What do I need to look at when it comes to moving a doublewide?

Question

A lady called me with a doublewide she wants to sell once her house is done being built. I looked at the home and it is in excellent shape. However, I am not sure what I need to do to see about moving it. I looked under the home and did not see axels on it, and it did not have tongues to hitch up to the mover either. How much is it to get those put on to move it.

I have never moved one before and would like some guidance. I just assumed it costs 5k all in but that is based on no experience. Has anyone moved one? How much effort and cost was it?

I would be moving it to a park.

I have never moved one before and would like some guidance. I just assumed it costs 5k all in but that is based on no experience.  Has anyone moved one? How much effort and cost was it?

I would be moving it to a park.

Justin Escajeda · Answer

I frequently move homes, and I typically pay roughly $2,000.00 to move and set only.  I go and disconnect utilities, remove skirting, etc.  Anything I can do to make it easier for the mover to just come in and grab it.  If you don't have axels, wheels, and a tongue, youll have to rent the mover's.  They try to get you for everything.  I have a good relationship with a mover and he's still tries to get over on me a little.

It costs me roughly 1-2 grand to do full utility hook up pending existing problems that need to be fixed.  If your moving it to a park, are you renting it out to a tenant?  Is the park owner cool with that?  What's the lot rent?  What are you charging?  Honestly, for me to take a double wide off of someone, it better be a pretty damn good deal.  I typically find homes that are almost given to me (sometimes they are).

If you are going to start getting into mh's, try it out on a singlewide, it took a bit, but I can rehab one well within PA Manufactured Homes Cert of Compliance guidelines for under five grand.  Nothing like rehabbing a house, it all depends what area you are in too.  If you loose money on one, at least it woulnt be a lot..

Rachel H. · Answer

@Eric F. I did forget to mention adding trip insurance as an additional precaution when moving mobile homes. Hope this helps!

Marc Faulkner · Answer

Some spot on comments above:)

1.  Age of home.

2.  Size of home.

3.  Axles, hitch and tires present?

4.  Does the home have any attachments, expando's or awnings that would make extra work?

5.  Is there anything in the way, like trees or electrical poles that will need to be moved to get the home off of the site?

6.  This is a BIG one, do you have a mover that knows what they are doing and who will do exactly what they say they will do?  Dealing with some of these folks can be challenging at best!

Instead of walking away from the deal, it might be possible to flip it to a mobile home dealer or park owner that needs inventory and is moving homes all of the time anyhow.  Just a thought.

Jeremy Tillotson · Answer

Eric,

Having moved to many I can comment on what we pay, we get a great rate because we use them alot. $150 an axle(most double wides have 8 total), 175 for bolt on tongue 325 for welded, disconnect utilities 250-500. You should prob remove the skirting yourself often you will find the tongue near the rear of the trailer. 3.25 a mile $500 min (per trailer) and I budget 750 for extra crap. I think its $750 for a double to tear it apart too and any misc stuff is $32 an hr. They wont hook up utilities so thats on us.  Hope this gives an idea, its not cheap but is doable, how much is she wanting for home. I have moved homes 300 miles before but I got them for free or virtually. My guys arent the cheapest but they do great work and the cheapest is rarely the least expensive. I had a guy back one into another one (tight lots) and it was a freaking mess, yes he has insurance but still.

Eric F. · Answer

Yep, its a bummer. The $5,000 I was working off was just to move it. None of the other factors were included in what I thought. Lesson learned I guess (at least not with my wallet hah)

Back to looking for more I don't have to move I guess

Rachel H. · Answer

@Eric F. Usually, the cost to move and set up a doublewide can be double the price of moving and setting up a singlewide. Those I know who have done it have confirmed this statement. Best of luck!

John Arendsen · Answer

One thing you should do before you spend a dime is to make sure the Park Owner/manager will allow you to move the home in. If it was built before June 15, 1976 it's a Pre HUD home and most park owners don't want then moved in. In fact in California they're trying like crazy to get them out and replcaced with new ones. Gentrification is the name of the game in Cali with the proviso that the park community is in the path of progress.

Eric F. · Answer

Thanks again everyone. She ended up selling it to her neighbor for more than my initial offer anyway, but now I know the true costs to factor.

Paul Ewing · Answer

The key is moving them to land you own where you can do all the hook ups yourself.  Around here the $5500 is close but on the higher side.  I figure another $1200 for materials for water and electric hookup and about $1000-$1500 for AC connection.  That is something I can't do unfortunately.  Getting it on an acre can put that age of home into the $70k-$80k range retail here or $850-$1000/month rent depending on home and land conditions.

What do I need to look at when it comes to moving a doublewide?

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