How Much Does It Cost To Brick A Mobile Home?

Did you now that you can install brick siding for your mobile home? The upgrade can be a fantastic investment. It is an excellent option if you want to increase the value of the property before selling. But it is also an excellent choice if you want a change in your scenery. In this article, we will answer the question of: how much does it cost to brick a mobile home? To do this, we have to look at the different options available to you.

Bricking a mobile home

One of the best upgrades you can possibly make to the exterior of your mobile home is installing brick as your siding and skirting. The aesthetic is still somewhat rare among manufactured houses, so it will undoubtedly help yours stand out.

Bricks have an old-fashioned appeal. It can make it feel as if your home has more history and character. That’s why it can work brilliantly with cottage or farmhouse decor. However, it will work just as well with a more modern industrial aesthetic.

But it’s not only about looks. The renovation has practical value too.

Reasons to brick a mobile home:

• High-value upgrade: Brick offers a high return on investment. It is a fantastic way to add value to your home. And it can make the property more appealing to buyers or renters
• Low maintenance: The facade will require little upkeep. After two or so decades, you might need to replace or refill the masonry and mortar. But that is unlikely.
• Easy to clean: Overall, it requires less cleaning than other siding options. You can wash it with a pressure washer every few months if you want to. 
• Durable: Brick is highly resistant to both weather and pests. Because of this, it can help protect your house from damage.
• Long-lasting: If you use real brick, it should last as long as the lifetime of the home.
• Customizable: These facades comes with plenty of customization options. You can play around with textures, colors, patterns, and more.
• Energy-efficient: The material is a fantastic insulator. It will help keep the home cool in summer and keep heat in during the winter. So you can save on your power bill.

Just keep in mind that the results will depend on the type of brick you decide to use. So why not take a chance? Be different!

Options to brick a mobile home

There are several options you can go with if you want a brick facade on your mobile home. It’s up to you which you go with. But we recommend that you make a choice based on the benefits you want to get out of it.

First, you have to decide on the actual material you want to use. There are hundreds if not thousands of different, real brick products you can go with. Each has a unique aesthetic and physical properties. 

Overall, this will be the most durable option that will add the most value.

Alternatively, you can choose to use faux brick. Fabricators make them from a range of materials like polyurethane, veneer, or vinyl. These are more prone to damage and add less value. However, you can also use thin bricks like these that are made similar to real ones but are thinner and weigh less.

Besides this, you need to decide where and how you’re going to install the brick. One option is to use it for your skirting around the underbelly. Second, you can use this for your mobile home’s siding.

Another brilliant option is to combine brick with other materials. For example, cover half of the wall with bricks and the other with vinyl.

Remember to check with your local authorities. It might be necessary to obtain a permit or to alter your plans to comply with policies and ordinances.

The process

To answer how much does it cost to brick a mobile home, it can be useful to find out more about the process involved.

The steps required differ significantly from that used in solid-masonry houses. Unlike those buildings, the brick won’t be used for structural support.

Instead, you will install a single layer of it around the outside of the home. It is often referred to as a wythe and sometimes as a veneer. But don’t confuse this with the siding material of the same name.

You will need to attach this to the actual exterior of the mobile home with metal ties. It won’t be installed directly to the wall. There needs to be a gap between the two structures. This is necessary for insulation but also allows water to drain out, which can help to prevent moisture build-up and mold.

On the other hand, if you want to install thin bricks, the process will be similar to installing ceramic tiles. You will secure them to the wall with some kind of an adhesive like mortar.

Brick

Manufacturers produce bricks from a combination of substances like sand, clay, and lime to form a solid surface. It is one of the oldest building materials out there.

By itself, it costs more or less $6 to $10 per square foot. However, this could depend on the specific product and fabricator. You need to buy the units in bundles of hundreds or thousands.

As we’ve said, the material is extremely durable and long-lasting. Therefore, it can help you save money in the long run. Unfortunately, bricks are pretty heavy. Because of this, it might require that you make additional changes to your home to support the weight.

Additional materials

When you are using brick, this isn’t the only material that you will need to use. To install it you will need mortar, house wrap, and shim. That’s why you need to work out the costs if you are trying to calculate a budget for this project.

The shim and mortar are necessary to secure the blocks in place. You need to use the wrap to protect the building, so you will install it between the bricks and the rest of the structure.

The basic costs for these are around:

• Mortar:  $2 to $3 per square foot
• Shim: $15 for a pack of ten
• House wrap: $0.40 to $0.90 per square foot

Thin bricks

On the other hand, brick veneer also called thin brick costs $8 per square foot. Unlike bricks, you need to buy them per sheet. 

