Seattle DCI Tip #305 Factory Constructed Structures For Residential And Commercial Use PJF2 UNV( S) Cam305

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www.seattle.gov/sdci

City of Seattle

Department of Construction and Inspections

700 5th Avenue, Suite 2000

P.O. Box 34019

Seattle, WA 98124-4019

(206) 684-8600

Seattle Permits

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Seattle Department of Construction

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Factory-Constructed

Structures for Residential

and Commercial Use

Updated December 22, 2005

Factory-constructed structures include both residen-

tial and commercial structures that are built off-site in

a factory and are later transported to a building site

for installation. The State Department of Labor and

Industries (L&I) regulates and approves the construc-

tion of all factory-constructed structures that are sold,

leased or used in Washington state. Site installation

requirements and inspections vary with the type and

use of the factory-constructed structure and are gen-

erally the responsibility of the local jurisdiction where

the structure is to be located.

This Tip describes the types of factory-constructed

structures allowed in Seattle, along with their permit-

ting and inspection requirements.

PERMITTED RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES

Two types of residential structures built in factories are

permitted in the city of Seattle if they comply with local

code requirements, such as structure setbacks, side

and rear yards, environmentally critical areas (ECAs),

and other development standards, including:

1. Factory-built structures (typically described as

manufactured housing) that are approved by L&I

with issuance of a red seal insignia certifying that

they meet standards of the federal Department of

Housing and Urban Development (HUD)

2. A type typically described as modular construction

(used for residential and non-residential purposes)

is approved by L&I with issuance of a gold seal

insignia certifying that it meets the standards of the

Washington State Building Code.

305

The City of Seattle’s Comprehensive Plan, adopted

in July 1994, and updated in 2004, states in Housing

Policy H19:

Allow the use of modular housing, conforming to

the standards of the State of Washington build-

ing and energy codes, and manufactured hous-

ing, built to standards established by the Federal

Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Modular and manufactured houses shall be permit-

ted on individual lots in any land use zone where

residential uses are permitted.

Red Seal Housing Insignia

Factory-constructed housing with a red seal insignia

(typically referred to as manufactured housing or "red

seal housing") is regulated through the National Manu-

factured Home Construction and Safety Standards

Act of 1974 as administered by HUD. The act sets

minimum construction standards that preempt local

and state building codes for all manufactured hous-

ing built after June 15, 1976. The red seal is issued

through L&I, which inspects the factories assembling

manufactured housing to certify compliance with HUD

standards. This approval also applies to the plumb-

ing, heating, electrical and other components within

the structure.

Red seal housing has two separate information plates.

The first, a red seal insignia, is discussed below. The

second is a data plate, located near the main electri-

cal panel, which lists important information about the

home itself, including where and on what date the

home was built, a list of major equipment installed in

the home, and the structural earthquake zone and

wind loads for which the home was designed.

The red seal insignia must be attached to each trans-

portable section of manufactured housing, located

at the tail light end of each section. It is a 2” x 4”

label on aluminum, stamped with a number com-

posed of three letters followed by six digits (e.g., ABC

- 000001). The three letters identify the inspection

agency responsible for inspecting a manufactured

housing factory.

SDCI Tip #305—Factory-Constructed Structures for Residential and Commercial Use page 2

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This Tip should not be used as a substitute for codes and regulations. The applicant is responsible for compliance

with all code and rule requirements, whether or not described in this Tip.

All building plans, subsequent alterations to building

plans, and construction of red seal housing must be

approved by L&I. If alterations to the housing struc-

ture are made prior to or during installation or after

occupancy without L&I approval, the red seal insig-

nia will be invalidated. Manufacturers who wish to

alter red seal housing must revise the building plans

and resubmit them to L&I for reapproval. If an owner

wishes to alter a red seal structure after occupancy,

and applies for a permit to make such alterations, the

Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections

(Seattle DCI) requires either proof that such alteration

has been L&I-approved prior to permit issuance or

that the plans have been approved and stamped by a

licensed engineer or architect.

Is a foundation required?

Although red seal housing may not be required to

be placed on a foundation, the HUD standards do

require the manufacturers to make provisions for both

an anchoring system and a foundation to be used for

installation by a HUD-certified installer. The manufac-

turer is not, however, required to provide the anchor-

ing system or stabilizing devices. Owners should look

at the manufacturer’s instructions for more information.

HUD standards include specifications for foundations.

By design, red seal housing can be used with or

without a permanent foundation conforming to the

Seattle Building Code (SBC). Additional information

on permanent foundations for manufactured housing

can be ordered from HUD at 1-800-245-2691, or the

information can be accessed at www.hudclips.org.

