Harry Farrell & Sons Ltd. Mobile home buying guide

Determine the size of the mobile home you require.
Firstly you must work out your requirements for sleeping arrangements, mobile homes these days can have between two and four bedrooms and can easily accommodate large families on holidays
In most mobile home extra sleeping requirements may be in the form of pull out beds in the lounge area
If your requirements are for longer stays in your mobile home for great comfort and ease of living as regards cooking and dining areas a larger mobile may be advisable even if only two people intend to use the mobile home

It’s always advisable to do as much research as possible before making any large purchase & buying a mobile home is no different.
British and German mobile home manufacturing is long established and has a good reputation for good build quality and attention to detail.

Check whether the mobile home is actually the year the seller says it is, they do depreciate so year is important
Mobile homes have a badge plate mounted on the chassis either near the boiler or at the front this will identify the year of manufacture

How much your mobile home will cost depends on numerous factors like year, size & condition
Prices can range from 5000 to 50,000 euro
If a deal is just to good to be true it usually isn’t, so always be ready to walk away
See - Where do you intend to place your mobile home? this can affect your budget

If you intend to place your mobile home on a holiday park how much are their site fees annually
What are the average yearly electricity and gas bills on the holiday park
Do you want to place the mobile home on a holiday park owned by the dealer you purchased your home from? if so this may result in a discount
If you are purchasing from a dealer an placing your new mobile home on a holiday park that is not owned by the dealer who will be paying the transport cost incurred in the moving of an item of such size and weight from retailer to a holiday park site.
Do you intend to place this mobile home on the site of a home build if so you may need planning permission please see our Residential Mobile Home Guide for more information on this - Guide coming soon.

If you are buying a mobile home privately (which we would not advise) we would always recommend you bring someone with experience
If you are buying a mobile home privately (which we would not advise) and something goes wrong you have no come back and may end up badly out of pocket
If you are buying a mobile home privately (which we would not advise) remember if a deal is just to good to be true, it usually isn’t, so always be ready to walk away
Always shop around and look at all the angles sometimes it’s not always as simple as the lowest price. What value are you getting for your hard earned money. We would advise you always buy from a reputable dealer, a good sign is one who has been in business for many years
Most mobile home dealer offer package deals where you purchase a mobile home and the costs of transportation, placing it on-site, plumbing, electrics, gas certifying and first years site fees are included in the deal. (This is usually if you are placing the mobile home on one of their holiday parks)
If you wish to buy your mobile home from a dealer and place it on a holiday park not owned by the dealer, some holiday parks will charge the dealer a fee for placement, will the dealer pass this fee on or absorb it themselves?
Does the mobile home dealer provide insurance for the mobile home during transportation?

Mobile homes on holiday park sites in coastal regions may experience corrosion in one form or another
You must inspect the chassis to ensure it is in one piece and free of corrosion in all forms i.e. rust or other deterioration of materials
The chassis can be greased for future protection but check for damage before purchasing
Check the sides of the mobile home, checking that all panels are without defect or damage, this could be costly to repair
If you can check the roof of the mobile home checking that all panels are without defect or damage, this could be costly to repair
Check that all mouldings and seals are in good condition as improper seals can cause leaks any costly repairs
Check that all keys are accounted for, also for any external storage compartments

The main thing to look for inside the mobile home is dampness
Check for water damage by looking for any softness in the floor and around the base of all windows, external doors and all the corners as evidence of this points to water damage
You must carefully inspect each area of the mobile home for a soft or spongy feeling on the side walls, these should feel solid to the touch
Ask the dealer to demonstrate all the appliances within the mobile homes i.e.: gas appliances, electrical appliances, water system, waste system and taps to ensure all are in good working condition
Check that all openings doors and windows operate correctly and can be properly secured as rectifying these can be costly to repair
Check that all keys are accounted for and work in there respective doors, windows or external storage access

Before you can stay in your mobile homes it must be pressure tested and certified for gas safety by the Register of Gas Installers of Ireland

There are many options when it comes to who you choose to insure your mobile home we would advise shopping around for the best quote
As stated in our Mobile Home Insurance Guide we do recommend Munster Group Insurance, their details can be found on our Mobile Home Insurance Guide
Most holiday parks require you to have insurance and to prove that on a yearly basis