How to ‘Site & Level’ your Sunrise Lodge Mobile Home
Welcome to our ‘siting guide’ page. The video below shows how to site your Sunrise Lodge. The chassis in the video is different to some of ours, but the basis details on how to level it are the same.
We also have detailed specs on the concrete base you’ll need, along with much more useful info in our ‘starters guide’
This video is by the chassis manufacturers themselves, so it’s certainly in depth, you may not need as much as they use depending on where in the country you are, and what elements your home may be exposed to. But if in doubt, feel free to give us a call or send an email.
When you purchase your Sunrise Lodge we always include free standard delivery. However, this is a standard ‘drop off’ service, we will not have any other vehicle to manoeuvre or site the home for you. If you wish, our team at Newfhouse Caravan Transport can undertake the whole job for you, sending our highly experienced team with their 4×4’s, skids, blocks and all sorts to professionally and safely site your mobile home for you. Usually this service costs a minimum of £500 but does depend on your site and what might be involved.
Laying a correct hardstanding base
The specification for pitches in good load-bearing subsoil are as follows (Guidelines of Good Practice for Transportation, Siting, and Commissioning v6.7):
- Sub-base All topsoil should be removed to an appropriate depth before the raft/strips are constructed. The sub-base should then be compacted until it is firm. If during excavation, soft, wet or unstable areas are detected, these materials should be excavated and replaced with well-compacted, granular fill. It is highly recommended that in this scenario a qualified structural/civil engineer is engaged.
- Concrete Raft The base raft is at least 200mm wider than wheelbase and jacking points of the home. A well consolidated hard-core sub-base with a minimum depth of 150mm should be laid first and topped with 100mm of concrete mix with steel reinforcement. Ideally the perimeter of the base should be deeper/thickener to accommodate brick, block or stone skirting and the fitting of decking or porches around the home. The concrete mix for the raft should meet the requirements of BS EN 206-1. The finished raft should be flat, level in all directions and flush with the ground. One or two shallow gullies could be formed in the surface to allow water to run off.
- Concrete Strips If concrete strips are used instead of a raft, they should be a minimum of 1m wide and should be spaced so that the longitudinal chassis members can be positioned above the centre of the strips (approximately 1.8m centres). A well consolidated hard-core sub-base with a minimum depth of 150mm should be laid first and topped with 150mm of concrete mix with steel reinforcement. The concrete mix for the strips should meet the requirements of BS EN 206-1. Rough-sawn timber may be used for longitudinal forms. This should be placed on edge, with sideways movement prevented by metal or wooden stakes driven into the ground at 1m spacing. Where strips are constructed on slopes steeper than 1 in 30 (33mm in 1m), they must incorporate anchors to prevent them from creeping downhill. It is highly recommended that in this scenario a qualified structural/civil engineer is engaged. The finished raft/strips should be generally flat and level with provision for surface drainage.
- Curing Concrete should be allowed to cure fully in order to achieve the desired strength. The curing process can be enhanced by keeping the fresh concrete damp for an adequate period after pouring. Concrete work in frosty conditions should be avoided unless antifreeze additives are used.
As soon as surface texturing is complete, the concrete should be covered with plastic sheeting held in place with a thin layer of sand or soil and stones along the edges. Allow sufficient time for the base to cure before siting the home. Damp-curing should be continued for at least 10 days in warm weather and 14 days in cold weather.