Getting ready to move a house? This is a process that requires a lot of careful planning and expense, but it can be done. It is often chosen by those who wish to relocate a historically significant or unique structure to a newer, safer, or more accessible location.
Here’s what you should know if you’re interested in having your house moved to a different location.
What the Process Actually Entails
The first step involved is usually to build a support structure of cribbing and steel beams under the building and use hydraulic jacks to raise the entire structure from its foundation. Depending on whether it is being slid a few yards or moved a longer distance or over the road, transfer beams or structural moving dollies are then installed under the building so it can be slid or driven to its new location.
Once the house has been moved to its new location, the process is reversed in order to lower the house onto its new foundation.
As you might imagine, the process of moving a house requires specialized machinery and a high degree of skill and expertise, which is why professional house movers are a necessity regardless of how small the house in question is, or the distance involved.
The Cost to Move Houses
The cost to move a house will vary considerably based on the size and construction of the house and how far it will be moved. It is very difficult to give a blanket estimate because of the variability of the project.
This brings up the question of why you might want to move an entire house in the first place, when, conventionally, you could just sell the house and move to a new one.
One is for the purpose of historical preservation; some houses just can’t be replaced. In other cases, you might have invested a lot of time and resources in your home to the effect that you don’t want a new one.
It could also be the case that your home needs to be moved for legal or environmental issues; for instance, a home might be moved for zoning or development purposes or if it has had ongoing issues with flooding.
Getting Started with a House Moving Company
If you have a home or situation where you need to learn more about the process of moving houses, you should contact a reputable house mover to learn more about the process, request a site visit, and get a written proposal for the work.you should get quotes from house movers, have your home inspected, and budget appropriately. You may also need to speak to your insurance or mortgage provider and factor in additional costs like permits, road closures, and utility line lifting or removal. This process also usually involves hiring a general contractor.
Additionally, you will want to ensure that a new foundation has been laid and is ready to go before you actually move the house.
There are a lot of question marks involved in a process like this and a professional house moving services company, like Wolfe House and Building Movers, will be able to help you get started. We recommend visiting their website and getting in touch with them, as experts in the field of house lifting and moving.
