If you have a mobile home, then you are probably wondering about that first word, “mobile” in the name. Does mobile mean that it can be moved? The short answer is yes. A mobile home can be moved, even today.
However, it isn’t as easy as it once was because safety has become a priority, which begins to eliminate convenience. This is a pattern you’ll see over and over again in this industry, and in life. But we can still work with safety!
How Much Does A Mobile Home Cost?
Before we get into moving a mobile home, let’s take a look at the cost of a mobile home. After all, older mobile homes may not be worth moving. The general breakdown depends on the size of the mobile home.
Here are the three main sizes:
- Single-Wide Average: $37,100
- Double-Wide Average: $73,600
- Triple-Wide Average: $100,000+
So if you have an older mobile home that is single-wide and spend the money to move it, you may not be making the best choice. After all, if you can find one for under $20,000 you may save money in the end to buy a new one.
This is especially true if you sell your old one. Then you aren’t paying the cost to move it, but are using your money you made to buy a new mobile home which will include the cost of moving it in its price.
How Much Does It Cost To Move A Mobile Home?
Moving a mobile home isn’t as easy as moving a trailer. Although another term for a mobile home is trailer house, it can be difficult to get started. This thing doesn’t have built-in wheels that are ready to move at any time.
It takes time, experience, and more money than you’d expect just to move your home from one location to another. But the benefits usually outweigh the doubts you may have when moving the location of a mobile home.
Before we break down the cost of moving a mobile home, let’s get into what a mobile home really is and how it is different than other, similar homes. Because the cost differences are outstanding when you look at them.
Mobile Home Vs. RV
A mobile home is a house that is mobile. But isn’t that what an RV is too? Not really. An RV is a recreational vehicle. It can have a cab with a driver’s seat or it can be pulled behind another vehicle. But it does always have living quarters.
You can live in both an RV and a mobile home. However, RVs are designed to be a secondary tiny home you use to save money on road trips. While a mobile home is meant to be your primary home and can’t be used without being set.
Most of the time, you can move the RV yourself. But if you live in the RV and have never driven it or pulled it behind as a trailer, you can get someone, maybe a friend, to move it for you for a couple of hundred dollars.
Mobile Home Vs. Prefab Home
The differences between a mobile home and a prefab home are harder to see. However, you can start to see one big difference when you look at the year the home was made. The year 1976 is the magic year.
Prior to 1976, this type of movable home was called a mobile home. But pretty soon, people realized that a home without a stable foundation wasn’t very safe. And thus, manufactured homes were made.
Another name for prefab homes is modular homes. Modular homes need a stable foundation that is permanent in order for them to be set. But a mobile home, or manufactured home, can be moved if need be.
Modular homes are considered residential homes at all times and follow the same guidelines as any other house. But manufactured homes follow different, older guidelines that are only about safety in bad weather.
Mobile Home Moving Cost Breakdown
Now, let’s start off by saying that there’s a big difference between a single-wide and a double-wide. A single-wide can be moved by one truck while a double-wide needs to be separated before it can be moved. This adds to the cost.
Distance
This is the most important cost factor. The general guideline is that the cost set is for 50 miles or less. If you go further than this, you are upped to the 100-mile deal. Any further and you will be lucky to get anyone to move it for you.
But as long as you are traveling less than 50-miles, which is a long-distance for most people, you can use the basic package. This is what the base rate is and the number we will use for most cost breakdowns.
Single-Wide Vs. Double-Wide
The general cost to move a single-wide will be somewhere from $5,000 to $8,000. But moving a double-wide mobile home will cost between $10,000 to $13,000. However, this is for 50 miles or less. More than that, and you will see higher costs.
When you move a double-wide, you need to take two trips or two vehicles because the house needs to be taken apart. This won’t always double the cost, but it can double the cost. And it always costs a lot more.
Now, if we’re getting to the rarer finds, which are triple-wides, expect to pay even more. Triple-wides are very difficult to move and require a special team to move them. Ask for quotes upfront, preferring the binding estimates.
Weight Of The Home
Older homes are lighter than newer homes. So that can play into the cost of your move. However, they are also more fragile and more difficult to re-set. But the weight, in general, is almost always a factor.
For heavier trailers, you may need a heavier vehicle that costs more on gas and is harder to drive and to pull things. So this is why heavier mobile homes cost more to move than lighter ones most of the time.
Skirting
Sometimes, these companies will charge to take off skirting and transport it. This is one thing you can definitely do yourself. If you can only remove it and not move it, then consider selling it and getting new skirting.
You can get some mobile home skirting that can transform your mobile home and bring it up a few notches. So consider selling that old skirting if it’s nice enough and buy new skirting when you move.
Setting Your Mobile Home Cost
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This is usually considered a separate cost that may or may not be included in the package. If you don’t buy the setting package then you may save thousands of dollars. The average cost for them to set a mobile home isn’t cheap.
You can expect to pay at least a few thousand extras to have them set the home up. Any less and you may not be able to trust the moving company. If they charge $1000, it’s probably a good deal, but a few hundred and you may want to look for references.
Can I Move My Mobile Home Myself?
Most of the time, it is illegal to move your mobile home yourself. This may seem unfair, but taking a mobile home onto the road is dangerous and requires trained professionals. You could put others at risk.
If you received a permit, the right license, and check local codes, then yes, you could move the mobile home yourself. But all of this effort usually isn’t worth it. Especially when you have to worry about setting the home.
Setting the home is just as important as moving it. Because you need to get a stable foundation, even if it’s not permanent. You need to make sure the area is cleared, the ground is level, and everything is hooked up.
This is where mobile homes and RVs differ. Anyone can set an RV but it takes specialized contractors to set a mobile home. If you’re thinking about moving and setting one yourself, at least get a professional to guide you.
The Portable Building Route
More and more people are learning that portable buildings can be purchased that are a thousand or more square feet each. Hey, that’s as big as a house! Portable buildings are usually purchased as outbuildings, but they don’t have to be.
You can usually contact most portable building companies and ask them if they do houses too. Chances are, they have deals where they can move the portable building to your property and transform it into a house.
This is cheaper than a mobile home and much, much cheaper than buying a house outright. You can have them do a little or a lot, with you filling in the gaps. The average cost for a portable building is $100 per square foot.
As for added amenities, you will have to decide which ones are worth it. You can pay as you go this way too and get the building on a loan. Just make sure to check with local building codes and do all of the legal aspects correctly.
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