How Much Does It Cost To Move A House
There may be a lot of reasons why you love your current home; however, there are chances that you may need to leave its neighborhood for some reasons such as zoning requirement changes and the need to move to another town without building a new house. If this happens to you, moving the house may be the best solution. But, remember that moving a house can turn out to be a lot of money. Find the cost of moving a house here.
Typical Cost Of Moving A House
The usual cost of moving a house is $8,000 to $50,000.
This price includes hiring a mover to inspect the house, lift it off the ground, and towing it to the new location safely along with the necessary moving permits.
Factors That Affect The Price Of Moving A House
Size of the house. The size of your house will greatly determine the cost of moving it. Small one-story houses are easiest to move; hence, they are the cheapest to move as well. The bigger the house and the more levels it has, the higher its cost will be as it will be more of a struggle to move. Basically, you can find contractors who will move the house for $12 per square foot the least. But really big homes may be moved for $150,000 to $200,000.
Weight of the house. The weight of the house can determine the amount of burden the movers will face in the moving process. Hence, the heavier the house is, the more expensive the moving cost will be. For instance, brick homes are a lot more expensive to move as compared to wooden homes.
Distance. How far is the new site from the old location of your home? This will affect the cost of the move substantially. The distance affects the price not only for the cost of fuel and labor but as well as the cost of the moving permits needed to legally and safely move the house from town to town or city to city. More often than not, the more towns or cities you pass by when moving a home, the more permits you need to get and the more money is involved in the process.
Difficulty. Obstacles on the road can also affect the cost of the move. Obstructions like curvy roads, railroad crossings, utility lines, mailboxes, and small turns may make the move more difficult and more expensive. For instance, two-story homes will usually require the utility lines to be raised so they can pass the roads. Having the utility lines raised for the move is one of the most expensive things that can add up to the cost of moving a house.
Mover. Most movers will price the move differently but basically, their prices will not be far from each other. However, you must take note that there really is no point to get cheap movers who are less experienced in the business. It is always best to pay good money for reputable and experienced movers as this can save you from a lot of costs in the end. Experienced movers have the right equipment, knowledgeable people, and the appropriate skills needed to safely transport your home from its old spot to the new one. Some movers may price you cheaply but do not work as greatly as higher-priced contractors so you end up with chances of spending on repairs in cases damage is incurred during the process.
Additional Costs
Preparing the home for the move will mean extra expenses for the homeowner. You need to hire contractors to help you with the removal of the wiring, plumbing, foundation supports, and drywall. You can hire the same contractors or another company to install them back at the new location for a different cost.
Building a new foundation for the home at the new location is also needed and will definitely add up to the total moving expenses.
The cost of the land you will be moving your home to also needs to be added on the expenses, especially if you do not own a land beforehand.
Some towns or cities will require you to make the necessary changes to your house so it will be brought up to the current building codes. Renovation will sure be an added expense, not to mention yet building and inspection costs.
Repair costs can also be an extra expense when moving a house. Repairs are needed when circumstances arise that a part of the house is damaged during the process. Also, some movers suggest removing brick fireplaces and chimneys because their weight can make the move harder and more expensive. Hence, re-bricking them will cost you extra as well.
Replacing damaged property along the way is an added expense as well. For instance, if the move will pass through mailboxes, you can coordinate with the homeowners to have the mailboxes removed first and then paying for their replacement. The same is true for trees and bushes along the way that needs to be pruned to give way to the move.
Tips Before You Decide To Move A House
Work with local planning departments so you can be certain that the move is permitted. Make sure you get all necessary permits for the old and new sites.
Find qualified and reputable contractors to help you with the move. To help you get experienced house movers, you can use the database of the International Association of Structural Movers. Make sure to get good contractors as well that will help you with the preparation of the house for moving and setting it up back in shape at the new site. Reputable house movers can recommend you efficient contractors that they have worked with before to do other jobs for you such as removing wiring and plumbing and setting them up at the new location.
If a bank or company is holding a mortgage on your home, make sure to get their approval prior to moving the property. Also, talk with your insurance provider to work with all the necessary requirements the company may need to support you with the move.
Allow the house mover to visit your home and get estimates on how much the move will cost. A good house mover will also tell you whether or not moving your home is a good decision or not upon considering all factors such as the structure of your house, the distance to be travelled, and the new site in question.
Prepare the planning documents and blueprints of your home and offer it to the mover. This will help them know what the right structural support they need to ensure the move will be safe and successful.