Hi everyone.
Im new on here and looking for advice on lowering my mobile home.
I have recently bought a 1997 Atlas 35' mobile that I want to use in my back garden whilst having modifications done to my house but the neighbours are complaining that it is too high and looks like an eyesore!!!!!
I have had a good look underneath and am thinking that I could possibly jack this up and cut the axle and substructure off the van and then possibly lower it onto 10 stands that would support the chassis.
I wanted to know if anybody had attempted this and if you might have any tips to help me out.
Many thanks in advance
Rob
I assume that you have permission from the local council for this?
If so, I would be inclined to explain to the neighbours that it is a temporary measure, and will be removed as soon as the work is finished.
I doubt that you would be able to lower it enough to remove it from their view, and I suspect that you will spend a lot of time and effort, seriously weaken and destabilise the van, and still have complaints about it being an eyesore.
And, of course, your proposed modifications will probably mean a crane to get it removed.
Better to persuade them to make allowances while the work is done, maybe offer to put some screening up if the view offends.
They probably expected a very small touring van, not a static - hence the complaints.
I wasn't planning on moving it... I was going to use it as an office afterwards.... When it came down to the thing being no longer fit for purpose, I was going to cut it into bits and scrap it!
I didn't realise I would need permission to put a temporary building in my garden???
the neighbours were aware that I was buying the caravan as I told them a week previous.... They are moaning about the height of it as when it is on the stands it is approx 11ft tall... I was hoping that if I could cut off the axle and angle iron sub structure that I could lower this a good 18 inches and then put a fence up in front of it so it wasn't so obvious. I was also planning on painting it a darker green colour to make it blend in to the background for them.
The van has got a couple of large box section chassis members with outriggers evry 18-20 inches that are welded to the chassis, so Im thinking there might just be enough strength there.
Instead of cutting the axle off, could you dig a trench for the axle to be lowered into. Wheels stay intact allowing the unit to be easily moved later on.
If the static is going to be used as full time accommodation (even if temporary) while the work on the house is being done, then planning permission is usually needed - this is not generally a problem, living in the garden in a static or caravan during house refurb or build is something all councils are familiar with.
If it is simply an ancillary to the house, not intended to be used for full accommodation, then no special planning permission is needed -same as a shed, or garden room (although I think there may be restrictions on size/height/position which may very from council to council).
As it is so old it has no real value anyway, cutting bits off to make it lower probably won't hurt it too much, and always better to have happy neighbours.. I have seen pictures of statics that seemed to be resting on the ground, so obviously it can be done.
I can't dig a hole unfortunately as the space I have it in is too tight to move it again and its also stood on a concrete hardstanding, so a bit stuck there!
The angle iron that is used as the sub-structure really doesn't look very strong at all, so I think Im gonna bite my bottom lip and go for the chop and whilst doing it place as many stands as I can under the main chassis rail!!!!! FINGERS CROSSED!!!!!!
I know there isn't much value to it, but have only just bought it for £3k so still quite a gamble, I can't afford to just throw that cash away!!!
i think the best you could do is remove the wheels and then lower down onto some timbers under the van, this would bring the height down about a foot, and then if you could place a panel in the fencing to gain some extra height
If the fence you propose is more than 2 mtrs high you may well need planning permission
T The Legalities of Fence Height The general rule of thumb is that in a property’s back garden, fence panels can be a maximum of 2m high. If you are thinking about front garden fences, restrictions state that fences alongside a driveway can be a maximum of 1m or 3ft. Generally, you will need to apply for planning permission if you wish to erect or add to a fence, wall or gate that would be over 1 metre high AND next to a highway used by vehicles (or the footpath of such a highway); OR over 2 metres high elsewhere. However, this is subject to individual restrictions, such as if the boundary adjoins the land of a listed building. Therefore, make sure you check your plot limitations. If you want to build higher than the rule of thumb, check your local planning office rules as in most areas you will need planning permission.he Legalities of Fence Height The general rule of thumb is that in a property’s back garden, fence panels can be a maximum of 2m high. If you are thinking about front garden fences, restrictions state that fences alongside a driveway can be a maximum of 1m or 3ft. Generally, you will need to apply for planning permission if you wish to erect or add to a fence, wall or gate that would be over 1 metre high AND next to a highway used by vehicles (or the footpath of such a highway); OR over 2 metres high elsewhere. However, this is subject to individual restrictions, such as if the boundary adjoins the land of a listed building. Therefore, make sure you check your plot limitations. If you want to build higher than the rule of thumb, check your local planning office rules as in most areas you will need planning permission.The Legalities of Fence Height
The general rule of thumb is that in a property’s back garden, fence panels can be a maximum of 2m high. If you are thinking about front garden fences, restrictions state that fences alongside a driveway can be a maximum of 1m or 3ft.
Generally, you will need to apply for planning permission if you wish to erect or add to a fence, wall or gate that would be over 1 metre high AND next to a highway used by vehicles (or the footpath of such a highway); OR over 2 metres high elsewhere.
However, this is subject to individual restrictions, such as if the boundary adjoins the land of a listed building. Therefore, make sure you check your plot limitations. If you want to build higher than the rule of thumb, check your local planning office rules as in most areas you will need planning permission.
Rob 625--bear in mind that you will need a downward flow for your toilet and wastewater outlets if you are using these facilities! This usually limits how low you can drop the caravan.
Have you considered camouflaging it? Our neighbours built a huge lean-to thing in their garden but covered the side nearest our house with some type of netting covered in fake leaves (sorry for the really poor description but I can’t think of any other way to describe it) and it is not really too bad now as it sort of fades into the greenery of the garden.
Before you do anything my advise is speak to council. A few years back a house about 6 away from mine built a large shed about 10ft high. A neighbour complained he was told to submit plans. These were then rejected unless the high was reduced to 8ft high and was re-sited 30ft from house.
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Topic: Lowering my mobile home!
via mobile 30/6/2022 at 5:11pm
