The Best Mobile Home Movers of 2021 – BobVila.com

Moving a mobile home is a unique challenge that will require the assistance of the best mobile home movers available. Merely hooking up a house and hauling it away oversimplifies the complicated process of inspecting the house, obtaining permits, ensuring proper licensing, and the actual moving of the entire house itself. With the right mobile home movers on your side, youll be well positioned to reposition your beloved house to its new location.

Mobile home transport can be a tricky process since there are a number of factors to consider. It takes due diligence to find a qualified mobile home moving company that can legally transport the mobile home to its new destination. Evaluating key considerations can help you make an informed decision.

Its important to choose a moving company that is qualified and licensed to haul a mobile home as far as it needs to be moved. Local mobile home movers might be able to move it within the state, but they must have interstate licensing to haul it through states and into the destination state. If the mobile home is being moved across international borders, additional licensing and permits are required. Another consideration is the type of roads that need to be traveled. A wide load doesnt turn easily, so the semitruck may need to use alternate routes to arrive safely. These detours can increase the time and distanceand therefore costof the relocation.

According to Statista, as of 2021, Texas, Florida, and Louisiana are the states with the most mobile homes. We chose to focus a select number of our top providers from those states.

Mobile homes need to be assessed to determine if they are structurally sound enough to be moved. If they are, then the size and weight are evaluated to in part determine the cost. Older mobile homes tend to weigh 35 to 40 pounds per square foot, while recently built manufactured homes weigh 40 to 45 pounds per square foot. The heavier weight means additional equipment is typically needed for the deconstruction and hauling of the home. A mobile home that is 800 square feet means there could be 40,000 pounds of materials being moved, so its possible that more than one truck will be needed to complete the move.

The size of the house also needs to be considered. Single-wide trailers can be hauled on a highway with minimal interference (though it is considered a wide load), but a double-wide trailer or larger has to be deconstructed and hauled in two or more pieces. Excessively large pieces may even require lane closures on some roads, which requires the help of local law enforcement to ensure the safety of all drivers.

Many mobile homes require a fair amount of preparation in order to be moved, and some services are expected to be completed by the homeowner. At minimum, utilities need to be shut off and any outer attachments like porches should be removed. Other services like removing and reinstalling the foundation and other features, or removing and reconnecting a double-wide trailer might apply as well. Depending on your needs, check with each moving company to see which services they offer and how they charge for each service.

An existing mobile home insurance policy might cover the home during relocation transport, but if not, then its necessary to obtain liability insurance. This is important to have on top of the insurance that the mobile home movers are required to havemake sure to verify that they have liability insurance of their own.

Since moving a mobile home is a more complex job than RV trailer moving, each job presents its own unique challenges that can affect the total timeline. The distance and the size of the house are two primary factors that influence timing. Once permits are obtained, it can take 3 to 10 hours to prepare a traditional mobile home for moving. A large, manufactured house could take days. The trucks used to haul the home will travel more slowly than other vehicles, so if its being hauled a few hundred miles, it may take several days to arrive. Reconstructing the mobile home at the new site can take from a few hours to a couple of days to complete. Choose a company that can get the job done within a similar timeline of these estimates to help ensure youre working with a reputable company.

The cost to move a mobile home is difficult to nail down since there are so many factors to consider. According to moving.com, on average, a short move of 50 miles could cost between $5,000 and $8,000 for a single-wide trailer, including permits and setup fees. A double-wide trailer with the same circumstances could cost between $10,000 and $13,000. Moving a mobile home across state lines will increase the cost due to time and distance, so its possible for the total cost to reach $20,000 or more.

Accidents happen. If one occurs, you want to feel confident that there is a company representative ready and willing to help. Part of the vetting process may need to include speaking with one or more company representatives to build confidence in their attentiveness and willingness to provide solutions in the event of an emergency.

The decision to hand over the move of a home thats unique and special can be daunting. Choosing the right company to handle the challenging process of moving a mobile home builds confidence and ensures a smooth transaction. To help homeowners transport their homes safely, quickly, and legally, we recommend Heavy Haulers as our top choice for mobile home movers.

Photo: heavyhaulers.com

Why It Made the Cut: Heavy Haulers can transport mobile homes of all sizes nationwide to all 50 statesplus Canada and Mexicousing a team of bonded, licensed, and insured drivers and movers.

