Mobile homes are, as the name suggests, mobile, meaning they can be moved from one location to another if needed. Whilst it’s mostly recommended to site your park home and avoid moving it where possible, there are some instances when moving may be inevitable.
It could be that the park your current home is sited on is closing or selling plots, meaning you need to find somewhere else to move your home to, or it could be that you fancy a new location for your home and have found a more desirable park that better matches your lifestyle. Another common reason people move mobile homes is if they’ve just bought one and want to move it to a park closer to home, or if they’ve just sold one and have agreed to site it for the new owners as part of the sale agreement.
Whilst moving a mobile home is part of the charm of owning one, it’s not quite as easy as hooking it up to a trailer and towing it to a new location. It’s a process that requires thorough understanding and planning. If you’re thinking of moving your mobile home, or if you’re considering buying one and want to know more about the moving process, keep reading as we explain everything you need to know.
Finding a new site
The first step to moving your mobile home is finding a new site for it to go to. You might opt for a storage facility, or you might have a new park in mind. Whatever the case, you need to get documented confirmation of the new location you will be moving your home to.
Getting clearance
The next step in moving your static caravan mobile home is to get clearance from the relevant authorities. If your home is less than 12ft wide, you won’t need to worry about escorts or gaining police permission, but if your home is wider than 12ft, you will. This is because moving a structure that is more than 12ft wide can be dangerous for road users, so the local police force need to grant you permission to move through the area.
You will also need to arrange for an escort vehicle to accompany the home on its move. The escort vehicle help make other road users aware of what is going on, making the move safer for everyone involved.
Disconnecting utilities
Before your home can be moved, it needs to be disconnected from the power supplies at the park. You will likely need to ask the park to do this as most have clauses in their contracts that specify only they can disconnect the gas, electricity, and water. This often incurs a fee, so make sure you’re aware of this and understand the applicable charges before you start the moving process.
Organising transport
The next step to moving your mobile home is organising transport. You cannot move a mobile home yourself – you must hire a professional company to do it for you. The trucks are large format and have specific fixings to properly anchor the homes down, and the drivers are used to wide loads. If your property is over 12ft wide, you will need to hire escort vehicles as well as the transport truck.
Packing items and goods
Once everything has been organised transport-wise, the next step of the mobile home moving process is to pack up your goods. This is no different to any other type of house move – if you don’t pack up your belongings, things could get broken in transport. It’s best to ask a moving company to help you with this as they can accommodate your belongings in one trip so that the home can be lifted onto the truck and moved.
Moving the home
Next comes the actual moving of the home. As mentioned, a specialist truck will need to be used that can hold the park home in place safely and securely. Mobile homes that are 16ft wide and over, have to be broken into two parts to be moved, but most are moved as one whole unit.
After the static caravan has been loaded onto the vehicle, it will be carefully transported on the best route possible. Narrow roads sometimes can’t be avoided, but this is where escort vehicles and police clearance come in handy.
After the property has arrived at the new site, the sitting team will typically level it for you. This involves ensuring the home is completely level. If it’s not, windows and doors won’t operate correctly, and your home will be on a tilt. This is both inconvenient and unsafe, making levelling an essential part of moving a caravan.
During the levelling process, the home will need to be jacked and supported from the chassis. Again, the movers should do this for you. When everything is level and secured in place, site personnel will typically be responsible for hooking you up to utility supplies as per contracts and rules.
After this, all that’s left to do is for you to unpack and get your home looking spic and span once more!
How much does it cost to move a static caravan
One of the main questions we get asked is, what is the cost of moving a static caravan? There is no standard answer as it depends on your mobile home, what size it is, whether an escort is required, and how far you’re travelling. When insurance and pitching fees are factored in, along with the cost of furniture movers and getting your existing site to unhook the power supply, you could be looking at thousands of pounds.
There are lots of mobile home specialists available, so it’s a good idea to compare quotes, but make sure the company you choose has relevant experience and is fully qualified and licensed.
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