Starting a house relocation project will without a doubt bring up a myriad of questions regarding the process and how it works. We answer such questions daily, and have pooled together our expertise to provide the most succinct answers for your FAQs.

Some of these include, “how much does it cost to relocate a house?”; “can you talk me through the house relocation process?”; “can I relocate a brick house?”; and “can I relocate a house that has Asbestos Containing Material?” Here are our answers:

How Much Does It Cost To Shift A House?

This is by far the most common question we receive, and given houses come in different shapes and sizes, it is difficult to answer this question with 100% accuracy, but as a guide we suggest you use the information discussed below.

A general rule of thumb to shift a house within a 100km radius of where it is currently sited is as follows. For a simple single piece shift, onto standard pile foundations, allow approximately $25,000 plus GST. For a standard two piece shift onto standard pile foundations allow approximately $35,000-$45,000 plus GST. The above information is assuming that it is a relatively standard move with good site access.

Additional things to look out for are:

• high roofs which must be lowered and then reinstated;
• the size of the house – this dictates the number of piles needed for the foundations;
• wide loads – if too wide, the house will need to be cut into two or three pieces, depending on its shape. This can also slow down the time it takes to transport the house to your site;
• access to your site – for example, telephone poles, trees, fences, narrow driveways. These can mean extra costs to clear the access (egress) to site;
• additional time spent positioning the house – if your site is at an awkward angle and needs the house to be positioned to fit;
• distance for the house to travel– this impacts the cost of the shift as houses can only be transported on the roads between certain hours. A house may take two or more nights to reach your site.

Can You Talk Me Through The House Relocation Process?

For a house relocation to be successful, it is important to understand the whole process. Our buyer’s guide will help to describe this process for you and includes a budget checklist to help you ensure you consider all costs involved in the project.

To get a copy of the buyer’s guide for yourself, visit our website: https:// relocatablehouses.co.nz/house-buyers/ download-our-buyers-guide/.

Make sure to give us a call on 0800 572 3771 and ask for our pre-relocation flowchart and our council checklist.

Can I Relocate A Brick House?

Yes, a house that has been clad in brick can be relocated. The bricks are removed (demolished so not reusable) prior to the shift and once resited the house can be re-clad in any material.

It also allows easy access for rewiring, insulation and adding in extra power points.

We love relocating brick clad houses, as it gives you the opportunity to renovate the house into the house you love.

Can I Relocate A House That Asbestos Containing Material?

Asbestos-containing building materials became popular among manufacturers and builders during the 1980s through to the early-1990s. These were fibrolite, vinyl products and textured ceilings. They were affordable and boasted good sound absorption, strength, plus resistance to fire, heat, electrical and chemical damage. The best rule of thumb is to assume that it’s likely ACM is present if you have a house, or are looking at buying a house, built or altered before 1990.

Managed in the correct way, ACM does not need to be a deal breaker when relocating a house. The only sure way to tell if ACM is present is to have an ACM accredited handler take an actual sample and test it. Talk to us about ACM and we’ll ensure you are fully informed regarding the process.

At The Relocatable House Co. we pride ourselves on the fact that we are a professional services firm in the house relocation industry. As a house relocation specialist, we can help you achieve your dreams of becoming a property investor, creating equity, sub-dividing your land and creating future income. Land research, project feasibility, house relocation, project management and architectural design services are all part of our expertise, enabling us to help you save money on demolition and bring you a step closer to your goals.