“Building Code Of The Day”

Question: Manufactured Home Exterior Doors,  must they have a Landing?

A) Yes

B) No

C) All exterior doors

D) Only two doors
E) I do not know

Answer:   D,  and most likely C.

Many jurisdictions require a landing at all exterior doors from a manufactured home, the answer may be C.

If you read the CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) for HUD homes it states

Manufactured homes
The HUD code at 3280.105 requires that every manufactured home:

• Have two exterior doors, remote from each other

• Establish a maximum 35’ path of travel from each bedroom to reach an exit door.

• In single section homes, the doors must be at least 12’ apart, in multi-section homes, at least 20’ apart.

• Must not be in the same room or group of rooms.

• May not open into a garage or other similar structure.

• May not be located where a lockable interior door must be used in order to exit.

Since these two doors are considered egress door they are required to have a landing. So if you go by what is required by HUD standards only the two egress doors would require landings. 

Now we jump to the IRC and here is the requirement for stairs and landings-

R311.3 Floors and Landings at Exterior Doors

There shall be a landing or floor on each side of each exterior door. The width of each landing shall be not less than the door served. Every landing shall have a dimension of not less than 36 inches (914 mm) measured in the direction of travel. The slope at exterior landings shall not exceed 1/4 unit vertical in 12 units horizontal (2 percent).

Exception: Exterior balconies less than 60 square feet (5.6 m2) and only accessible from a door are permitted to have a landing less than 36 inches (914 mm) measured in the direction of travel.

R311.3.1 Floor Elevations at the Required Egress Doors

Landings or finished floors at the required egress door shall be not more than 1-1/2 inches (38 mm) lower than the top of the threshold.

Exception: The landing or floor on the exterior side shall be not more than 7-3/4 inches (196 mm) below the top of the threshold provided the door does not swing over the landing or floor.

Where exterior landings or floors serving the required egress door are not at grade, they shall be provided with access to grade by means of a ramp in accordance with Section R311.8 or a stairway in accordance with Section R311.7.

More Information

https://www.hud.gov/sites/documents/225HUD.PDF

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2010-title24-vol5/pdf/CFR-2010-title24-vol5-part3280.pdf

https://up.codes/viewer/washington/irc-2015/chapter/3/building-planning#R311

If you find any errors or have additional information that would expand on any code, building standards or manufacturer requirements please let me know.

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