What is a HUD engineering report?
It is a written report from an engineer that addresses a manufactured home's foundation against HUD's Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing. Lenders ask for it under many names, so the exact wording in your loan file matters more than the label.
What else is it called?
Different people use different terms for what is often the same request.
- HUD foundation certification.
- Permanent foundation certification.
- Engineer's certification.
- FHA structural report.
- PFGMH certification, short for the name of HUD's guide.
Not every name means the same scope. A "structural report" on a moved home, for example, may ask for more than a foundation certification does. Copy your lender's wording word for word when you contact us.
Who signs it?
An engineer licensed or registered in the state where the home sits. We issue these reports in Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Indiana, and the report is signed by a Professional Engineer licensed in the state where your home is located.
An engineer can only sign for what the inspection and review support. If the findings do not support a certification, the report will say so.
What does the report cover?
It covers the foundation question the lender agreed to, for the property named in the request. The engineer may look at how the home is supported, how it is anchored, and the conditions that can be reached, along with what is known about the home and its installation.
The guide itself is a technical reference. It does not certify an individual address. The property-specific report is what applies it to your home.
Is it the same as an affixation affidavit?
No. The engineering report is a technical document. An affidavit of affixation belongs to the legal and title side of the transaction. Our guide on foundation certification vs the affixation affidavit explains how to keep the two requests apart.
Does the report approve the loan?
No. The report answers its engineering question. Your lender decides whether the report satisfies its requirement, and borrower qualification, appraisal, title, and insurance remain separate parts of the file. Ask your loan officer what will still be outstanding after the report is delivered.
For the lender's side of the foundation question, read FHA manufactured home foundation requirements. Our FHA and HUD foundation inspection service covers the inspection itself.
What should you send us?
Send the address, the lender's written condition and your report deadline. We reply within one business day.