If you have a wooden building that you’re looking to move, the good news is that it can be done safely, successfully, and without you having to disassemble your structure. If you are preparing to move an older wooden building, you’ll have to take extra precautions that other types of buildings don’t need. But don’t let that deter you at all. When you choose the right movers and follow our tips for moving wooden buildings, you can relocate even your oldest wooden structures fairly easily. The more you prepare, the less you’ll feel stressed and overwhelmed during the actual move. Below are five tips to help you move your wooden structures and buildings with ease.
Get an Inspection
Wooden homes, shops, and other buildings are beautiful, no doubt. But wood is certainly a more brittle building material than other options out there. It’s important that before your move, you have your wooden building inspected by a professional who can tell you if there are any structural issues before transportation takes place and then after the move as well.
This is especially important for older wooden buildings. The older the wood, the more likely damage will occur during transport. This is a small cost upfront that will give you peace of mind and could potentially save you money and stress in the long run.
Reinforce the Structure
Wooden structures need to be properly secured before you move them, and thankfully, this is a relatively easy task since you can simply screw in reinforcements directly into the wood. Attach wooden braces to the studs for extra security and stability. Be especially diligent about door frames and window openings as they are particularly susceptible to damage.
Depending on the state of your floor, you might need to underpin the entire building with beams. If your foundation isn’t secure before the move, it certainly won’t be after your move. Do yourself a favor and add as much stabilization before your movers load up your building.
Prepare the New Foundation
At your new site, you might need to lay a foundation for your building. Regardless of the age of the structure, your new foundation will need to be built to modern codes. It’s crucial that when preparing to relocate your wooden building that you or your contractor finish the prep work before moving begins. This will ensure that you have the finances and time to complete your project.
Ensure that your water and electric are run to the new location and that the ground at your final site is dry enough for the heavy work that will be done in the last phases of the relocation. Take care of all of this beforehand so you don’t have to worry about it on the day of the move.
Get Clearance
When you move your wooden building, you will need to contact the electric company that owns the electric wires in the path of your move. You need to ensure that they will be present to move their wires as your structure passes under them. Every utility company has their own method of pricing for this kind of service, and it is your responsibility, not that of your moving company, to organize this part of your move and secure finances for it.
This is why it’s important to plan your move months in advance: there are a lot of factors that go into moving something as large and heavy as a wooden building. Whichever path you work out with your structural movers, make sure you do everything you need to do on your end to get clearance with all of the right parties: neighbors, police, electric companies, and whoever else you need to inform of a move that will shut down roads.
Contact Your Mortgage Company
If your building is paid in full, that’s great news! If not, and you are still paying on a mortgage, you must notify your mortgage company of your move. Your bank or mortgage company will have to approve everything before you begin the moving process.
If you’ll need to get approval, do this far in advance. That way, if for some reason the bank doesn’t feel comfortable giving you the green light, you have plenty of time to make alternative plans.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is a lot of preparation and planning that goes into moving a wooden building. But hopefully you can also see that it is a very doable undertaking, especially if you know what to expect and how to prepare.
Finding a mover that is willing to listen to your needs and wants—plus one that has experience moving wooden structures—will pay off for your peace of mind and your budget as well. Now that you know what you need to do to prepare for your move, you can get started today.