Heavy Haulers, a division of Nationwide Transport Services, is capable of getting movers to your house and relocating it to its new, accessible destination (as long as the house is structurally movable), regardless of where you live in the United States. They have offices throughout the country to help assist people looking to move mobile homes, freight, and heavy equipment. Since they offer a variety of services, its a safe bet that they have the equipment necessary to move even a complicated manufactured house.

Though Heavy Haulers cant guarantee exact pickup or delivery datesthere are complexities to ensuring drivers are accessible anywhere in the countrythey have several available points of contact and great 24/7 customer service to help homeowners feel secure in booking with them. The fact that its also a family owned and operated business is also a nice touch.

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Photo: nexusautotransport.com

Why It Made the Cut: Nexus Auto Transport specializes in transporting cars across the country, but they have branched out into transporting mobile homes for reasonably affordable prices.

Nexus can accommodate mobile home transport across the lower contiguous 48 states. Their specialty is auto transport, which is helpful for mobile home owners who also need a car moved. Nexus can accommodate short notice mobile home pickup and delivery in many caseslikely in more populated areas. Since this company is still growing, they do occasionally broker out some moves to other companies who have a greater presence in some areas. As a bonus, you can also book a car shipment with them if you have more cars than drivers.

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Photo: uship.com

Why It Made the Cut: As a transportation marketplace, UShip helps bring feedback-rated movers and clients together to fill the exact needs of the mobile home thats being moved.

UShip operates as a marketplace broker that facilitates the decision-making process of finding qualified haulers to move a mobile home (and other goods). The advantage of this system is that you can quickly compare prices and feedback of qualified movers to help make a decision about who to hire by choosing from any available moving company. In addition, there are movers available for hire who can take care of the packing and moving of all your personal items. However, since its only a brokerage marketplace, any problems or concerns with a mover can only be solved directly between the two parties. UShip will help facilitate communication between the two parties, but wont handle disputes. The contracts are also somewhat loose to allow for unexpected circumstances, so haulers can cancel at frustratingly short notice. Fortunately, there are plenty of other movers to find on this platform to fill the gap if needed.

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Photo: innovationmovers.com

Why It Made the Cut: Innovation Movers is an all-service mobile home moving company in Texas that offers friendly customer support and additional services for special circumstances.

For mobile home owners moving within Texas, Innovation Movers is our top choice since they are locally owned and operated. This company also specializes in the before and after services involved in simple or complicated moves, such as grading the new location if needed. If you need to move within a week, its likely theyll be able to accommodate you. Its important to note that they only operate within Texas; however, they do provide the legal permits homeowners need to move within the state. Innovation Movers strives for transparency in their communication and services, and they have customer support available by phone and email.

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Photo: mhmove.com

Why It Made the Cut: J&S Homes is a proven, 40-year business with lots of experience moving mobile homes throughout Florida (with a primary focus on central Florida), with the added perk of free estimates.

Businesses that have been around for decades tend to have a reliable track record of successful operations and happy customers, and J&S Homes is no exception. They state that they can move mobile homes to their new location within Florida (not out of state) within a weekbarring severe weather challenges. This short turnaround is helpful for homeowners, especially since J&S also helps with all permitting needs. They also boast transparency when it comes to insurance and permits.

There are no online quotes available, but thats due to the company preferring to meet with you in person to provide an accurate assessment and quote. Site and home preparation services are also included to help homeowners move smoothly into their new location. Most importantly, J&S Homes provides tie-down and anchoring services for mobile homes to meet FHA hurricane regulations in Florida that are intended to reduce damage and protect homeowners.

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Photo: bbsmobilehometransport.com

Why It Made the Cut: BBs Mobile Home Transport specializes in moving mobile homes of all typesand foundationsin addition to raising mobile homes as a flood countermeasure.

With over 40 years of mobile home moving experience, BBs Mobile Home Transport is capable of handling just about any unique situation that comes their way. Though they primarily service homes within the state of Louisiana, theyre familiar with the challenging terrain and elements that Louisiana has, which means they can ensure a mobile home is relocated safely. There are only limited options for moving in the Gulf Coast area, so potential customers are encouraged to call or email for details.

BBs can handle mobile homes on blocks or anchors and build a raised foundation to protect the home against flooding that may occur. In addition, they now offer FHA foundation retrofitting to provide mobile homes with more security against severe weather events. Its an extra service that helps homeowners feel safe and secure in their newly relocated mobile home.