At time of purchase, a lending institution may require

the use of a permanent foundation conforming to the

SBC. Seattle DCI recommends that owners install

factory-constructed structures on a permanent foun-

dation. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA)

and the Veteran’s Administration (VA) are two lending

institutions that require a permanent foundation with

manufactured housing. (NOTE: Please check with

your lender before installation.)

What are mobile homes?

Mobile homes are factory-constructed housing built

before June 15, 1976, when the HUD Manufactured

Home Construction and Safety Standards went into

effect. There will be no red seal insignia on mobile

homes, and they do not meet local building code

requirements. In Seattle, mobile homes are typically

located in established mobile home parks.

Gold Seal Insignia

Factory-constructed structures with a gold seal

insignia (typically referred to as modular or “gold

seal buildings") are regulated by state standards for

housing body and frame construction as determined

by state law (Washington Administrative Code 296-

150B). Gold seal buildings may be used for com-

mercial or residential uses. The structure must

comply with the Washington State Building, the Me-

chanical, the Plumbing, and Energy codes, and must

be placed on a permanent foundation conforming to

the SBC. The gold seal insignia must be placed on or

near the meter base or near the location where electri-

cal service enters the structure.

If alterations to the gold seal structure are made be-

fore occupancy without the prior approval of L&I, the

gold seal insignia will be invalidated. Manufacturers

must resubmit a building plan and design for approv-

al. Approved alterations will be added as a data plate

on the gold seal building. The additional data plate

will state what alterations have been made and the

date of approval. Alterations made after the gold seal

building is occupied are subject to the review and ap-

proval of the local jurisdiction.

In summary, gold seal buildings differ from red seal

housing in three important ways:

1. Gold seal buildings must be installed on a perma-

nent foundation.

2. Gold seal buildings are built to the Washington State

Building, Mechanical, Plumbing and Energy codes.

3. Gold seal buildings are built according to the state

L&I construction standards, as opposed to HUD

construction standards.

PERMITTED

NONRESIDENTIAL STRUCTURES

A factory-constructed structure built for nonresidential

use (typically referred to as a commercial coach) is

approved by L&I with issuance of a black seal or gold

seal insignia certifying that the structure was manu-

factured in compliance with state standards.

Black Seal Insignia

Nonresidential factory constructed structures with a

black seal insignia are called commercial coaches.

The black seal insignia certifies that the structure is

manufactured in compliance with state standards.

SDCI Tip #305—Factory-Constructed Structures for Residential and Commercial Use page 3

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This Tip should not be used as a substitute for codes and regulations. The applicant is responsible for compliance

with all code and rule requirements, whether or not described in this Tip.

Commercial coaches must comply with the Washing-

ton State Building Code (for occupancy determina-

tion), the State Mechanical, Plumbing, the Energy

codes, as well as other standards outlined in Wash-

ington State Law (WAC 296-150B). Coaches must

be placed on a permanent foundation conforming

to the Seattle Building Code. This insignia can be

found adjacent to the entry door, at least 12 inches

above the floor line.

Commercial coaches can only be used as temporary

structures designed for human occupancy for indus-

trial, educational, assembly, professional or other

commercial purposes. They can include temporary

office buildings and portable school classrooms.

Commercial coaches that are portable classrooms

have additional requirements for ventilation, heating,

cooling and temperature-control systems. These

systems must be designed by a professional engineer

registered in the state of Washington and experienced

in the design of heating, ventilating and air condition-

ing systems.

In addition to the black seal insignia, commercial

coaches have an identification plate which lists impor-

tant information about the non-residential structure,

such as where and on what date the structure was

manufactured and an assigned identification number

for the structure.

Gold Seal Insignia

See information about permitted nonresidential struc-

tures in previous Gold Seal section on page 2.

LOCAL REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS:

PERMITS, FEES AND INSPECTIONS

Building Permit Requirements

In order to install a factory-constructed structure on a

site, you must apply for a building permit from Seattle

DCI's Applicant Service's Center (ASC), located on

the 20th floor of Seattle Municipal Tower at 700 Fifth

Ave. in downtown Seattle, (206) 684-8850. There are

different requirements for each of the three factory-

constructed structures. (See Table 2 on page 6.)

Please note that with your building permit application,

you will be asked to supply two sets of the plans and

Table 1: Comparison of the Three Types of Factory-Constructed Structures

Insignia

Required

Use

Construction

Code

Requirements

Construction

Location1

Who

Inspects

Construction

in Factory?

Who

Inspects the

On-Site

Structure?

