What is the HUD Permanent Foundations Guide (PFGMH)?
PFGMH stands for HUD's Permanent Foundations Guide for Manufactured Housing, a technical reference for evaluating and designing permanent foundations for manufactured homes. When a lender asks for "PFGMH certification," it is usually asking for an engineer's report on your home's foundation, not for a copy of the guide.
Does the guide certify my home?
No. The guide is a reference that looks at the relationship between the home, its foundation, and the site. It does not certify any individual address. A property-specific engineering report applies the requested scope to your home, and the engineer signs that report.
The signing engineer must be licensed in the state where the home sits. We issue these in Missouri, Arkansas, Illinois, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Indiana.
What does a PFGMH report address?
The report answers the agreed foundation question for the identified property. 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. What can be stated depends on the actual findings and the scope.
Does permanent skirting mean a permanent foundation?
Not by itself. The enclosure around the bottom of a home does not show how the home is supported or secured, and a neat exterior can hide conditions that need review. Tell us what is present, but do not pick repairs based on how the perimeter looks.
Who should order the report?
A buyer, owner, lender, or agent may arrange it. Before anyone orders, agree on who pays, who provides access, and who receives the report. One clear request is better than several people ordering overlapping work.
If you are a loan officer, include the full condition and the intended recipient. If you are a buyer, ask your lender to confirm the wording before you choose a service.
What if the home does not meet the criteria?
The report describes the findings within the agreed scope. Depending on what is found, the next step may be more information, a repair scope, completed repairs, or another review. Certification depends on the findings, and a fee does not buy a favorable result. Your lender decides whether the report meets its requirement.
Read what happens next in what if a manufactured home foundation certification fails. Our permanent foundation certification service is where this work starts.
What should you send us?
Send the address and the lender's exact wording. If you have an older foundation report, include it. We reply within one business day.