If you have any questions that have not been answered here, contact us. You can also fill in an online interested buyer form.

FAQs Main Raise FAQs Move FAQs Lot Move FAQs Frequently Asked Questions When Buying a Recycled Home Can you only move a certain type of house? Any house can be moved, but not all houses are feasible to move. The height of the building is also an issue, the higher the building the greater the potential for wire expense. What kind of problems can arise when moving a house? The problem areas when moving a house is width (road) and height (utility wires). We have the most advanced structural moving equipment to minimize these problematic areas to keep customer costs down and our experience enables us to determine in advance whether there will be any issues and how to overcome them. This information will be passed on to the customer long beforehand. Why do the fireplaces/chimneys have to come down? Building codes no longer allow masonry fireplaces/chimneys to be moved with buildings. Is there a maximum distance you can move to? It's not so much the distance as it is the time constraints. By law we are only allowed to move on the roadways between the hours of 2 am – 5 am (12am on the island). At that time we have to be off the road. Sometimes we can travel great distances while other times maneuvering around things takes time and cuts down the overall distance you can move that night. Nickel Bros. does not deliver buildings to the BC Interior. A house can be delivered by barge a longer distance. But the costs can sometimes outweigh the value of the building being delivered. What other costs are involved when moving a house? Wire fees would be the most common of additional costs. Those are costs from Hydro and Tel for preliminary work done prior to the move, or work done during the physical move itself. Sometimes permissions may have to be obtained when crossing a park, loading or unloading a barge, traversing across a neighbor’s property. These are all areas that could carry an expense incurred by the house mover. And you know, if the house mover incurs an expense, it will be passed on to you, the client. Who is responsible for getting the permits? Well let’s define permits. Moving permits are the responsibility of the mover. Building permits are the responsibility of the homeowner. We can help you in that process by providing you with as much detailed information as possible about the house we have sold you, and even supply you with an engineer’s report and floor plan of same, but you will still have to do a foundation sketch, elevation plan and site plan to satisfy your building inspector. Can you move a house anywhere? Not necessarily That is why it is prudent to have a representative of the moving company inspect your property very early on in this process so not to waste everyone’s time later. That first inspection is critical in determining whether the move can even happen. How do I have someone inspect my property to see if it is possible to move a house to? Simple, pick up the phone and call. One of our sales reps would be happy to visit your lot to discuss this with you. And here’s the really good news – its free, no obligation. Generally, it is better to find the house first. One house may be able to be delivered to your site, when another one won't. It's better if we can match the house to the property. Do all municipalities allow recycled homes? NO. Some municipalities have strange laws that do not allow the moving in of recycled houses. However, laws can be changed. If you are concerned, simply call up you local building dept. and ask. You might find it is allowed, but only under certain circumstances. How much does a foundation cost? The foundation costs will vary by contractor per square foot depending on whether it is a crawl space or basement. Please call the office nearest you for a current market estimate Does the foundation need to be built prior to the house being delivered? In 90% of the cases the answer would be no. It is easier to simply move the house into the spot you want it to sit, raise it up and build the foundation with the house above you. However, in situations where access to the site is hampered by distance, too many ferries, expense, we will have the owner build the foundation in advance, and then spend one very long day moving the house onto the new construction. This eliminates a second trip 30 days later to lower the building as is the case with most of our clients. What kind of preparation is involved to be ready for the house? Do we need to hire a contractor for this? A contractor is a good idea, or at least someone to oversee the entire operation. We have lists of client referrals in our offices and would gladly pass on names, which were passed on to us by satisfied clients. For the most part, the initial excavation is important as the building needs to be moved into this hole and then raised. In doing so a gradual roadway needs to be graded into the maximum depth of the hole. This is one of the key steps and should be discussed with the house mover very early on so everyone knows what’s happening. Who reconnects the services? A qualified person. You have hired qualified people to move your house, do the same when connecting your services. Our client referral list would possibly have someone in your area. Do the banks finance this kind of project? Some do, some don’t. There is not much difference between this and a conventional builders mortgage. You just start at different points. By recycling a house, your costs are less, but you have more to show for it sooner. Ahhh, a banker’s delight. Can utility lines be taken down in order to move a house? How much does this cost? Yes but costs can add up quickly. If you are going for a two level house, then you have to be prepared for a wire fee expense. Again that initial site inspection by our rep can answer a lot of questions. Do the houses ever get damaged when moved? If so who is responsible? Sometimes cracking will occur in plaster/drywall. Nickel Bros. will not be held responsible for simple cracking. However, excessive cracking, chunks of wall or plaster on the floor, really should not be there. If you feel that the cracking is excessive, talk to us. We are not here for the short haul. We have been in business since 1956. Mishaps occur sometimes, through no fault of anyone. But should something happen during the physical moving of your structure, either by land or sea, it is OUR responsibility and our insurance will cover it. Do the appliances come with the houses? Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. This will be written in to the Offer to Purchase Contract What does the price of the house include? Our listed prices includes the purchase of the house, the moving of it, the sales fee and the lowering of the house. There can be extra charges for delivery based on the location. Most houses are priced for a local delivery. Barging fees, wire fees, tree removal can be extra. These extra costs (if applicable) are listed in the Offer to Purchase Contract prior to signing any final contracts. Taxes are extra How do you move a house over water? Does this cost extra? Houses moved over water are transported by barge. Barging costs are extra and vary depending on scheduling and distance. Nickel Bros. tries to keep the costs low by arranging 2-3 houses on the same barge. Any extra costs associated with barging will be estimated prior to signing contracts. How do you load a house onto a barge. Nickel Bros. typically uses 40 foot ramps which are lifted into place and span from the barge deck to the ground about 15 to 20 feet inland. The barge does not "ground" or bump the shore, and the ramps can span the shoreline and rest on a variety of surfaces, including grass lawns as pictured here. When the ground is soft, we are able to use one inch thick plywood "matting" and our blocks to protect the ground surface. Can we request a specific type of house and have Nickel Bros. contact us when one becomes available? It is best for you to contact us when you see a house you like on the website. As soon as a house is available it is added to the website. Speaking with a Nickel Bros. Sales Associate in your area to let them know what you are looking for can help as well, especially if you have a property site ready to go. Do we need special insurance? Nickel Bros. carries the most comprehensive insurance package in the industry. Once a contract is signed with us, our insurance is placed on the building, fully covering the value of the building if any mishap should occur. Our Insurer also offers additional specialized insurance for our clients only. One of our sales agents would happy to further discuss our insurance coverage with you. How do you make an offer on a house? Your first step would be to contact the office closest to your location. From there, it is recommended you fill out an Offer to Purchase Contract. This can be downloaded from the website on the contracts page. Can you purchase a house in Canada and move it to the US? Yes. Can you purchase a house in the US and bring it to Canada? We have experienced some conflict with the electrical not being CSA approved. In areas where such services are not available, relocating a US house is more feasible. Nickel Bros. House Moving Ltd.