Transporting a Mobile Home: What You Need to Know

Transporting a mobile home is no easy feat. If you think you can simply hitch up your home to a pickup and hit the road, you’re in the wrong. From pulling the right permits to planning the route, there’s a lot to consider when moving a home. It takes a lot of heavy lifting to coordinate manufactured home transportation.

There are a few considerations to keep in mind when transporting a mobile home. Before you arrange transport, some of the information you’ll need to know:

• The type of mobile home you’re moving
• If it’s a single-wide or double-wide home
• Pickup and delivery locations
• Dimensions and weight of the home

Providing your mobile home transportation company with the information above will help make for an easy move.

Leave the heavy lifting to us when you need help transporting a mobile home. As an experienced mobile home mover, you’ll find we have the expertise, experience and services required to meet you heavy haul needs. 

What is a Mobile Home?

A mobile home is a housing structure built in a factory. Interest in mobile homes is on the rise thanks to their safety and affordability. In fact, reports indicate that new manufactured homes shipped increased by 15% from 2015 to 2016. 

Manufactured homes are safe thanks to HUD codes. Fires in manufactured homes have decreased by ⅔ since 1980 thanks to these regulations.

The states with the most new manufactured and mobile homes are Texas, Florida, Michigan, Alabama and Louisiana.

There are three common mobile home configurations:

1. Single wide
2. Double wide
3. Triple wide

Even with the common configurations, sizes can vary. The width of your mobile home might need to meet regulations set by your state’s department of transportation.

New single wide mobile homes might be 12-18 feet wide. Older mobile homes are usually between 8-12 feet. Both new and old single wide mobile homes might be 66 to 80 feet long. This means single wide mobile homes can vary from about 750 to 1,050 square feet in total size.

Double wide mobile homes are bigger. They might be between 20-35 feet wide and 66-80 feet long. It is important to know that double wide mobile homes are transported in two halves. They usually travel on their own wheels and chassis. 

Triple wide mobile homes consist of 3 separate units that travel to the homesite on their own chassis and wheels. Each unit or piece of the home is about the size of a single wide home. The pieces are then joined together at the homesite. Triple wide mobile homes often look like site built homes.

Is It Hard to Move a Mobile Home?

Moving a mobile home doesn’t come without challenges. Things that can make moving a mobile home hard include:

• Finding the manufactured home moving company
• Determining the cost to move a mobile home
• Getting the right permits for transporting a mobile home
• Planning a heavy haul route

Remember, a single wide mobile home can be moved in 1 shipment. A double wide mobile home requires 2 shipments. A triple wide or multi wide mobile home might require 3 or more shipments.

The right transportation partner can help you find solutions to all of the challenges associated with moving a mobile home. From getting a mobile home shipping quote to pulling the right permits to planning the route, we’re ready to be your ally. We know the manufactured housing industry and can tailor a solution for you. No matter whether you’re moving a mobile office to a construction job site or delivering homes from manufacturer to a mobile home park, we have the services you need. 

How Much Does it Cost to Transport A Mobile Home?

The cost of moving a mobile home depends on many factors. Size, dimensions, weight and distance are major considerations when thinking about the cost when transporting a mobile home. 

Mobile home moving costs can vary by carrier, but you might estimate paying between $2,000 and $5,000 for a short-distance move of less than 100 miles. Costs might break down to $5 to $15 per mile.  If you’re going farther, the price per mile might go down, but the ultimate price will go up.

It’s also important to keep a few other costs in mind when thinking about when considering the cost of transporting a mobile home:

• How long has your home been in place? If your home has been in the same place for a long time, you might need to make repairs to the chassis and wheels before it’s safe to go on the road.
• Will you need set up services? Many heavy haul transporters do not offer these services, so this will be an additional cost.
• Are you responsible for moving skirting, decking and landscaping? These costs might add up, too.

The best way to determine the cost of transporting a mobile home is to get a free, easy heavy haul rate quote. Heavy Haul and Oversized has removed the hassle from the quoting process and can give you a transparent price for moving your mobile home. 

Read our article to learn how to transport a modular building.

How to Transport a Mobile Home

Transporting a mobile home takes some heavy lifting. It definitely isn’t a DIY job and it should be left to the professionals. Moving a mobile home takes careful planning and preparation.

There are two options for transporting mobile homes: towing and trailering. 

When you hire a heavy haul transportation partner to tow a mobile home, the ground attachments are removed. Axles with wheels are installed. A powerful truck and experienced driver move your mobile home to the delivery location. Towing is best for short-distance moves.

Trailering a mobile home is almost as simple and is best reserved for long distance moves. Your mobile home will still have wheels and axles installed, but it will then be lifted onto a trailer designed to carry this kind of load. 

Heavy Haul and Oversized can help get your home one the road regardless of whether you need towing or trailering. We work with the best carriers in the business, which means you can count on us to ensure your valuable mobile home is treated with care from pickup to final delivery. 

You’ll need to provide your mobile home transporter with some specific information before you can get on the road. This include:

• Type of mobile home: Are you moving a manufactured house, park model home, tiny house or mobile office? 
• Mobile home configurations: Are you moving a single wide, double wide or triple wide?
• Pickup and delivery locations: Where is the mobile home going? Is it leaving a dealer, distributor or manufacturer? Is it going to a mobile home park, a piece of rural property or a job site? 
• Route planning: Heavy haul items can’t always take a direct route. Route planning is essential to protect infrastructure. 
• Can the home be towed or does it need to be trailered: Is your home oversize or legal? Are the wheels and chassis road-ready?
• Necessary permits: If your mobile home is an oversize load, your transport partner will need the right permits. Is it an in-town move? Local permits might be needed. Crossing state lines? You might need permits in the states you’ll be passing through.
• Set-up services: If you’re working with a heavy haul trucking company to move your mobile home, you’ll likely need another party to set up your new digs. A licensed electrician might be needed. You might need a plumber. You also might need someone to attach wheels.

