose or sandy soil: 1.5–2.5 m length, Ø76–114 mm

• Statical analysis is always recommended to determine correct size and spacing

🧱 Concrete pad foundations

Precast or cast-in-place concrete pads are common for smaller or pillar-structured buildings.

Installation steps:

1. Marking and excavating pad locations

2. Formwork and reinforcement

3. Pouring concrete (min. C25/30 strength class)

4. Curing: keep moist for 7 days, protect from frost

5. Full load-bearing capacity reached after 28 days

📌 Summary table:

📣 Important:

The foundation plan should always be designed by a structural engineer, based on the geotechnical report of the specific building site!