Red Seal

(Manufactured

Housing)

2

Residence

Federal Housing

and Urban Devel-

opment (HUD)

Factory

State Labor and

Industries (L&I)

for HUD3

City of Seattle

Gold Seal

(Modular

Construction)

2

Residence or

Non-Residence4

Washington State

Building Code Factory L&I City of Seattle

Black Seal

(Commercial

Coaches)

Non-Residence

(Temporary Only)

Washington

Administrative

Code -

Commercial

Factory L&I City of Seattle

1 Construction of that portion of the structure above the foundation.

2 Manufactured housing and modular construction for residential purposes are frequently used terms to describe certain

types of factory constructed housing, but these terms are often misused and not consistently defined. Due to this

problem, the L&I insignia system is used in this Tip to distinguish between types of factory-constructed housing.

3 L&I inspects the assembly of factory-constructed structures for manufacturers in Washington State. Factory-constructed

structures assembled in other states would be inspected by the state agency acting for HUD.

4 Gold Seal could be commercial if constructed to commercial requirements.

SDCI Tip #305—Factory-Constructed Structures for Residential and Commercial Use page 4

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This Tip should not be used as a substitute for codes and regulations. The applicant is responsible for compliance

with all code and rule requirements, whether or not described in this Tip.

specifications for the factory-constructed structure

providing verification of design and construction ap-

proval from L&I. The design drawing must include

foundation details.

A site plan of the site showing the location of the

factory-constructed structure with setbacks and yard

requirements noted is necessary to ensure compli-

ance with the Seattle Land Use Code.

Installation does not cover any additions or acces-

sory structures, unless specifically included in the L&I

approvals, such as a deck, porch, carport or garage,

since these elements are typically constructed on-site.

If you are planning to add accessory structures on

the site, you will need to include information relating

to these in your application to erect the base building

or subsequently obtain an additional building permit

from Seattle DCI. If accessory structures are partially

supported by factory-constructed structures, such ad-

ditional loads must be included in the L&I approvals.

Additional Requirements for

Red Seal Housing

As of July 1, 1995, red seal housing may not be in-

stalled in Washington without a certified manufactured

housing installer providing on-site supervision when-

ever installation work is being performed.

Exceptions are allowed for homeowners performing

installation work on their own homes. Installation is

defined as all on-site work necessary for the installa-

tion of red seal housing, including, but not limited to,

construction of the foundation (if any), support piers,

anchors, skirting and connections to the water and

sewer systems. It does not include site preparation

or accessory structures that are constructed, such as

garages, carports and decks, which are items subject

to Seattle DCI inspections. Seattle DCI will inspect

the foundation when it meets SBC standards.

When the foundation does not meet SBC standards,

Seattle DCI may require an independent inspection by

a person knowledgeable with the federal standards

(an architect, engineer or other licensed professional

certified by L&I). After the inspection, this indepen-

dent inspector will be required to submit a letter to

Seattle DCI attesting that the installment meets federal

standards, as administered by L&I.

Red seal housing must be installed per the manufac-

turer’s instructions, which are approved by HUD. A

building permit application must include either the

name and registration number of the contractor or

licensed manufactured home dealer or the name and

certification number of the certified installer. Seattle

DCI cannot issue the permit without this information.

Additional Requirements for

Black Seal Commercial Coaches

According to the SBC, commercial coaches may be

installed as temporary office or other uses approved

by the building official for 18 months. A permit for a

commercial coach used as temporary office space

may be renewed and an inspection made to ensure

continued compliance with the SBC and the Land

Use Code. Commercial coaches may be placed on

a temporary foundation, meeting the requirements in

SBC Section 106.13, and must be anchored to resist

wind and seismic forces.

Other Permits Required

Installation of factory-constructed structures may

require some or all of the following:

n Curb cut permit from Seattle DCI if there will be a

new driveway cut.

n Gas piping permit from Seattle - King County Dept.

of Public Health, if gas appliances will be installed.

n Plumbing permit from Seattle - KC Dept. of Public

Health if any plumbing is added to the structure.

n Service connection from Seattle City Light.

n If the permit includes any excavation, a Seattle DCI

Construction Stormwater Control Plan and/or Drain-

age Standard Plan will be required.

nA side-sewer permit from Seattle DCI is required

for new sewer hookups.

n If your factory-constructed structure will be located

in an ECA, plan review will be required and the

foundation plan might be required to be designed

by a licensed structural engineer and must be ap-

proved by a geotechnical engineer licensed by the

state of Washington. A soils report prepared by

the geotechnical engineer will be required. To find

out if your site is in an ECA, visit Seattle DCI's ASC.

Fees

For information about building permit fees for factory-

constructed structures, refer to the Fee Subtitle or

contact the Seattle DCI Public Resource Center at

(206) 684-8467. You may also find current fee ordi-

nance information online at www.seattle.gov/dpd/

codesrules/codes/fees/.

