Buyer's Guide · Florida 2026
How to buy a mobile home in Florida the smart way
Everything no dealer will tell you upfront. Written by a licensed Florida installer who sees the receipts on hundreds of jobs a year.
Published 2026-02-08 · Updated 2026-05-26
Buying a mobile home in Florida looks simple on the surface: pick a model, sign with the dealer, move in. But the total cost of getting that home from a factory or lot to a livable home on your land can easily double or triple the sticker price if you do not understand what you are paying for.
This guide breaks down the seven things you need to know before signing anything with a mobile home dealer in Florida. Read it once and you will save yourself $10,000 to $25,000 over a typical buyer.
What this guide covers
- The real total cost of owning a mobile home in Florida
- Single-wide vs double-wide vs triple-wide — which fits your situation
- What dealers do and do not include in their setup quote
- Your legal right to choose your own installer (FS 320.8249)
- How to evaluate dealers before you sign
- The seven questions to ask before any deposit
- What the timeline looks like end-to-end
The real total cost of owning a mobile home in Florida
A single-wide priced at $65,000 on a dealer lot is rarely a $65,000 purchase. By the time you have a livable home on your property, the all-in number for most Florida buyers lands between $95,000 and $175,000 depending on size, distance, and what your lot needs.
Here is what actually goes into that total:
- Home itself (single-wide new, mid-market)$50,000 – $90,000
- Home itself (double-wide new, mid-market)$85,000 – $160,000
- Transport to your lot$1,500 – $5,000
- Setup, blocking, leveling$1,800 – $4,500
- Anchoring + tie-downs (FL Rule 15C-1)$600 – $1,500
- Skirting (vinyl or composite)$1,800 – $3,500
- County building permit + DHSMV trip permit$250 – $900
- Impact fees (varies wildly by county)$0 – $16,000
- Septic + well (if needed)$8,000 – $18,000
- Electric service hookup$1,500 – $4,000
- Driveway + culvert (if needed)$2,500 – $6,000
- Insurance (first year)$600 – $1,800
The biggest variables are impact fees (Polk County 2026: $15,394 to $15,792 just in fees) and whether your lot already has utilities. A lot with septic, well, electric, and driveway already in place can save you $20,000 to $30,000 versus a raw lot.
Want live numbers for your specific size and ZIP? See the Trinity cost matrix →
Single-wide vs double-wide vs triple-wide — which fits
This is the first real decision and dealers will push you toward the largest home you can finance. Here is what we see actually fitting people best:
Single-wide (typically 14–18 ft wide × 60–80 ft long)
Pros: Cheapest to buy, cheapest to move, cheapest to set. Fits narrow lots. Single transport trip.
Cons: Only one section means narrower rooms, less open layout, smaller closets. Resale market is smaller.
Best fit: Solo buyers, couples without kids, retirees downsizing, investment rentals.
Double-wide (typically 24–28 ft wide × 56–76 ft long)
Pros: Open layout, real master bedroom, 3+ bedrooms easily. Resale market is huge. Mortgage-friendly.
Cons: Two transport trips. Marriage-line install. Anchoring complexity higher. Needs a lot at least 60 ft wide cleared.
Best fit: Families, primary residences, multi-generational households. The Florida default.
Triple-wide (typically 36–42 ft wide × 60–76 ft long)
Pros: Massive square footage at MH price per sq ft. Real great room. Multiple bathrooms.
Cons: Three transport trips. Escort vehicles needed for transport. Two marriage lines. Many lots cannot fit. Setup labor 50% more than double-wide.
Best fit: Buyers with large lots, families needing 4+ bedrooms, or anyone wanting a quasi-modular feel.
What dealers include (and exclude) in their setup quote
The most common source of buyer regret is signing a dealer contract assuming the quoted price is final. It almost never is. Here is what dealers typically include in 'setup' versus what becomes a surprise add-on:
Typically included
- ✓Transport from the dealer lot to your address (sometimes with mileage cap)
- ✓Set on the pad you provide (you usually have to prepare the pad)
- ✓Leveling and basic blocking
- ✓Marriage line install for multi-section homes
- ✓Standard tie-down anchoring
Often excluded
- ○Pad construction (concrete or gravel)
- ○Skirting around the perimeter
- ○Septic install if no public sewer
- ○Well install if no public water
- ○Electrical service from the pole to your meter
- ○Driveway construction or culvert
- ○Impact fees (county charge, often $14,000 to $16,000)
- ○Permits beyond DHSMV trip permit (county building permit is your responsibility)
- ○HVAC connection
- ○Final inspection coordination
- ○Removal of existing mobile home if replacement
Heads up
Common mark-up tactic: dealer quotes $25,000 to $35,000 for 'setup and installation' as a single line. That number is 2 to 3 times what a licensed independent installer charges for the same work, because the dealer assumes you don't know you can shop it.
