Ala. Admin. Code r. 535-X-13 § 535-X-13-.04
Site Preparation
Operative Text
(1) The site shall have a grade that will provide water to drainage away from the home site. The site shall be properly crowned and sloped so that water will not stand under the home or run under the home. This will not be necessary if the existing site will not allow water to stand under the home or run under the home. (2) The party to pay the cost of and do the site preparation work shall be determined by a written contractual agreement between the retailer and the landowner/homeowner, or the installer and the landowner/ homeowner, except when the site is located within a park. (3) The responsibility to ensure that site preparation is done properly will be a shared responsibility of both the retailer and the installer of manufactured homes sold by the retailer except when the site is located within a park; then the park owner shall be responsible. The installer must notify the park owner of his/her responsibility. (4) The retailer and/or installer must provide a signed copy of the Site Preparation: Information and Requirements form from the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission (AMHC) to the homeowner and the AMHC along with the Property Locator, and retain the original in its customer file. (5) Site preparation for all secondary sitings not involving a retailer and not installed in a park shall be the responsibility of the installer. (6) After corrections have been made as described in the initial Set-up Inspection Report and confirmed by the Inspector, the Commission shall consider site preparation to be correct. (7) A retailer, installer, or park owner may request a pre-delivery site inspection from the Commission to determine the suitability of the site. A written site inspection report shall be provided. The Commission may charge a fee for this service.
Alabama Administrative Code r. 535-X-13 § 535-X-13-.04 establishes requirements for preparing the ground beneath a manufactured home so that water drains away from and does not pool under the structure. It assigns shared responsibility for proper site preparation between retailers and installers, with park owners taking on that role when the home is sited within a manufactured housing park. The rule also requires that a specific Site Preparation form from the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission (AMHC) be distributed to the homeowner and filed with the Commission, and it allows any party to request a pre-delivery site inspection from the Commission.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Ala. Admin. Code r. 535-X-13 § 535-X-13-.04, retailers and installers operating outside of a park setting are jointly responsible for ensuring the site is properly graded, crowned, and sloped before a manufactured home is placed. Park owners bear that responsibility when the home is located within a park, and installers are required to notify park owners of this obligation. Compliant operators typically execute a written contractual agreement specifying who will perform and pay for site preparation work, provide the AMHC's Site Preparation form to the homeowner, submit a copy to the Commission, and retain the original in the customer file.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ala. Admin. Code r. 535-X-13 § 535-X-13-.04 gives homeowners the right to receive a signed copy of the AMHC's Site Preparation: Information and Requirements form before or at the time of installation, documenting that grading and drainage standards have been addressed. If site preparation appears to have been done improperly—for example, if water pools under the home—this provision establishes that the retailer, installer, or park owner shares responsibility for correcting the condition. Tenants and homeowners who believe these requirements were not met may contact the Alabama Manufactured Housing Commission directly, or consult a tenant-rights organization familiar with manufactured housing regulations for guidance on available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 16, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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