We do understand that the process of moving a house can be daunting, but we do it every day. We offer a fully-inclusive package, putting all your documents together for your building consent application and making the application on your behalf.

We give you the original floor plan for the house and have our architect draw up your plans to include any alterations you want to make to your house. We only charge an hourly rate for the alterations.

And once your permit is through, we deliver the house to your site and re-site it onto its new foundations.

You’ll need to have a piece of land before you start looking for relocatable houses. You will need to make sure there are no covenants that prevent removable houses being re-sited onto your land. You will also need a copy of the title. You will need finance that covers the entire cost of the house, including permits, removal costs and finishing work.

It needs to be easily accessible for a house on a trailer. If it can’t be accessed directly from a road, you’ll need to ensure the access isn’t restricted by any other buildings, trees, power poles, etc.

You’ll also need to make sure that the access road to the property is wide enough at all points to fit a house through and that the route has no overhead rail bridges or very high sided bridges to cross.

If your land is exposed, you should also check its wind zone rating with the Council as it might need extra strengthening if the wind zoning is very high.

Make sure you consider the size of the house in relation to boundary. Consider also how the house will sit on your site to face North. Over which rooms will the sun rise and fall?

Make sure it will meet your family’s current and future needs. If you’re in doubt about its structural soundness, asbestos or drug-free status, call an expert to check it out and provide you with a full report.

If you are working outside the basic rules of your Council it is likely you’ll need a resource consent to relocate a house onto your land. Talk to your Council at the beginning of your project. They’re always happy to help.

You will need a builder to reinstate any chimneys and fireplaces, or to ‘make good’ the hole where a fireplace has been removed. You’ll also probably want a builder to reinstate base boards around the base of your house to cover the gap between the ground and the floor. And if your house has been cut for moving, you’ll need a plasterer to tidy up the cut line through your gib-board, ceiling and walls.

You’ll probably be required by your Council to obtain…

• A geotechnical report. This identifies the stability of your land.
• A stormwater report that identifies how wastewater will be managed on your property.
• A sewerage report, provided by a plumber/drain layer if your property has a septic tank.
• A copy of your title. You can purchase this from the Council.
• And you’ll need to pay for your building consent application once we’ve prepared it.