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    kathleen_eban's Avatar
    kathleen_eban Posts: 2, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Aug 15, 2010, 12:54 PM
    Cost to move mobile home trailer home in Missouri
    How much does it cost to move a used single or double wide mobile home in Missouri, specifically near St. Louis and Jefferson Counties? We are looking around at used trailers for sale and can't decide if we want to buy one that's a good deal on sale price a little farther away and have it moved here, or to just buy one here that's already set up here for a little more money. What's the cost of doing either one? And which do you think is a better option? And what all do the transporting companies do? Will I have to pay other professionals to get the move done as well?
    twinkiedooter's Avatar
    twinkiedooter Posts: 12,172, Reputation: 1054
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    #2

    Aug 15, 2010, 05:17 PM

    Okay. I used to work for a manufactured home dealer that sold both new homes and used homes.

    The immediate downside of an older or used mobile home is you must first FIND a place to park it whether it be a mobile home park or a private lot or put the home on a lot you own and get the county's approval for the mobile home. Some counties won't allow 2 homes on one well or one septic system for instance.

    It must be professionally moved for starters as the mobile home movers must first pull the proper permits to move the home. They have the equipment necessary to legally pull the home down the road. Sometimes they must provide a car that has a "Wide Load" banner on certain roads. They can also only move the home during daylight hours and not on weekends or holidays.

    If the used home is a double wide they must properly tarp the open side against the elements using very heavy gauge vinyl. This is necessary as the open side is subject to all kinds of elements and it's illegal anyway to move a home that has one open side.

    If the used home is already up on axles and wheels, that's great since you will have to pay an electrician to properly unhook the electric service and a plumber to unhook the water lines and sewer lines if it's not already up on the wheels. You will have to purchase the wheels and axles if the home does not already have them. Most dealers take the axles and wheels back to the factory to be used again so you may not have any with a used home. The moving company can hook you up with folks who do this for a living though.

    Then at the other end you must have the proper cement pads for the home to be placed onto. Some counties will actually come out and inspect the cement pads to be sure they are properly poured, etc. Then the home must be set on the cement pads and professionally leveled using a water leveling system. Sounds easy but if you don't have the home properly leveled and the cement pads properly installed the home will never sit right and possibly sink and become lopsided very easily over time.

    And if you should chose a double wide home that has not been professionally "torn down" in the middle and properly tarped and is just sitting there "married" together you will have to hire a professional crew that does nothing BUT tear down homes that are double wide and get them ready to be moved down the road. This is not as easy as it sounds as the home must be torn down in such a way that it can be put back together properly at the other end. Lots of times an older mobile home (over 10 years in age) don't tear down easily and can't really be put back together at the other end. The used home is NEVER right and the customer that had the older home moved was never happy with what he ended up with.

    If you were to come into where I worked and asked to have a single wide home moved, properly prepared for moving, moved, and the new site properly prepared for the home to be placed, and properly hooked up again (water, sewage and electric) you would be talking at least $5-$8,000. The variables come at the new site where the water and electricity is concerned. That's where a lot of hidden charges can lie in wait for your wallet.

    If the double wide home is what you wanted to have torn down, properly prepared for moving, moved, and then the new site prepped and the utliities hooked up at the other end you would be looking at at least $10-$12,000 or higher.

    I would NOT recommend buying a used home but try to shop around for an existing home already set up. This home would be a much better buy as you don't have to worry about the home being damaged during transit (have seen homes literally blown off the highway and end up a mess at the side of the road totally wrecked) OR having the entire project run way way over budget in a heartbeat.

    And also the time factor is here with the move it possibility. You would be looking at at least one month or more from start to finish where you can legally move in. Do you have that much time to wait?

    You also might want to go shopping at a NEW mobile home dealership to see what kind of deals you can get there. When you buy a new home you get the transportation from the factory and the set up all included in the cost of the new home. Also, dealers like to sell their model homes at cut rate prices. Mobile homes are like cars and have a new year that starts in September. Bet you didn't know that. You would also be getting the transportation and set up thrown in on those deals.

    If you DO buy from a dealer get a contract spelled out in great detail just what and what is not covered in the home.

    The new mobile homes are much better made and made with thicker insulation than say the ones built in the 1990's or even early 2000's. Go to several dealers and shop around. There are deals out there as well.

    Forgot to mention that the home then will have to be inspected to see if the electricity, water and sewer were properly hooked up, the stairs to each door be properly built to county specifications. In Ohio there is an inspector that does this for the State of Ohio but paid for by the customer. I don't know if Missouri has these regulations about used or new homes but Ohio does. If you move even a used home it is still considered in the same class as a new home since it will be placed in a new site and inspected accordingly. If the inspector does not like anything the workers must come back and fix it and have it inspected again (another fee). Then the home gets a final inspection seal and you can move in legally.
    twinkiedooter's Avatar
    twinkiedooter Posts: 12,172, Reputation: 1054
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    #3

    Aug 15, 2010, 05:30 PM
    Any other questions??
    twinkiedooter's Avatar
    twinkiedooter Posts: 12,172, Reputation: 1054
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    #4

    Aug 15, 2010, 05:41 PM
    Oh, if you do buy an already set up used home be sure to have someone go over the home with a fine tooth comb. A home that is less than 10 years old would be a better buy. Have the underside properly inspected, have the floors, walls and roof properly inspected as well. Weak or spongy floors mean water damage and can cost plenty to have properly repaired. Beware of spongy floors underneath windows or doors as they are the first places that get wet. This means that the roof has problems that need to be fixed. The shingle roofed mobile homes are preferable over the metal roofed models as the shingle roofs can be reshingled and made water tight. The metal roofs are from the 1990's by the way.
    aarthur's Avatar
    aarthur Posts: 6, Reputation: 0
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    #5

    Oct 7, 2010, 11:29 PM
    Why don't you Google yourself some moving and packing supplies companies. In this way you can easily figure out the real market.
    twinkiedooter's Avatar
    twinkiedooter Posts: 12,172, Reputation: 1054
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    #6

    Oct 8, 2010, 03:41 PM
    Quote Originally Posted by aarthur View Post
    Why don't you google yourself some moving and packing supplies companies. In this way you can easily figure out the real market.
    That is NOT for mobile homes!! Huge difference. You just can't unhook everything and then just tow it behind your car or pick up truck. I totally disagree with your answer as it makes NO sense at all about mobile homes being moved.
    aarthur's Avatar
    aarthur Posts: 6, Reputation: 0
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    #7

    Oct 15, 2010, 03:03 AM
    ""How much does it cost to move a used single or double wide mobile home in Missouri, specifically near St. Louis and Jefferson Counties? "" may be twinkiedooter you forget that part of question and she asked for the trailers after that and I just gave an idea not the authentic way...
    mommy0811's Avatar
    mommy0811 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #8

    Jan 26, 2012, 09:24 PM
    I am wanting to buy and move a 92 mobile home but the guy who has it bought the trailer from someone else and said the title wasn't ever placed in his name and its been awhile and he can't find the title he was wondering if bill of sale would work and if not what does he need to do to get another title and to sell it to me if his name isn't on it

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