Park home refurbishment: all you need to know

Park home chassis refurbishment

Out of sight, out of mind – but fundamentally important.

The chassis and supports are central to the structural stability and the long life of the home, and need to be inspected regularly for signs of any problems. The chassis is the only part of the structure that can’t be replaced. It is essential, therefore, that you keep it in top condition.

Corrosion is the biggest potential problem with steel, of course, causing deterioration and, eventually, potentially weakening of the structure. With good maintenance, though, it’s an easy issue to keep on top of.

As well as regular inspections for signs of rust, it is recommended that you have the chassis thoroughly checked if your home is over 10 years old, or has undergone any major refurbishment, or has had significant additions. So, anything that has altered the weight distribution of the home could have an impact on the chassis.

Among the best-known specialist companies that undertake park home refurbishment is Prestige Developments, whose ‘Ultimate’ Chassis Services involves a comprehensive inspection, refurbishment and restoration of your park home chassis. The service includes rubbing down any surface rust and loose paint on the chassis, recoating the metalwork with a rust-resistant paint, tightening bolts, where applicable, and fitting new galvanised steel tripod jacks throughout, to stabilise and strengthen the home.

Underfloor maintenance can form part of chassis refurbishment work. The Prestige Underfloor Insulation Service involves installation of additional insulation under the floor. This is designed to prevent draughts from penetrating the floorboards. It also protects against pests.

Another well-known player in the park home refurbishment arena is Omar Refurbishment Services, a division of the Omar Group that manufactures park homes. Omar Refurbishment Services was launched in 2017. The service includes kitchens and bathrooms as well as exterior refurbishment.

Park home roof refurbishment

When buying a park home, you do not acquire the land on which it sits – this remains the property of the park development.

One consequence of this is that your list of high-value features that need caring for is more limited, since you won't need to concern yourself with the state of a driveway or garden. One high-value feature that does need your attention is the roof.

You can have a park home roof retiled; again, it’s a specialist job, best done by a company that is knowledgeable about how park homes are made. Insulation can be improved at the same time as new tiling is installed; this will have a beneficial impact on heating costs.

Park home interior refurbishment

In just the same way as in a bricks and mortar home, you can have a new kitchen and/or bathroom installed. But, as with any other work, it’s best to turn to a company with knowledge of park home construction.

They know the amount of weight that a park home floor is designed to withstand in terms of kitchen and bathroom installations – and how kitchen and bathroom suites are best secured to the walls and floor.

Park home bathroom refurbishment

Specialist companies offer a range of bathroom suites from which you can choose. Some offer park home bathroom design services, too. And they can advise on major changes, such as replacing a bath with a shower, and on types of floor coverings.

Park home kitchen refurbishment

In a similar way to choosing new kitchen units for a house, you can have a park home kitchen redesigned, to incorporate the appliances of your choice. You can have lighting changed and upgraded, and additional mains sockets installed.

Park home refurbishment costs

All costs depend on the size of the park home and the scale of refurbishment required. The age of the park home has a bearing on cost.

For that reason, standard advice is to obtain quotes from several specialist companies for any project.

Guidance from Checkatrade tells us that a new bathroom in a park home would cost between £5,000 and £7,500, and that a new kitchen would be £6,000 to £12,000. A guide on exterior insulation replacement is between £10,000 and £14,000.

Park home refurbishment: FAQs

What is the life expectancy of a park home?

The Omar Group, for example, tells us park homes are built to last at least 50 years. Other sources tell the same story, that, with good maintenance, you can expect a park home to last 60-70 years.

As with any home, good maintenance plays a part in helping to ensure long life. Park homes built nowadays use greatly improved materials designed for better performance, durability and minimum maintenance. These modern homes also have the benefit of improved timber treatments, UPVC windows, better roof tiles and exterior render, so there is every reason to suppose they will last even longer than the earlier models.

Do park homes deteriorate in value?

Yes they tend to do that. A principal reason is that they are bought fully furnished and, when they come on the secondhand market, that furniture is rated as secondhand and has little value, so the park home in fact loses value compared with the day it was first purchased. There can be exceptions, notably in areas where park homes are in high demand.

How much does it cost to paint a park home?

Clearly that depends on the size of the park home, the condition of the existing paint and the type of paint chosen. Estimates we found range from £1,000 to £5,000 to have a park home painted. But, don’t forget, because park homes are single-story dwellings, it’s possible that you may choose to paint it yourself, saving a lot of money.