The Cost of Moving a Mobile Home – What You Can Expect to Pay

How much does it cost to move a mobile home?

It depends on whether you choose to do a transport-only or a full-service move and the type of mobile home you have (single-, double or triple-wide). A transport-only move will include attaching the move-ready manufactured home to a towing vehicle, moving it to a new location, and unhooking it. The mover would also provide the necessary permits and liability insurance. A full-service move covers all of the above in addition to disconnecting all utilities, skirting and attached structures, and then reconnecting them at the new location.

Cost estimates to move a manufactured home

Just to use an estimate, the transport-only move will cost anywhere between $700 and $3,500. The full-service move will cost $3,000-$14,000.

According to CostHelper, the transport-only move for up to 60 miles is about $700-$1,000 for a single-wide, $2,000-$2,500 for a double-wide, and $2,600-$3,500 for a triple-wide.

To move a single-wide mobile home using the full-service moving service and the same distance of up to 60 miles will cost about $3,000-$5,000. Full-service moves include the disconnect, reconnect and transport services. To move a double-wide mobile home will cost $4,000-$10,000. For triple-wide, expect to pay $10,000-$14,000 or more. Of course, these are just estimates.

What costs are involved in moving a mobile home?

The cost to move your mobile home will depend on a wide variety of factors, including:

• Labor costs
• Setup services
• Moving materials
• Home size
• Permits
• Location
• Travel distance
• Local regulations
• Various transportation fees

Since these rates are based on per-mile charges, among other things, long-distance moves will cost more. Moving companies typically charge about $4-$5.50 per mile for the towing vehicle and about $1.50-$1.65 per mile for the pilot cars. Of course, the rate will also depend on the current fuel price and the travel distance.

As an estimate, most moving companies will move a small single-wide home within the state and up to 60 miles starting at about $1,000.

What factors affect the cost of moving a mobile home?

The cost to move a mobile home varies from move to move. Several common factors have an impact on the total cost. These include:

Distance of the move

The shorter the move, the cheaper the move will be. As you can imagine, lugging a mobile home behind a large truck requires quite a bit of gas. Not to mention, movers won’t exactly be able to drive fast or zip around corners. In addition, a longer move may require new tires and equipment to handle the distance.

Size of the mobile home

The size of your home will have a big effect on the overall cost. As expected, single-wides will cost less to move than double-wides, which are twice as big. If your home is too wide to drive down the street safely, you may also have to pay for a police escort or a temporary road closure. Taller homes typically cost more to move because the choice of travel routes may be limited, potentially resulting in traveling more miles.

Weight of the mobile home

According to Free Mobile Home Info, older homes typically weigh between 35 to 40 lbs. per square foot, while newer manufactured homes weigh anywhere from 45 to 50 lbs. per square foot. That means that if your mobile home is 800 square feet, it could weigh up to 40,000 lbs. Yikes! Remember, the heavier your mobile home, the more moving equipment and materials the movers will need to transport it. This inevitably adds up to spending more money as well.

Permits and inspection

If moving your mobile home to a new county or state, permits may need to be acquired for each territory it enters or travels through. Fortunately, your movers should be able to help you get these permits in place before the move. You may also need to get a “setup” permit to install your mobile home in a new city. Regarding inspections, some states (such as Florida) require mandatory inspections of older mobile homes. This helps ensure homes are safe and up-to-code.

Moving materials

From tools and supplies to tow hitches and tires, moving a mobile home requires plenty of moving materials. Your moving company should be able to break down the costs of necessary moving materials in your contract.

Setup services

If you’re planning to hire full-service movers for your mobile home relocation, expect to pay more. Besides transport charges, many professional movers will also require a separate fee for taking apart and/or setting up the mobile home. These fees may include: disconnecting and reconnecting your utilities, removing and reinstalling a porch, foundation (or skirting), and interior features.

Mobile home movers will also charge a fee for reconnecting a double-wide mobile home. These services can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $5,000. However, we should note that while many mobile home movers offer setup services, they may still require homeowners to remove their mobile home’s skirting and exterior features before the move.

Age and overall condition

If the mobile home is older or in need of serious repairs, the movers may have to spend extra time fixing and altering it before putting it on the road.

Insurance and liability

If using professional movers, you’ll need to purchase liability coverage for the move. You may also want to consider purchasing outside insurance. If you already own mobile home insurance, be sure to check with your carrier about whether or not they cover a mobile home while it’s in transport.

What are the benefits of hiring professionals to handle the move of a mobile home?