Your legal right to choose your own installer
This is the most undervalued piece of consumer protection in Florida mobile home buying. Florida Statute 320.8249 governs mobile home installation and explicitly requires the work be done by a licensed mobile home installer. It does not require that installer be selected by the dealer.
What this means in practice: you can sign with the dealer for the home only, and contract a separate licensed installer for transport, setup, anchoring, skirting, permits, and inspections. The dealer cannot refuse to sell you the home for this reason. They may push back hard because it cuts their margin, but they cannot legally tie the home purchase to using their installer.
The savings are real. A double-wide setup that a dealer quotes at $28,000 typically runs $9,000 to $13,000 with an independent installer doing the exact same work to the exact same code (FAC 15C-1.0102 anchoring, FL DOH 64E-6 septic spacing, county building department inspections).
Already have a dealer setup quote? Send it to us.
Get a free second opinion on your dealer's installation quote →How to evaluate dealers before you sign
Florida has dozens of MH dealers. The big national brands (Clayton, Live Oak, Champion, Jacobsen, Palm Harbor) dominate the new-home market. The smaller regional players sometimes have better inventory and pricing on used homes. Things to check before any deposit:
- 1Florida DBPR license active and in good standing (search at myfloridalicense.com)
- 2Better Business Bureau rating + look at complaints filed in the last 24 months
- 3Google reviews — sort by lowest first and read 20 of them
- 4Ask for the manufacturer's installation manual for the home you want — dealers should provide this freely
- 5Ask if their installation can be invoiced separately from the home (legal answer: yes, by statute)
- 6Compare three dealers on the same model — the spread is often $5,000 to $15,000 for the identical home
- 7Get every fee listed before any deposit. 'Doc fees', 'admin fees', 'prep fees' should be itemized and challenged
Seven questions to ask before any deposit
- 1What is the home price, separately from setup and any add-ons?
- 2Can the home purchase and installation be invoiced separately?
- 3What exactly is included in your setup quote, line item by line item?
- 4Who pays the impact fees and county permits — me or you?
- 5What is the timeline from deposit to delivery to livable?
- 6What happens if the installation fails county inspection? Who pays for the rework?
- 7Can I see references from three customers who used your installer in the last 12 months?
What the timeline looks like end-to-end
Total: 70 to 90 days for a typical Florida MH install on a prepared lot. Add 30 to 60 days if your lot needs septic, well, or electrical service. Coastal counties (Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee) add 14 to 21 days due to slower permit review.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a new mobile home cost in Florida 2026?
- Single-wide new: $50,000 to $90,000 for the home alone. Double-wide new: $85,000 to $160,000. Add $15,000 to $40,000 for transport, setup, permits, and lot improvements. Total all-in for a turnkey home on owned land typically runs $95,000 to $175,000 in Florida.
- Do I have to use the dealer's installer?
- No. Florida Statute 320.8249 lets the buyer choose any licensed Florida mobile home installer. You can sign for the home with the dealer and contract installation separately. This commonly saves $10,000 to $20,000 versus the dealer's bundled setup quote.
- What is the cheapest way to buy a mobile home in Florida?
- Used single-wide from a private seller, moved to a lot you already own with utilities in place. All-in cost can drop to $25,000 to $40,000. The risk is structural condition and HUD label compliance — get a pre-purchase inspection from a licensed installer before any deposit.
- Can I move a mobile home myself?
- Legally, no. Florida Statute 320.8249 requires a licensed mobile home installer for setup and a DHSMV trip permit for transport, which only licensed carriers can pull. Even the actual driving requires a CDL plus the right insurance plus an oversize/overweight permit.
- How long do mobile homes last?
- A properly anchored, properly skirted HUD-code home (post-1976) on a well-prepared lot in Florida lasts 50 to 70 years with normal maintenance. The roof and exterior typically need refresh every 15 to 20 years. Pre-1976 homes have shorter lifespans and cannot be moved or reinstalled in Florida by law.
- What is the difference between mobile, manufactured, and modular?
- Mobile home = built before HUD code (June 15, 1976), cannot be moved or reinstalled in Florida. Manufactured home = built after June 15, 1976 to HUD code, transportable, what 95% of 'mobile homes' sold today actually are. Modular = built to local building code in sections, transported to the lot, often indistinguishable from a stick-built house once assembled.
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