Home Relocation Guides

Home relocation is a well-known term for homeowners. Many get confused between home relocation, where the entire house structure is moved from one place to another, and merely relocation when you pack bags and baggage and relocate to a new place or house. In this article, we have tried to cover a detailed analysis of home relocation, including benefits, the cost, pros and cons, reasons, and many more.

Top Reasons People Move Their Houses

• When people invest immensely in their house and have to relocate to another place, they would not want to part ways with their home in such a situation.
• Frequent floods force people to shift to another safer place. It could be on the hills or further inland.
• Due to measurement error, if a part of the house is built on someone else’s property line, rather than demolishing the entire property, home relocation provides an easy way to move a house a few feet away.
• To safeguard historic homes for future generations and avoid demolition.
• To save the environment because demolition involves dust and dirt while home shifting avoids all these nuances.
• People also move houses if they dislike the view and neighbors.
• When people buy a house in an auction and want to shift it to their preferred location.
• If the house is too close to a bridge or highway and they want a peaceful location, then moving the house is a smart option.

Factors to Consider When Moving a House

Moving the house involves many processes which need to be followed with utmost care. There are several rules and compliances associated with home relocation, so initiate the process after thorough research and reading. Some of the main tips have been discussed in the following paragraphs.

• The route to reach the new location
• Trees and traffic are crucial considerations because they affect the movement of the vehicle carrying house
• Hire a team of experts, including highly trained technicians, contractors, and a renowned structural moving services company
• Check for zoning regulations
• Take the necessary permit to move the house
• Take insurance
• Hire an inspector to oversee building compliance
• Homes with structural issues can’t be moved, so structure plays a vital role

Benefits of Home Relocation

The benefits of moving houses could be many, which vary from one family to another.

• Saving historical homes from demolition - The only way to save the rich architecture of a historical house is to move it physically.
• Keep the emotional connection intact - There’s always a special connection with ancestral homes, and you wish to live life with fond memories of childhood days. In case of relocation, take your home with you.
• Better location - To stay away from the flood zone or noisy area, moving to a new location along with your home is a smart way. 

Risks Involved in Home Relocation

• Unexpected cost - Despite thorough planning and budgeting, due to some unforeseen issues, sudden expenses may pop up in the middle of the relocation stage which you can’t avoid because once the planning has begun, it can’t be left halfway. To fight such a sudden situation, have some financial backup for the smooth running of the relocation process.
• Possibility of damage in transit - Though the moving company takes all the precautionary measures in transit, there are sudden unexpected situations like accidents or partial damage to the house. To handle such situations, be prepared with additional budget and time.
• Inspection - Once things are in place, an inspection of the house is unavoidable to check if the house is in perfect condition. Many a times, certain defects comes in light during inspection that need urgent attention. Be ready for these types of costs.

The Cost of Moving a House

The cost of moving a house ranges between $100000 to $200000 depending on factors such as size, age of the house, distance to be traveled, weight, height, route, local permit and many more. Other components of relocation cost are discussed in the below line.

Size of the house: The cost and time of moving a small size house is less than a bigger home, so length and width affect the price estimation. Small houses can simply be shifted without cutting any part, unlike bigger homes.

Structure: The home’s structure decides the complexity and cost involved. A rectangular 2000 square foot house takes less time to move than a 3000 square foot taller house.

Height of the structure: Taller homes require raising the power lines on the route, which adds to the cost of the relocation.

Labor cost: It’s difficult to calculate the exact labor cost because, many times, once the work begins, certain unexpected requirements pop up, which depend on certain factors such as the layout and structure of the house. However, on average, the labor cost is $14 per square foot.

Weight of the house: The weight of houses varies depending on the material used in the construction. For example, sidings made with cement weigh more than vinyl siding, so the relocation cost goes up.

Distance: Longer the distance, the higher the home relocation cost because long-distance routes need more micromanagement, such as managing the traffic, cutting trees, raising power lines in case of tall buildings, etc.

Steps to Move the House

Planning

1. Blueprint of the house - These papers enable the contractor to study the structure and material used in the building.
2. Cost determination - Details of the new locations help in deciding if it’s worth investing in and relocating.
3. What part of the house to move - Planning also involves if you intend to move the entire structure, including the garage and porch, to the new location.
4. Professionals visit - Their visit is vital because they study the strength of the structure and decide if it can be moved.
5. Paperwork - Gather all the related papers like building permits, road permits to move the house, and bank approval if the house was mortgaged or a loan was taken to construct the house, and it’s not paid
6. Preparing the house for movement - This is the most important part of the entire home relocation process when plumbers, electricians, and contractors start disconnecting the house from its foundation. 
7. Removing furniture and other items from the house and from the basement
8. Plan deep cleaning of the house

Lifting the House

Here comes the stage of house lifting by house movers. The experts will dig the foundation to insert a beam to elevate the house with the help of a hydraulic jacking system.

Transportation

In this stage, the moving company, with its crew, transports the house to the planned location. Transportation may take hours or days depending on the distance, but the onus of any damage is on the company.

Also Read: Companies to Consider For House Relocation

Settling the House to the New Location

• Digging work is completed for a new foundation for the old home
• The house is fixed on the new foundation with the help of jack
• All the connections to the city sewer, electricity lines, and water are done
• The last step of the process is to attach a garage or porch, if any, and make your home feel like your home.

Conclusion

Home relocation is a practical solution to retain homes due to several reasons such as emotional attachment with old homes where you have spent your childhood, saving historical homes from demolition or deciding to stay away from chaos. The planning process is challenging as it involves multiple things, so spend time with your professional home relocation contractor before deciding to move home.