As long as you buy a high-quality product, it should look just like the real thing. Plus it is a lot lighter. So you don’t have to worry about adding extra weight to the structure.

However, they are typically less resistant to all kinds of damage. So they aren’t expected to last as long.

Additional materials

You will also need extra materials to install brick veneer. What you need depends on the specific product and the manufacturer’s instructions.

Oneitem  that you will definitely need is mortar. It will cost:

• Mortar: $2 to $3 per square foot

How much does it cost to brick a mobile home by yourself?

Although it is possible to tackle this project on your own, it is usually not recommended. It can be very challenging to brick a mobile home, especially if you have little to no masonry experience.

Besides this, mistakes can be pretty costly. It can lead to extra costs, time, and effort. 

But more significantly, you can cause damage to your mobile home. You really don’t want the wall to tilt or fall.

On the other hand, if you know what you’re doing, it can cost less than a professional installation. Of course, you don’t need to pay for labor, only for the materials.

For a home with 2000 square feet of exterior walls, it will cost:

• Bricks: $12,000
• Mortar: $4,000
• House wrap: $800 to $1,800

On top of this, remember that you will need to get some equipment too. The basic tools you need to get are: 

• A level at $5 to $20
• Trowel for $9 to $15
• T bevel at about $5 to $30

All of this brings the total up to about $17,000 to brick the entire home.

If you use thin bricks to cover 2000 square feet of exterior walls, it will cost:

• Thin bricks: $16,000
• Mortar: $4,000

Once again, the basic tools will be the following:

• A level at $5 to $20
• Trowel for $9 to $15
• T bevel at about $5 to $30

So the total will be around $20,000.

How much does it cost to brick a mobile home using a professional?

Hiring a professional is certainly a safer way to go. It can save you time and effort. And as long as you hire reputable experts, it will be more likely that you get the results you want.

Things can easily go wrong in projects like this. Unfortunately, many DIYers have found themselves in a position where they need to consult a professional later on to help them finish the project or fix a problem.

Of course, it will cost more initially to brick your mobile home using a professional as you need to pay them for their labor. On average, a professional bricklayer will charge $24-$28 an hour. They usually work almost 100 hours for a 1,000 sq ft home.

Here is a breakdown of the costs to hire experts to brick 2000 square feet of exterior walls on your mobile home:

• Bricks: $12,000
• Mortar: $4,000
• House wrap: $800 to $1,800
• Labor: $48,000 to $56,000

The total will be more or less $65,000.

When it comes to hiring someone to install thin bricks, you will need to hire a masonry expert. In contrast to bricklayers, they can charge up to $70 an hour and 1000 sq ft will take them 24 – 40 hours.

So a breakdown of the costs for 2000 sq ft of exterior walls are:

• Thin bricks: $16,000
• Mortar: $4,000
• Labor: $140,000

All in all, this brings the total to about $160,000.

Additional costs

With big projects like this, it is often the additional expenses that break the bank. That’s why it’s important to factor them in from the start. Don’t be caught unaware.

Below are the most common extra costs if you are planning to brick a mobile home.

Cost for siding removal

Before you install the brick around the mobile home, it is often necessary to remove some of the old and damaged siding. If this is the case, you will possibly need to foot additional bills. Most contractors will charge extra to do this.

The cost of this will vary widely. But on average, you will need to pay between $4 to $6 per square foot. For the average 2500 sq ft home it will cost between $10,000 and $15,000. 

Luckily, you probably won’t need to remove all of the siding depending on the results you want to get.

Reinforced foundation

Unfortunately, because bricks are so heavy, you will usually need to reinforce the foundation of your mobile home. To do this, you need to install a footer for the veneer. The best material for this is concrete.

Typically it will cost you about $6 to $8 per square foot. However, it could cost more based on the rates asked by the professionals.

It is less likely that you will need to do this with thin bricks. They will add less of a load to the structure. But check with an expert to make sure.

Sealing the brick

Many experts recommend that you seal any bricks that you use on the exterior of a building. This counts for brick siding as well. The sealant will help to protect the materials and make it even more weather resistant.

If you are already hiring a professional, ask them how much they will charge extra for this. However, you can also do-it-yourself and save some money.

In terms of material, one gallon of sealant costs about $35 to $75. And you can apply it to roughly 150 to 220 square feet.

High-end upgrades

Hopefully, we have answered your question, “how much does it cost to brick a mobile home?” As you can see, it requires quite a hefty initial investment. But this upgrade will certainly pay off. When it is done, the benefits will outweigh the costs.

If you are planning to make changes to your exterior, it can help to check out mobile home skirting ideas as well as the latest exterior trends in mobile home skirting, siding & more.