The Guardian answers:

Yes you can call someone. They will do a repair to get you through the winter if its really bad and then fix it better when the weather is better. Your insurance should cover this too. Call them first and they will get you a number of someone in your area.

The Guardian answers:

It is hard to find grants to start a business or for home repairs for a for-profit business. Unlike the myths that some perpetuate, federal government and even private foundations hardly give grant money for a for-profit business. And yes, grants mean PAPERWORK – lots and lots of it, that is why a cottage industry of grant writers was born.

Nonetheless, you can go to the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) http://www.cfda.gov and Grants.gov http://www.grants.gov – these are two sites created by the federal government to provide transparency and information on grants. Browse through the listings and see if you can find any grant that would support a for-profit venture.

Even if you buy books on “how to get grants” or list that supposedly has information on grants — all of them are mere rehash of what CFDA has, albeit packaged differently. But still the info is the same – hardly any grants for starting a for profit business.

Even SBA does NOT give out grants. From the SBA website http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html…

“The U.S. Small Business Administration does not offer grants to start or expand small businesses, although it does offer a wide variety of loan programs. (See http://www.sba.gov/financing for more information) While SBA does offer some grant programs, these are generally designed to expand and enhance organizations that provide small business management, technical, or financial assistance. These grants generally support non-profit organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments.”

Most of the federal grants are given to specific target groups with specific requirements (e.g. Minority business owners involved in transportation related contracts emanating from DOT – Grant#20.905 Disadvantaged Business Enterprises Short Term Lending Program

Grants are also often given to non profit groups or organizations involved in training or other similar activities (grant 59.043 Women’s Business Ownership Assistance that are given to those who will create women’s business center that will train women entrepreneurs

For private grants, you may want to check the Foundation Center’s Foundation Grants for Individuals Online. It’s a subscription based website ($9.95 per month) but their opening blurb only says that the database is ideal for “students, artists, academic researchers, libraries and financial aid offices.” Entrepreneurs are apparently not one of them, so I take it they also don’t have listings of private foundations who give grants to would-be entrepreneurs.

The Guardian answers:

Modular homes are not built with the capacity to support the dead weight involved in the additional roofing, decking and framing of another roof system. I have seen a number of single wide units where a second roof has been installed over the existing roof, but each of them have been supported by a frame that is supported on columns at the perimeter of the unit. The double wide feature of your modular home would require wood trusses to span the units width. The trusses and support system is possible but not inexpensive. (If you should decide to contact a local carpentry co. To get a price on a supported roof they should also include extending any furnace pipes and vent pipes through the new roof.) 2 x 3′s are a more popular wall stud than 2 x 4′s in modular homes. The smaller members are used to save cost and save weight. There would be no reason for the manufacturer to provide roof members larger than required for the original roof requirements.

This is a long shot but did someone recommend a “pitch roof” as a solution? I would agree with this solution but I would say to apply a coal tar pitch roof and roofing felt roof. Some places this is called a “built-up” roof. The “built-up roof will also add a significant load to the existing system and therefore may not be ideal. I would recommend a single ply rubber roof be installed. They are relatively light and have a minimal number of seams that are sealed when the roof is installed. The perimeter is extended a short distance (3″?) over the edges and fastened down with a narrow metal strip. A single ply rubber roof would be the least expensive and would provide very good protection. A light color would reflect summer heat and the rubber would help insulate in the winter. Call a local roofing contractor for more specifics and costs. Good Luck.