Terminology Tuesday – Caliche
(Note: I think it’s important to know the terminology and words used when learning any new business including mobile home investing. I came up with ‘Terminology Tuesday’ as a way to go over the terminology used in the mobile home business. It’s important to know the terminology when talking to people in the business so you’re all on the same page).
As defined in Wikipedia:
“Caliche is a sedimentary rock, a hardened deposit of calcium carbonate. This calcium carbonate cements together other materials, including gravel, sand, clay, and silt. It is found in aridisol and mollisol soil orders. Caliche occurs worldwide, generally in arid or semi-arid regions, including in central and western Australia, in the Kalahari Desert, in the High Plains of the western USA, and in the Sonoran Desert. Caliche is also known as hardpan, calcrete, kankar (in India), or duricrust. The term caliche is Spanish and is originally from the Latin calx, meaning lime.
Caliche is generally light colored but can range from white to light pink to reddish-brown, depending on the impurities present. It is generally found on or near the surface, but it can be found in deeper subsoil deposits as well. The layers can vary from a few inches to feet thick, and multiple layers can exist in a single location.”
I had no idea what “caliche” was, that is until I needed it. It happened when I moved a mobile home into a park. Really? Yes.
The mobile home had already been moved and was at the park already. Then, I got the call from the park manager. It turns out the lot for the home was not properly leveled, there was a lot of mud and moisture. If the home was set on the lot, it would sink. The mover was already at the site and they could not set it properly without the lot being level.
Ok, so here are where my networking skills pay off. (I mentioned before how it’s so important to build strong relationships and build a strong network. Though it takes time, it’s really worth it in the end).
I asked the park manager what I should do. The park manager suggested getting “caliche” to help level the lot and make it stronger. I told the park manager, I had no idea where to get this and had no idea where to start. The park manager told me, “Don’t worry about it, we’ll get it taken care of.”
Then, I asked about the cost. The park manager told me, “Don’t worry, I’ll get the park to pay for it.” At this point, I was relieved. I asked the park manager how long this would take. The park manager told me the “caliche” would need to be ordered, then layered on and then needs time to dry – a couple days. I asked the park manager what we should do with the home. (I knew, I could not bring it back to the original site – it just wasn’t an option at this point).
The park manager said, it would be “ok” to just leave it there parked near the lot for a few days, and they would put up cones to section that area off. Thank goodness, I didn’t have to find a place to re-locate the home while the lot was being prepared. This could have ended up being a nightmare.
Had I not had a strong relationship with the park manager, I could have been left on my own. I am very grateful for the help that I have received from my network throughout the years. Without a team, I know I would not be able to do this on my own.
I guess these things come up, and learning comes through experience. Now, I know what “caliche” is and by sharing this story, you do too!
Happy investing!
