What is involved in moving and entire house?

For some people, moving means lots of cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, styrofoam, and more than a little stress. For many of our customers moving is quite literally “moving an entire house”. This is done by first raising the entire house. Next the entire house is pushed onto rails or dollies if it will not be moving too far. If the house is to be moved a considerable distance (miles rather than yards), then it will be moved with a specialized flatbed truck.

When moving an entire house, the house is lifted using temporary steel support beams and a network of hydraulic jacks. Wood beams called cribs, cribbing, or box cribs are stacked into piles to support both the structure and the jacks as the entire house is elevated in increments. Finally, when the house has been lifted to the appropriate height, the rails or flatbed truck are placed under the steel support framework in order to stabilize the house as it is moved. After moving an entire house the truck or rails are removed an the process is repeated in reverse.

There are many reasons why people choose moving an entire house. Many houses can be had for little or no money if the buyer is willing to move them. Sometimes, historic buildings are moved in order to preserve them. Many times a homeowner purchases a new property but loves thier house and wishes to move the entire house rather than sell it.

No matter the reason, moving an entire house is something that we are always happy to talk about at Kunkel Moving and Raising. We have been moving entire houses since 1907 – just over 108 years now. We are the Pacific Northwest’s experts when it comes to moving an entire house. Please do not hesitate to contact us today with any questions you have about moving an entire house.