How to Move Your Mobile Home: Preparation for the Move

The transporter will have to make ready the home to be moved.  Assuming the home is already sited somewhere else (of course, if coming out of the factory, no preparation is necessary), the home will have to be separated from its earthly home and made road worthy.  The first step is to remove the “skirting” on the home – the material that hides the underside of the mobile home from view.  The next step is to remove the utility connections to the home – water, sewer, electricity, gas, cable tv, telephone – any and everything.  If the home has decks or carports attached, these will need to be detached as well.  Then the home is cut loose from the “tie-downs” (which we will cover in the installation chapter), and jacked up in the air so that the axles and tires can be installed.  While the axles and tires are being installed, the “tongue” will be attached.  Some tongues are bolted on, and some are welded on.  Normally, they are found already attached in older homes and covered in skirting material, or underneath the home lying on ground, where the last transporter left them. Once the home is in the air, on its own wheels and axles, and with the tongue on, it is ready to be pulled down the road. Note:  If you have a mortgage or loan on the home, you should review that paperwork to ascertain what notices and / or insurance requirements will be required by your lender.  There may be stipulations that the home cannot be moved or that a certain minimum insurance be required by you or the mover. By Frank Rolfe Frank Rolfe is a mobile home park investor and owns over 100 parks with his partner Dave Reynolds. Frank also leads regular Mobile Home Park Investing Bootcamps through the MobileHomeUniversity.com.