10 Things To Consider Before Moving An Older Mobile Home Or Buying A New One

1. The first decision is to determine if the home is structurally sound enough to move. If there are severe weaknesses due to age, the house may not survive transport. It will be loaded onto wheels and driven down the highway at high speeds to get to the new destination — a demanding scenario for any structure.
2. Are there any deals to be had by selecting a new location offering free moving. For example, some mobile home parks might be willing to pay the moving expenses in return for you settling in their community. Look around. See what is on offer.
3. Is the mobile home fit to travel. Smaller mobile homes have wheels, but these may have become damaged or need to be refitted to allow travel. The cost of repairing them or the axles could add up.
4. Teardown expenses. Whether you have a mobile home on wheels or a manufactured home, there will have to be a teardown process to prepare the structure for transport. Mobile homes will need the skirting removed. Manufactured homes will need to be transferred to wheels. Plumbing and electrical services will need to be disconnected. Double or triple-wides will need to be taken apart to be shipped separately. All these preparation costs can get expensive.
5. Only a professional mover will be familiar with permits, insurance, regulations, and details when relocating a home. In most states, you are not permitted to move the house yourself, but it is not advised even if it is allowed. But, again, this is a job for professionals. Call around to get the best quote.

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6. Site preparation. You will have to pay to prepare the new site to accept the home, and the type of foundation must be identified. Pier, slab, crawl space, sunken or basement. The home’s dimensions and any unique positioning or requirements. Again, it is best to leave this work to professionals who deal with it regularly, and a mistake could cost you dearly.
7. Take down peripheral structures like awnings, decks, and add-ons. These must be removed before transport and reattached when the home reaches its new foundation.
8. The cost of transportation. The cost will depend on many aspects of the home and the distance traveled. Costs could increase if the home requires special reinforcement to be suitable for transport. If there are many externally attached items, they will need to be removed. If the home has damage, that will have to be repaired before transport. If the home is double or triple-wide, transport costs will increase considerably. Double or triple wide costs will be multiplied by 2 or 3. Of course, distance traveled will increase transport costs significantly.
9. Following the move there are almost certainly going to be things which have broken during transport. These will need to be repaired. It could be exterior attachments like lights and shutters or cracks in the drywall or roofing.
10. If you decide moving an older home is too expensive or risky, buying a new one has certain advantages. Modern manufactured homes are built to higher HUD standards, and Park Model Mobile Homes are built to ANSI standards. These homes are of a superior quality to the older mobile homes and even to most stick-built homes. The uncertainties surrounding moving older homes do not exist with a new home. These new homes are insured during transit and for some time after. Condition is no longer an issue as these homes are fresh from the factory and ready for travel.