How to Relocate a House

So you like the house, but not the neighborhood it's in. Instead of lamenting over having to leave that dream house, take it with you to another place. Relocating a house is not a practice reserved for mobile homes. People choose to relocate traditional homes for several reasons, including love of the home, zoning law changes, and much more. Despite the reason, relocating a home is a costly endeavor wrought with complications.

Instructions

1. Take measurements. You must know the size of the home, the distance to the new land, the number of curves in the route, the volume of traffic along the route and the size of the area in which the moving company will use to load and unload your house. All of these numbers will help the moving company decide on feasibility, the type of equipment needed and the route they will use.

2. Tally up the costs. Above the costs of the actual move, you will need to estimate the costs of detaching the home from the foundation and all that it entails (disconnecting plumbing, wiring), moving out and storing your belongings, fixtures and drywall. There are costs involved in preparing the new location, securing the home before, during and after the move, and inspecting the home after it is in place. These are just some of the costs.

3. Contact a moving specialist. They are seasoned in the house-moving industry and are capable of helping you make a budget, while making you aware of all possible outcomes involved in your house move. The house-moving specialist will also have contacts within the local moving community to help you find a reasonable storage facility and rental company as well.

4. Have your home inspected. Not every home can survive a move. If you decide to forgo the moving specialist, you must have your home inspected to ensure that it can make the move. Also, have the new site inspected.

5. Get your legal documents in order. Many areas require bonds to ensure payment for any damage done during the move, permits to both raise the home in one location and transplant it in the next. Some places require Project Information Memorandums. You may also need building consent before you can uproot, transport and transplant the house. Take a trip to your local city hall to find out what you will need. Do so months before the move to save time and money.

6. Prepare the new site. There has to be a foundation, sewer, plumbing and electrical connections. Arrange these items with enough time before the move date to allow for proper installation. After the home is moved from the original site, have a contractor to inspect the site to ensure that the remaining connections are safely secured.