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Photo: nationwideunitedautotransport.com

Why It Made the Cut: Offering nationwide mobile home transport, Nationwide United Auto Transport is licensed, bonded, and insured to move manufactured homes, mobile homes, tiny homes, and more.

Nationwide United Auto Transport is a large logistics firm that is capable of offering expedited transport options for many customers. They have 15 years of experience, so theyre well positioned to have the equipment and manpower necessary to handle just about any moving complexity. While their prices may be more expensive than others, they offer 24/7 support, which gives customers confidence that any questions or challenges can be resolved quickly. They help each customer assess the additional services needed to remove and place the mobile home, survey the route for logistical challenges, and assess the permits needed for a local or cross-country move. Note: As of the publication of this guide on 10/29/2021, Nationwide United Auto Transport has suspended its mobile home transport service until further notice.

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Great customer service, adequate service area, and extra services are all key components to choosing the best mobile home movers. Thats why we chose Heavy Haulers as our top choice, since they have the largest service area, all the necessary equipment, and a proven track record of helpful, accessible customer support. Some homeowners might prefer using the UShip marketplace where they can easily price shop and book directly with any number of moving companies.

While much depends on the location of your move and any unique circumstances you may be in, there are a few elements that stood out to us when reviewing the top mobile-home moving companies. We evaluated companies that have local, statewide, nationwide, and international moving options to provide the coverage needed for any homeowner. We evaluated the websites of each company and took the overall customer reviews and experiences into account to make sure most customers enjoyed a satisfactory or pleasant experience.

Since the highest concentration of mobile homes exists in Texas, Florida, and Louisiana, it was important to include top local companies who have expert knowledge of the terrain and weather that impact mobile homes in those regions.

Its not uncommon for a mobile home to be moved due to a change in ownership of the land where its placed. These moves are usually local and fairly easy to accommodate for a reasonable price. On the other hand, considering moving a mobile home across state lines can become complicated and expensive fairly quickly. This is even more true for manufactured homes that are a double-wide size or larger. Movers also have to assess whether the home is structurally sound enough to be taken apart and put back together, not to mention whether it can handle the jostling of a long road trip.

If the cost to move a mobile home is more than its worth overall or the risk is too high to the structural integrity of the home, it may be best to consider simply purchasing a new mobile home near your preferred destination.

Theres no easy answer to determine the cost of moving a mobile home since location, size, weight, distance, preparation, and any additional services all factor into the final cost. However, local moves are easier to estimate since there is a shorter distance to cover. As a general baseline, you can expect a single-wide trailer to cost $5,000 to $8,000 to move 50 miles. Larger trailers or longer distances quickly increase that price. An average cost per mile is $5 to $10, which may or may not apply to local moves within a certain radius. Its not impossible for a quote to reach $20,000 or more, depending on the complexity and distance of a move.

No matter how powerful a truck and trailer are, moving a mobile home any measurable distance on your own is not recommendedand in many situations, its illegal. Mobile homes are massive, unwieldy objects that take skill and training to move successfully, which is why its so helpful to have experienced professionals do the hard job of taking it apart, transporting it, and setting it back up. Most importantly, licensed movers have the proper permits and interstate licenses to transport the home. Here are several reasons why its beneficial to hire mobile home movers.

Choosing a great mobile home mover can be a challenging process, but with enough information, the right company can be found. The more details you understand about the process, the better position youll be in to make an informed decision. Consider the answers to these frequently asked questions.

Anyone who is looking to relocate a mobile or manufactured home to a new destination. As long as the home is in good condition to be moved, and it works with the homeowners budget, mobile home movers can transport it to almost any location.

The cost to move a mobile home depends on several critical factors like the size, weight, and location of the mobile home. In addition, the total distance heavily influences the final price. On average, it costs approximately $7,000 to move a mobile home less than 100 miles.

Each state has a requirement for homeowners (or the moving company) to obtain a moving permit to transport the trailer to a new location. If the mobile home is being transported across state lines, additional permits are required to meet national transportation regulations.

Most states require a licensed mover to complete any kind of transport of a mobile home. Proper permits are also required, and in some cases, the home might even need to be inspected before and after arrival. If any taxes are overdue on the property, they will need to be paid first as well. Check with the local HUD department to learn which laws will apply in your region.

Sources: HomeAdvisor, MyMove, Move.org, SFGate, Moving.com

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The Best Mobile Home Movers of 2021 - BobVila.com