Residential structure moving calls for precision, proven equipment, and a sequence that protects both the building and the project timeline. Here’s how seasoned contractors handle the process—step by step.
Step 1: Initial Survey and Permitting
The process begins with a thorough site evaluation and detailed planning. The team charts foundation history, structural layout, utility shutoffs, and access for beams and heavy equipment. Necessary permits and inspections are secured to keep everything on track.
Step 2: Utility Disconnections and Site Preparation
Experienced crews disconnect water, power, gas, and sewer lines. They remove or brace anything that won’t move—like side porches or steps. The workspace is cleared for precise staging of both lifting and moving gear.
Step 3: Beam Installation and Hydraulic Lifting
Steel beams are inserted beneath the structure along calculated load paths. With the beams in place, a unified hydraulic jacking system lifts the house evenly—a method that prevents twisting or structural damage. The lift places the building safely atop the travel beams, completely isolated and ready for relocation.
Step 4: Temporary Support for Safety
While the house is elevated, temporary crib stacks or engineered shoring posts secure isolated sections, such as overhangs or porches. These supports do not bear the full weight of the building and are never used for lifting or continuous support during moves; their role is to brace specific points during repairs or modifications, not full-structure moving.
Step 5: Moving Across Site Using Dollies
Once stabilized and prepared for transit, steerable dollies are rolled underneath the travel beams. The dollies carry the building as it’s moved across the lot or along a prepared path. For short, tight moves, push-ram systems combined with heavy-duty skates may be used, but these are the exception, not the norm.
Step 6: Removing Dollies and Final Set‑Down
At the new location or foundation, the process reverses. Once the structure is positioned, the dollies are removed. The building is then gradually and precisely lowered onto its permanent foundation using unified hydraulic jacks. During final placement, the house is supported by crib stacks and carefully monitored for alignment—no dollies remain under the house during set‑down or leveling.
Step 7: Finish and Reconnect
With the building settled in place, utility connections are restored, temporary supports for overhangs and porches (if needed) are removed, and the finishing touches completed. The home is ready for its next phase of use without any sign of the heavy lifting behind the scenes.
Expert structural movers know every tool’s role—and when to transition from moving to set‑down safely. Unified jacks handle the lifting, dollies handle the transit, and cribbing ensures a secure, level final placement. That attention to sequencing and equipment details delivers the kind of job that holds up for decades.
