Moving an entire house might seem like an impossible feat, but it’s a practice that’s been around for centuries. In a process called structural moving, professionals use heavy machinery and careful coordination to lift a building from its foundation and transport it to a new location.
There are a number of reasons why someone might choose structural moving over building a new home, such as adapting to zoning changes or moving out of a floodplain. In the Harvard Law School’s case, they wanted to preserve the historical design of three old homes and make way for new academic buildings on their Cambridge, Massachusetts campus. Watch the timelapse above to see teams move each structure over the course of two days.
The House-Moving Process
Moving a house is a complex operation that requires careful planning and execution. Here’s an overview of the main stages.
Planning and Preparation
Before the actual move, you and the moving crew will need to take some time to prepare. This phase takes several months at the very least and involves structural movers, general contractors, and architects. More complex properties and stricter local regulations will prolong the process.
You’ll need to obtain the necessary permits, have inspections of both your old and new sites, get road permits from transportation departments, and secure any necessary financing for the move. Depending on your lot’s layout, you may also need to cut down trees or have the city move utility lines. The crew will assess your home’s blueprints to figure out what areas need structural support, plan and prepare the new site for the move, and draw up cost estimates and feasibility studies.
By contacting the right professionals well in advance of your move, you’ll avoid unexpected issues dealing with “red tape” and have a clearer plan in place.
Disconnecting Utilities and Systems
Before the moving process can start, all utilities to the home must be disconnected, including electricity, water, gas, sewage, cable, and fiber-optic lines. Sections of HVAC ductwork and plumbing will also need to be disconnected.
Your moving team will work with local utility companies and technicians to handle each disconnection and reconnection safely. A mistake in this step could cause damage and safety hazards later on.
Moving Out Your Items
You’ll need to clear your house of all items that aren’t physically secured to the structure. This includes your furniture, freestanding appliances, valuables, and everything in your basement. If you’re not using a van line company to transport items and keep them in a warehouse, you’ll need to store everything in an offsite stall or container.
Some structural components, like decks, may not be able to come with the rest of the home. If you decide to keep them, your moving team will haul them in a separate trip.
Lifting the House
On moving day, the team will dig around your home’s foundation and insert steel beams around the home to lift it up. Hydraulic jacks bring the structure up enough to place more steel beams underneath. From there, the team moves it to a temporary cribbing system attached to their moving truck.
Transportation
Now, the crew moves the house to its new location following their road permits. They must plan their route to avoid low bridges, narrow roads, utility lines, and other obstacles. Sometimes, they’ll need to work with local authorities to close roads temporarily so the moving truck can pass through.
Placing the House on its New Foundation
Meanwhile, at the new site, a separate company’s crew digs and prepares the home’s new foundation. It must match the original plans exactly for the best results.
Once the house is at the new site and everything is ready, the team lowers it onto the new foundation with the same hydraulic jacks. They secure the structure to the foundation, making a few final adjustments to align the house just right. Then, utility technicians and city workers reconnect power, water, and other utilities. When everything’s in place, the movers can add decks and porches if you kept them from your home’s old site.
Costs and Considerations
The cost of moving a house varies widely depending on these factors:
- The home’s size, height, and weight
- How far away the move will be
- How complex the route to get to the new site is
- Local regulations and permit requirements at both the origin and destination community
- Material costs for building the new foundation
- Labor costs for all companies involved in the move
- The cost to move and store your belongings
- Your own lodging while the project is ongoing
- Any necessary code compliance work once the house reaches the new site
Structural moving is certainly not an inexpensive project, but it can be less expensive than tearing down and building anew.
Challenges of House Moving
Moving a house is not without its challenges and risks. Some potential issues include:
- Structural damage: Homes can get damaged in transit even with careful professionals handling the move.
- Unexpected obstacles along the route: Time is both money and safety when it comes to moving a home. Your crew will anticipate and adapt to new obstacles as best they can, but just like building a new home, it’s common that not everything goes to plan. We strongly recommend budgeting for any pitfalls in advance to stay one step ahead.
- Weather-related delays: Inclement weather adds extra time to a project and can increase the risk of damage.
- Regulatory hurdles: If a part of your house isn’t up to code or safe enough to move, it can cost both time and money to address.