We do not recommend moving a mobile home by yourself. This type of move requires a team of professionals, who are not only trained in setting up a mobile home but are also experienced in driving large loads attached to the back of their truck. Those moving their mobile homes a long distance and across state lines may need multiple movers to handle the transportation. This is because a mover may be licensed to drive a mobile home in only one state, meaning he or she would need to hand off the car to another driver once across the state line.

While hiring a moving company to handle your mobile home move isn’t cheap, it does have its benefits. Here are a few good reasons to hire a moving company to handle the relocation:

• Moving companies will obtain all necessary moving permits for you. Permits are a pain to obtain. Fortunately, mobile home moving companies will handle all of the necessary permit requirements before your move. The mobile home moving company should take care of everything for you, from local setup permits to state transportation permits.
• Moving companies will transport the mobile home for you. Driving a large truck rental is hard enough without the added worry of dragging an oversized load behind it. So unless you’re an experienced truck driver, we highly recommend hiring professionals to drive your mobile home – especially if driving a long distance. Otherwise, you could put yourself and others in danger.
• It will save you time and energy. From popped tires to setup services, hiring a moving company will save you from all sorts of headaches later down the road. If you’re hoping for a smooth, easy move, hiring a professional mover is the way to go. Trust us – you won’t regret it.

Bonus tips for moving mobile homes

• Do your research when looking to hire a mobile home moving company. When choosing a reliable moving company, compare the quotes (they’re free!), ask for referrals, check online reviews, and find out about its insurance policy.
• Budget in the add-ons. Tell the movers if you have a shed, a deck or an air conditioning unit, as those would most likely yield extra charges. If you want the movers to clean up the lot after moving your home, that might also cost extra, so discuss it beforehand.
• Check the federal HUD regulations for the new location. HUD sets national construction and safety standards for manufactured homes. It created the so-called Wind Zones in 1976 as part of the HUD Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards, also called the HUD Code. The latest reiteration went into effect in July 2021. HUD divides the country into three zones based on the region’s susceptibility to natural disasters and various storms. The manufactured home you have is designed to resist the wind load of the zone it’s located in, measured in pounds per square foot. According to the Manufactured Housing Institute, Wind Zone I equates to a maximum of 70 mph wind speed, Zone II can withstand a 100 mph wind speed, and Zone III’s maximum is 110 mph. Manufactured homes sold in each zone must meet or exceed these regulations. So, if you’re moving between zones, please make sure your mobile home will meet the requirements. You can find the Wind Zone, Roof Load, and Snow Load information on the HUD data plate inside your home. It can be found in a bedroom closet, in a kitchen cabinet, or near the main electrical panel.
• Check the local legal requirements for where you’re moving. The new location may have stricter building standards and property age laws than the place you’re leaving. Most mobile home communities have different building codes, park rules and other regulations. While the moving company will let you know what you need to move your home in terms of legalities, we suggest you find out what you need to know about the legal requirements of where you’re moving.
• Don’t forget to give notice. Reread your lease agreement and provide written notice within the specified time period. Those can vary from home park to home park.
• Check the requirements for switching utilities. As you contact the utility companies to change your address, make sure they tell you what the deadlines are and whether there are any additional fees to pay. Also, contact the utility companies at the new location to apply within the deadlines – so there’s no gap where you’ll be left without water or electricity.
• Make sure the new location is ready to host your mobile home. Is your new site prepared? Do you need to clean it? Cut any trees? Level the ground?
• DIY some tasks to lower the expenses. While we don’t recommend that you DIY the move of the home itself, there are a few ways to cut moving costs. You can move your belongings in a rental van without any professional help. Pack your home yourself, source free boxes, rent a moving vehicle, and drive it yourself. You can even save on your truck rental fuel costs!
• Prepare your home for the road. Close and secure the doors and the windows. You can cover them for more protection. Inside, either everything needs to be taken out before the move or stabilized. Anything that’s not fixed to the home should go. Think about it: The axles can only hold so much weight and were designed to support the home but not necessarily with all your belongings inside it. Now might be a good time to declutter and purge!
• Make sure the wheels and the tires are road-ready. If you’ve been staying put in one location, chances are you weren’t worried about the condition of the wheels. You may discover that they have degraded over time. A professional moving company will check the wheels, tires, chassis, and axles before the move. The good news is, some mobile home movers might include any needed repairs and rentals in their quotes.

Ready to move your manufactured home?

If you’re planning to move your manufactured home, you may need to rent a storage unit – at least temporarily – during the relocation process. To locate self-storage facilities in your area, use Moversnearyou.info’s Find Storage Now tool. All you have to do is type in the zip code or your city and state, then click the “Find Storage’ button. And, we will get you quotes from the closest self-storage unit facilities so that you can compare costs and offerings.