FAQs
Your questions about relocating a building
The questions we actually get asked, answered plainly. If yours is not here, phone the office and ask.
19 questions5 topics
Relocation basics
What types of relocations can you do?
Houses, cabins and baches, sheds and barns, churches, marae, community halls and classrooms. We also move machinery, boats and waka. If it is large, awkward or precious, it is worth asking. With the right planning most things can be moved. See specialised moves.
Which regions do you work in?
We are based in Hikurangi, near Whangārei, and we work across the whole North Island. South Island work is possible but needs a conversation first, because the ferry changes both the cost and the planning.
Can you reposition a home within the same property?
Yes, and it is often the cheapest way to unlock value in a section. There is no road transport, no oversize permit and no route survey, so most of the cost sits in the lift, the short shift and the new foundations. See same site relocations.
Can you remove a structure from my property?
Yes. Depending on the building we may buy it from you outright and take it away for resale, or simply remove it. Either way you get the site cleared without a demolition bill.
Why do house moves happen at night?
A house on a trailer is an oversize load. Moving it when the roads are quiet is safer, and it makes road closures, pilot vehicles and lifting power lines far easier to arrange. Most moves run through the early hours.
Will my house have to be cut in half?
Only if it has to be. It depends on the width of the building and the tightest point on the route, including corners, bridges and overhead lines. We tell you at the site inspection whether the building travels whole or in pieces, and what that adds.
Buying a relocatable home
Do you purchase homes for relocation?
Yes. We buy houses, old and new, for removal and resale. If you have a building that needs to go, tell us where it is and what it is, and we will let you know whether we are interested in buying it.
What do you have available for removal?
We hold good quality pre loved homes to suit a range of budgets and styles. Availability changes constantly, so the best move is to tell us what you are after and we will let you know when something suits. See houses for sale.
How do I know the house is structurally sound?
Get a building report. It confirms the house is in a condition suitable to be moved, and it is worth having regardless of who you buy from. The houses we hold are chosen because they are suitable for removal, and most older ones are built in native timber.
Will I need a contractor after the house is placed?
Yes. You will need licensed trades to connect power, water, wastewater and any gas, and to complete the foundation fixings. Beyond that comes interior and exterior finishing, then the council inspections that sign the work off. We can point you in the right direction.
Site and consents
Do I need a resource consent?
Usually yes, to bring a second hand building into an area, and possibly more if you are subdividing or adding a second building. It is not always required, but budget for the time and the fees so it does not surprise you. The process page covers what is involved.
What is a geotechnical report and do I need one?
It tells you how stable your soil is, which decides what foundations your site needs. Treat it as due diligence before you buy a site, because unstable ground can add a great deal to the foundation cost, and the report can take a few weeks.
What makes a site suitable?
Access wide enough and clear enough for a house to reach it, no covenant excluding relocated buildings, achievable power and wastewater, and ground that is not in a high wind zone, flood zone or unstable. If something is marginal we will say so at the site inspection.
Costs and insurance
Do I need specialised insurance?
Yes. You will need transit marine insurance while the building is on the road, cover on the house at its original site from the date you buy it, and contract works insurance for the site work. We can point you in the right direction.
What additional costs should I expect?
Beyond the building and the move: site preparation and foundations, utility connections, permits and inspections, the contractors who finish the job, insurance, legal fees, and somewhere to live if there is a gap. Keep a contingency of 10 to 20% of your total budget.
Can I get finance for a relocatable home?
It can be harder than a standard mortgage and some buyers use second tier lending or bridging finance. A broker who has done relocations before is worth talking to early, because it shapes what you can commit to.
Working with us
How long does a relocation take?
The move itself is usually one night. Everything around it, consents, reports, foundations and connections, is what sets the timeline, and that varies with your council and your site. We will give you a realistic picture at the site inspection.
Do you do the foundation work as well?
Yes. We are Licensed Building Practitioners and we place new concrete or timber piles, so the move and the foundations are handled by the same team. That removes the most common point where a relocation stalls. See foundations and repiling.
How do I get a quote?
Tell us what you are moving and where it needs to go, using the quote form or the phone. Photos help a lot and cut down the back and forth. For anything beyond a simple job we will want to inspect the site before quoting.
Still got a question?
Phone the office and talk to someone who has done this hundreds of times. No obligation, no sales pitch.