SDCI Tip #305—Factory-Constructed Structures for Residential and Commercial Use page 5

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This Tip should not be used as a substitute for codes and regulations. The applicant is responsible for compliance

with all code and rule requirements, whether or not described in this Tip.

Links to electronic versions of Seattle DCI Tips,

Director's Rules, and Forms are available on the

"Tools & Resources" page of our website at www.

seattle.gov/sdci. Paper copies of these docu-

ments are available from our Public Resource Cen-

ter, located on the 20th floor of Seattle Municipal

Tower at 700 Fifth Ave. in downtown Seattle, (206)

684-8467.

Access to Information

Inspection Requirements

After the factory-constructed structure has been sited,

you will need to schedule an inspection. Seattle DCI

inspects the structure to ensure that it has been prop-

erly sited and meets all applicable code requirements.

Manufacturer’s instructions must be at the site for an

inspector to review during the inspection. Call Seattle

DCI at (206) 684-8900 to schedule an inspection.

The following list includes inspection requirements for

factory-constructed structures, organized by the City

department responsible for the inspection. (These

requirements may vary depending on the type of

structure installed.)

Seattle Department of Planning and

Development: (206) 684-8850

n Inspection of yard and setback requirements

n Inspection of permanent foundation (when required)

n Inspection of electrical hookup

n Inspection of site grading

n Inspection of side sewer

n Inspection of stormwater control used during con-

struction/installation

n Inspection of any required infiltration pit or com-

mercial parking lot drainage

Seattle Transportation: (206) 684-5283

n Inspection of driveway cuts

Seattle Public Utilities: (206) 684-5800

n Inspection of water hookup

Seattle-King County Department of Public Health:

(206) 296-1175

n Inspection of plumbing and gas piping

Important Information to Remember

n Make sure that you get a building permit to install

all factory-constructed structures. In addition, if

you are adding porches, decks, or garages, you

must get a building permit for those additions. If

desired, multiple related permit requests could be

combined together under one permit for all activ-

ity on the site. For more information, visit the ASC

(see location at right).

n All factory-constructed structures must have an L&I

insignia plate.

n Alterations to any of these structures must have

prior approval from L&I. If prior approval is not

obtained, the insignia approval is no longer valid.

n If you are purchasing a red seal housing structure,

you will want to check with your lending institution

for additional installation requirements. The FHA

and VA have additional requirements for founda-

tions for manufactured housing.

n Make sure the site you have chosen is suitable for

your factory-constructed structure. The site must

have adequate drainage and load-bearing capac-

ity. In addition, be aware of any Land Use and

Zoning Code restrictions, such as ECAs and build-

ing setbacks.

n If you are planning to install a solid-fuel burning

appliance (such as a wood stove or pellet stove),

you must have a UL-listed appliance specifically

for use in manufactured housing. Please see Tip

416, Installation Requirements for Wood, Coal and

Other Solid Fuel Burning Appliances. For more

information call the Seattle DCI Electrical Permit

Counter at (206) 684-8464.

n Remember that black seal commercial coaches are

intended for temporary uses, not as a permanent

structure.

SDCI Tip #305—Factory-Constructed Structures for Residential and Commercial Use page 6

LEGAL DISCLAIMER: This Tip should not be used as a substitute for codes and regulations. The applicant is responsible for compliance

with all code and rule requirements, whether or not described in this Tip.

Table 2: Installation Requirements for Factory-Constructed Structures

City Permits

and Information

Required

Types of Factory-Constructed Structures

Red Seal Insignia Gold Seal Insignia Black Seal Insignia

Type of Building

Permit Required

from SDCI

Expedited review (ER),

with installation

certification per L&I

requirements

ER, but more extensive

plan review may be

required for difficult

sites or complex

foundation plans

ER

Site Plan

(see SDCI Tips #103

and #103A)

Yes Yes Yes

Site Drainage Plan Yes Yes Yes

Site Grading Permit

(Excavation Plan)

If exceeding grading

threshold, or if located

in an ECA

If exceeding grading

threshold, or if located

in an ECA

If exceeding grading

threshold, or if located in

an ECA

Structure Foundation

Plan

Yes Yes Yes

Copy of L&I

Approved Factory

Constructed

Structure Plans

Yes Yes Yes

Electrical Permit

from SDCI

Yes Yes Yes

Certificate of

Water Availability

from Seattle

Public Utilities

Yes Yes Yes

Plumbing

Permit from KC

Public Health Dept.

Yes Yes Yes

Site Inspection by

SDCI Inspector

Yes Yes Yes

Foundation

Inspection by

SDCI Inspector

Yes, except special

inspections required

for HUD foundations

Yes Yes