§ 3280.303 General requirements.

(a) Minimum requirements. The design and construction of a manufactured home shall conform with the provisions of this standard. Requirements for any size, weight, or quality of material modified by the terms of minimum, not less than, at least, and similar expressions are minimum standards. The manufacturer or installer may exceed these standards provided such deviation does not result in any inferior installation or defeat the purpose and intent of this standard. (b) Construction. All Construction methods must be in conformance with an approved quality assurance manual as provided by §§ 3282.203 and 3282.361(c) and accepted engineering practices to ensure durable, livable, and safe housing. (c) Structural analysis. The strength and rigidity of the component parts and/or the integrated structure shall be determined by engineering analysis or by suitable load tests to simulate the actual loads and conditions of application that occur. (See subparts E and J.) (d) [Reserved] (e) New materials and methods. (1) Any new material or method of construction not provided for in this standard and any material or method of questioned suitability proposed for use in the manufacture of the structure shall nevertheless conform in performance to the requirements of this standard. (2) Unless based on accepted engineering design for the use indicated, all new manufactured home materials, equipment, systems or methods of construction not provided for in this standard shall be subjected to the tests specified in paragraph (g) of this section. (f) Allowable design stress. The design stresses of all materials shall conform to accepted engineering practice. The use of materials not certified as to strength or stress grade shall be limited to the minimum allowable stresses under accepted engineering practice. (g) Alternative test procedures. In the absence of recognized testing procedures either in the Standards in this part or in the applicable provisions of those standards incorporated in this part by reference, the manufacturer electing this option must develop or cause to be developed testing procedures to demonstrate the structural properties and significant characteristics of the material, assembly, subassembly component, or member, except for testing methods involving one-piece metal roofing as would be required in § 3280.305(c)(1)(iii). Such testing procedures become part of the manufacturer's approved design. Such tests must be witnessed by an independent licensed professional engineer or architect or by a recognized testing organization. Copies of the test results must be kept on file by the manufactured home manufacturer.