Both required to convert a manufactured home from chattel to real property. One firm delivers both — engineering and legal, on the same file, ten business days from order to recorded.
PE-stamped certification that the foundation meets HUD's permanent-foundation standard. 14–22 pages.
State-specific legal instrument, drafted and recorded with the county recorder. BK / PG returned to your file.
The Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing is HUD's engineering reference for what makes a manufactured-home foundation permanent. A PE's certification under Section 3 is the line between chattel and real property — required by every title insurer, conventional lender, and most insurance carriers.
The handbook breaks the foundation system into six sub-sections, each with technical requirements. Our cert addresses all six and cross-references each finding to its handbook clause.
Concrete-block, steel jack stand, or poured-pier construction. Spacing per manufacturer chassis spec, height to chassis frame, contact bearing.
Footing area per pier load, depth to frost line for the jurisdiction, reinforcement (if required by soil bearing), poured-in-place or precast.
Soil bearing capacity verified or assumed per local building code. Sloped sites, expansive soils, and high water table noted with engineering judgment.
Ground anchors (auger, rock, slab) or alternative anchor systems. Strap connections to chassis frame, anchor spacing per wind zone rating.
Permanent connections for water, sewer, electric, gas. No flexible or temporary lines. Adequately supported, protected from freeze.
Perimeter skirting installed to grade with proper ventilation. Access panel for under-home inspection. Drainage away from foundation.
Foundation system photographed at every pier, footing, anchor point. Photos indexed for the cert appendix.
HUD data plate values recorded (manufacturer, model, serial, wind/thermal/roof zones). HUD certification label number photographed. These match the affidavit.
Skirting, drainage, frost depth conditions, soil-bearing observations, utility connections.
The legal instrument that physically and legally binds the manufactured home to the parcel. Form names and statutory frameworks vary by state — we draft to the correct local form, coordinate notarization, and record at the county recorder for the parcel.
Each of MO, AR, IL, KS uses a slightly different form and statutory citation. Form names: Manufactured Home Real Property Affidavit (MO), Affidavit of Affixation (AR, IL), Affidavit of Conversion to Real Property (KS).
Filed at the county recorder for the parcel. Includes verified HUD identifiers, legal description matched to deed, and lender/title-agent indicia. Title automatically converted upon recording.
Arkansas requires title surrender to the state DMV concurrent with recording. We coordinate the DMV step alongside recording — both pieces close in the same week.
Illinois requires both the affidavit recording and a surrender-of-title with Secretary of State. We file with both county and state. Township-level recording variations handled.
Kansas requires recording at the register of deeds for the parcel, with DMV title surrender concurrent. Form must reference both HUD identifiers and parcel ID.
Correct state form pulled; county-specific variations (e.g. township recording vs. county-level in IL) applied.
Data plate & cert label numbers from field visit matched against title commitment and certificate of origin if available.
Parcel legal description copied from current title commitment, verified for accuracy.
Mobile notary dispatched, or borrower visits our office, or settlement agent's notary used. Whatever moves fastest.
Affidavit filed at county recorder. BK / PG returned same day via e-recording where available, 1–2 business days for paper-only counties.
Settlement files almost always need both documents. Title insurers don't write the policy without the PE cert; conventional lenders don't fund without the recorded affidavit. Most engineering firms only do the cert; most settlement agents only handle the affidavit. One firm doing both means one point of contact, one timeline, and cross-referenced documents that match.
Both documents, same field visit, cross-referenced. This is what title files need. 90%+ of orders.
If the affidavit is already recorded (existing real-property home, refi situation). Cert sealed in 5 BD.
Rare — only if a current PFGMH cert is already in hand from another PE. Includes review of prior cert.
Drop the property address, target close date, and title commitment. Acknowledgment within an hour. Written quote same business day.