Has anyone dealt with a client that was having a home moved?
How did you handle the request? I am thinking one complete inspection before the move off the foundation and one after relocation?
The home is 1975 1026 Sqft bungalow typical wood framed construction currently on a concrete foundation, located in Alberta.
Potential nightmare? 
I would not do one prior to the move. If something major were to happen to the home in the move, you could be named in a lawsuit. Leave it to a structural engineer to assess it first.
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That had not occurred to me Jeff, thanks.
I agree with Jeff, inspect it after the move is complete. I inspected a house a few years ago that had been moved, what a mess.
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I sure they don’t fair well, drywall and flex in the framing from movement.
I can’t think it is really worth it but people are trying to find cheaper options these days. My dad always said there’s no such thing as cheap!
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I helped a buddy remodel a 1940ish home that he had relocated about 20 miles to his place. Lots of cosmetic things in the lath n plaster, but structurally it fared well.
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I’ve helped move 15 to 20 houses. Many for Habitat for Humanity.
It depends on the township and county you are moving the house into how they related their codes to your moved house.
Some authorities inspected it the same as a similar vintage home in their jurisdiction. And some wanted it brought up to a new build standard they decided fit.
We sistered rafters and floor joist and enlarged beams and egress access on some and did virtually nothing but some patching on others.
Yes, inspecting AFTER the move is the way to go.
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Interesting info, thanks Larry appreciated!
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I have a feeling the craftsmanship in the older homes would with stand the move better than more modern ones, thanks Lon
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Morning, Jonathan!
Hope to find you well.
Yes actually but the move had been completed.
I think you are talking about a Structure Relocation Assessment. If you are, I do not know if I would dare to walk into that much liability unless, the contract is written in such a way as to more or less hold me completely harmless to a point.
I am only documenting present condition, and documenting materials I can visually access.
I would inspect everything twice. Once before the move and once after the home had been put in place and all utilities are active.
The fee would not be typical. I would start around $4,000.00 and have other demands to be negotiated.
As well I would contact my insurance broker to se if I could do the job under my current policy or would I have to pay a 1 time premium.
Hope that helps.
Robert
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Thanks Robert for that information, I’m doing well and hope you are too.
Would this be for a qualified structural engineering company?
Can you elaborate on what demands you can think of?
Your information is very much appreciated, thank you.
The only thing I would offer would be simply to visually document the home with stills and a 360 camera. Not sure how they could hold that against you. Just visual documentation of the home in situ prior to the move. Nothing further, no commentary, no tests. “This is what it looked like before”.
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What price would you charge for completely photographing a home? What value is it for a customer to photograph a home over walking around with their cell phone recording the condition themself? If something were to happen to the home, everyone involved is included in the lawsuit. You are then taking time to deal with it. This is taking away time from inspecting. It’s not worth it.
Ever get someone that sends you a picture of something that’s wrong or broken? You usually can’t even tell what you’re looking at. The fact that someone has a camera in their hand doesn’t mean they know how to take a properly exposed and framed image, nor do they have an actual camera that can take a very high resolution image. I love my cell phone but when I need to take a real image, I do it with a professional grade camera with good glass.
If you want cousin Eddie and his cell phone, more power to ya.
We could go back and forth for weeks. You would do it, and I wouldn’t. Not a big deal.
True, I just don’t see where there’s any liability in professionally documenting the condition of a home before it gets moved. I see it as a great benefit for the owner as they can refer back to it.
When I sold my house up north, I gave the new buyer around 2gb of images taken during the various construction phases. I’ve gotten to know the guy and he’s thanked me many times as he now understands the home and how it was put together. You don’t know how valuable an image is until later when it answers a question.
I’ve seen a dozen or so moved houses over the years and they seemed to do okay although I did see them years after the move. When the interstates came through Portland back in the 50s and 70s it was pretty common to move houses in the path.
There’s a company in Oregon named Emmert Construction that specializes in moving big things. They even have a yard of houses up for purchase out off Hwy 224 SE of Portland if anyone is in the area. The same ones have been sitting there for 20+ years and it always makes me laugh and wonder who would want a crappy old house… I guess no one since the same ones have been sitting in their yard for decades.
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Yes. A Profession Structural Engineer.
Conduct a Detailed Structural Assessment
A professional engineer would evaluate the current condition of the structure and identify any potential weaknesses or structural issues that need to be addressed before the move. This step ensures the building remains sturdy and safe throughout the relocation process.
Likely the home moving company has a in house engineer or close ties to one.
Yourself, you would take a typical home inspection to note defects and deficiencies and wall as inner and outer walls. It is mostly for clients piece of mind.
It would be wise/preferable to have strong suites background. Masonry. Structural.
Old homes needed greater understanding of th building practices and material for/of that circa.
Have other demands to be negotiated. Like I mentioned, hold harmless clause. Access to the properly by all involved.
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Thanks Robert, that’s very much appreciated.
My pleasure, Jonathan.
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