Move-in Checklist

Here is a list prepared by us to facilitate in issue-free move-in here at Forest Oaks Village.

Home Installation Items & Costs:

  • ____ Residency - First thing, our office must accept your deposit on the destination home lot. [Rent-$150 deposit + $40/adult background check] Forms here. Deposits are NOT last month's rent.
  • ____ Delivery - Transport to Lot, Hitch-stowing, Level Set & Blocking. [Usually included in home price, otherwise ~$2500)
  • ____ Electric - Run electric power cable (100 or 200 amp) from meter to home's Electric panel. [$900 Med-Tex Electric 512-848-5665] General electricians are highly discouraged as they don't seem to be aware of or respect the other considerations of manufactured homes, such as, skirting space. If your lot number is 32 or less, you will need to contact Pedernales Electric to get membership and turned-on. [~$200]
  • ____ Plumbing - Digging up the yard to connect the PVC fresh and waste water lines. Can be done the by park or dealer choice. Septic lines MUST BE buried below grade and not run visble through the yard. [$200-500]
  • ____ House Pad - Spreading a 4"-6" layer of 'roadbase' mix for the house to sit on. This material hardens and prevents the home from sinking in mud after it rains. Keeps the water from pooling under the house and resists insects and other pests and reduces moisture buildup and rot under the house. We need a copy of your floor plan & dimensions of your home to plan placement and tree trimming for the lot. $800-$1500 by the usual 3rd party vendors]
  • ____ Steps** - If it over 400 sqft, 2 sets of steps are required. They must be professionally built. [Airpro builds quality custom steps for about $600=$800 apiece]
  • ____ Skirting** - Is required. Hardiboard skirting from AirPro is recommended. Metal skirting is acceptable, as long as, professionals install it and ribs are vertical. Ask for Ground Roof Shingles at the base under the skirting. Ground shingles prevent animals from burrowing under your house, weed-trimmer damage to skirting, dripline splattering and erosion. Shingles can be aquired for $50 off from broken bundles at Home Depot. [$1500-$2200]
  • ____ A/C - Consider a heat-pump, also. Best is installed by the factory. Otherwise, [Airpro is the only trusted vendor that I would use. Ask your home-dealer or Airpro]
  • ____ Shed** - If you house is under 600 sqft and you are full-time, a shed is required. See options here, otherwise we will provide one for $35/month. Best to invest in your own quality shed and have it an asset with your home. We recommend high quality Derksen sheds from Murray's Portable buildings in Kyle. generally small and do not have big closets or garages to store your extra stuff. Manufactured homes are not known for generous storage or closets. Sheds can't be metal or over 10'x12' without approval. Barn/lofted style is encouraged for extra storage. This still a MUCH BETTER option than commercial storage units. More details here with 2020 prices. Derksen sheds can last as long as your house and hold their resale value very well. ($2500-$4000)
  • ____ Carports are nice in the sun and rain. Here is a 2020 spec sheet from Murrray's and another guide from 2018 [$2200-$2500].
  • ____ Internet - We have AT&T Uverse or you can use your cell carrier's hotspot option.[$99 install + $45+/month]. We hope to upgrade soon.
  • ____ Yard - Consider expenses, such as, patio stones and some landscaping items. Packages avaialable, call us. We highly recommend 12"x12" patio stones from Home Depot (or Lowes). There are already several hundred in the neighborhood. They are easy to maintained and mow around. Ground gravels are not allowed.
  • ____ Porch - Finally, if you home doesn't have a patio/porch built-in, reconsider. They add character and charm to your home. Most of the home-made porches/patios added later cost more to build and didn't turn our very nice and degraded the attractiveness of the home and neighborhood. Porch designs must be approved by the property manager or be removed.
  • ____ Move-Date - A move-in date needs to be secured from us. We my delay it based on weather and ground conditions.

If these expenses are draining your free-cash too fast, consider asking your dealer wrap them up into your financing package.

* Airpro is the best known local vendor for reasonably priced, professional drama-free workmanship. Website, 512-326-1511, 4213 Todd Ln Suite C100, Austin, TX 78744 They can also recommend their trusted affiliates for plumbing, electrical, etc. They can quote you an installation package that includes: skirting, electrical, stairs, plumbing, A/C and more. Most of the local dealers use them for their home-installation packages because they are responsive, professional and priced fairly!

** Style We encourage our residents to be individualistic and expressive. Gardens and some decor is encouraged. Some styles and decors detract from our community overall and are not permitted. Generally, we do not tolerate hording or excessive yard clutter. Any style that will likely interpreted as decay, neglect, tacky-cheap or uncared-for is not appreciated here. Manufactured Home Communities (MHC) have often had a stigma of poverty and decay and we have been doing a great job of distancing ourselves from that impression. Our community is the nicest for it's age (1987) in the county. We have high internet ratings and we want keep the positive vibe going! We judge that back-country farm or industrial styles are not interpreted positively in our environment, nor compatible with style of living that our residents are striving for. Our community is not always a fit for everyone's preferred decorating preferences.