How to Start a House Moving Business

House moving is becoming an increasingly popular business. Structural moving in general has even become rather glamorous with a number of television series devoted to its more dramatic successes (and failures). Explore what this trade entails and see how you might enter it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Watch some of the documentaries about house movers and structural moving in general to get a feel for what the business is like.
2. Check out a description of the move of the Gem Theater to see what is ultimately possible for modern house movers.
3. Know if you are qualified. House movers come from a variety of backgrounds including demolition experts, structural engineers, crane operators, and heavy trucking firms. Further, accreditation and licensing is an inconsistent proposition.
4. Explore the website of The International Association of Structural Movers (IASM) This is the largest organization of house movers--although it has no official regulatory capacity.
5. Begin your career as a house mover by finding employment with one of the more well established firms. Subscribe to the IASM magazine. There, the larger companies advertise and list employment opportunities.
6. Work in whatever capacity fits your skills and training, be it as an engineer or crane operator. Network within the industry. Attend IASM conferences. Study their literature about the finances of the industry. If you have a state organization, join it.
7. Look for the possibilities of partnerships within the industry. Beginning a business is relatively capital intensive because of the cost of heavy equipment. At the same time, be on the lookout for businesses to buy. These become available from time to time and are an easier way of starting a business than beginning from scratch.