Even though mobile homes were designed for transport, actually moving one is no easy task. There is a great deal of specialized equipment and information required during the trailer home moving process. Before you get quotes from mobile home moving companies, you should know a little bit about the process involved before you pay to have the job done.
The first step in the moving process is to remove all furniture and personal effects from the residence. This makes transport easier and safer, and helps protect your valuables from a potentially bumpy ride. Most mobile home moving companies will refuse to transport a trailer home if there are any items left inside.
After the contents of the home are removed, the transporter will make a detailed plan for the route. They need to make sure that roads are wide enough to accommodate the wide load, and there are no low clearance obstacles on the way to the destination. If the building is going from a flat area to a flat area with highways in between, route planning is easy. But if there are significant obstacles like mountainous terrain, unimproved roads, or hazardous weather, special precautions may need to be taken to make the job easier (and possibly more expensive).
Once the route planning is done, it's time to load the building on to a trailer. The mobile home mover will lift the building on to their trailer using hydraulic lifting gear or a crane. Single wide homes can be placed on one trailer, but if you have a double wide or larger building, two or more trailers may be required to get the job done. The transporter will also need to secure the load to the trailer, seal off any open areas with plastic sheeting or tarps, and check to make sure the load is not too heavy for the trailer. If the trailer is overloaded, the truck, trailer, or axles may be damaged, along with the mobile home.
When the trailer home is loaded and ready to go, moving can begin. Most mobile home moving companies utilize pilot vehicles to lead the way in front of the transport truck in order to check for potential obstacles. Mobile home transport trailers are also equipped with multiple lights to warn other drivers to keep clear from their path.
With a little planning and good information, the move should go smoothly. Once the building arrives at the destination, it is unloaded from the trailer onto supports. After a little work to get all of the utilities in order, the home will be ready to live in at its new location.