Read our article to learn how to transport a fiberglass pool.

How to Transport a Double Wide Mobile Home

A double wide mobile home is moved in two shipments. This means you’ll either need 2 trucks or to make 2 trips. 

Just like with a single wide mobile home, double wides can be towed or trailered. The method of moving you use depends on the distance you are transporting the home. Towing might work if the move is less than 100 miles; trailering is recommended for longer hauls. 

A triple wide mobile home will require 3 trucks or 3 trips to move. Just like with other mobile home sizes, towing each piece might work for a short move. Trailering each piece is recommended for a long move.

Heavy Haul and Oversized is prepared to handle the legwork when you’re shipping a mobile home. Regardless of whether you’re moving a single wide in one trip or a mult-wide in several trips, we’re ready to be your strategic partner. Let us handle the heavy lifting and logistics like:

• Determining load and lane widths
• Arranging overpass clearance
• Avoiding road construction
• Dodging heavy traffic
• Following state and local rules, like day-of-the-week and time restrictions

Leave the footwork to the experts and rest assured your home will arrive on time and in great shape.

Can You Transport a Mobile Home to Another State?

Mobile homes can be transported from state to state. In fact, Heavy Haul and Oversized frequently moves mobile homes, mobile offices and even tiny houses across state lines. 

You’ll need to keep a few things in mind when you transport a mobile home to another state. For example, you’ll need to do your homework when it comes to permits and inspections. You’ll likely need to get a permit for each county or state the home travels through. Thankfully, we can take care of this for you when you are transporting a mobile home. Making sure your heavy load has the right permits and travels the right route is part of our outstanding service. 

Additionally, you might be required to get a set-up permit to place your mobile home in a new county or city. You might even need to have your home inspected before you can set up in in a new state. Florida, for example, calls for all older mobile homes to undergo thorough inspection before they are moved into the state. This makes sure that the manufactured home is up-to-code and safe before it enters the state.

What Is Needed to Move a Mobile Home?

It takes special equipment to transport a mobile home. Heavy loads like construction equipment, agricultural machinery and even mobile homes requires use of the right rig.

When you are trailering a mobile home, you’ll need a trailer that is designed to withstand the pressure of a heavy, oversize load. This means you’ll likely use a lowboy truck and trailer.

Specific trailer choices might include:

• Step deck trailer
• Double drop deck trailer
• Removable gooseneck trailer (RGN)
• Flatbed trailer

The right equipment and the right carrier can make transporting a mobile home an easy job. Why don’t you leave your next mobile home move to the experts at R+L Logistics? From cabs and trucks to support equipment, we’re here to help every mile of the journey. Count on us to secure the right documents and permits, find the right equipment and operator in our vast network or arrears, make sense of applicable fees and more.

Does a Mobile Home Have to Be Empty to Move?

Most mobile home movers and logistics partners won’t transport your home or mobile office unless it is completely empty. This means all furniture, appliances and fixtures will have to go before transport.

You’ll also have to clear the exterior of the home. Exterior attachments like flower boxes, awnings, decks, porches and other accessories will have to go before transport, too.

While you’re at it, go ahead and make sure all utilities are disconnected prior to the move, too. This means water, electricity, cable, phone lines and satellite dishes must be removed and totally disconnected. 

Emptying your mobile home goes hand-in-hand with essential tear down procedures. Before you move your mobile home, you’ll want to ensure that it is empty. You’ll likely need to raise and lower the home, doors and windows must be secured or removed before transport and tongue and axles must be installed.

Benefits of Working with a Professional Heavy Hauler

Transporting a mobile home isn’t a DIY job. It takes careful planning, inspection, permits, route analysis and more. You need a strong professional heavy hauler who is ready to go the extra mile and make sure everything is taken care of and correct. This adds up to a hassle-free experience for you.

We're is ready to be your heavy haul partner. We have the services, expertise and experience you need when transporting a mobile home. 

Benefits of relying on Heavy Haul and Oversized for your professional heavy haul needs include:

• No job too large or too small for our network of carriers
• Family-owned company
• Backed by financial strength
• Years of experience in the heavy haul industry
• Real-time freight visibility and tracking
• 99.5% on-time delivery

There are many benefits to partnering with us. See how we’re ready to be your professional heavy haul trucking company. 

Transporting a Mobile Home with Heavy Haul and Oversized

More than a heavy hauler, Heavy Haul and Oversized is a full-service 3PL. This means we’re here for you when you need help transporting mobile home and beyond. We can assist with every link in your supply chain. Full truckload, LTL, expedited and even refrigerated freight services can be arranged. We also offers warehousing, distribution and fulfillment services. 

With so many service offerings, it’s easy to see why partnering with us is smart for your business. No matter whether you’re transporting 1 mobile home or an entire park, we’re ready to be your heavy haul ally.

What sets us apart from the competition is our distinctive customer service. Our friendly freight agents understand you’re more than a number, and will go out of their way to suit your needs when you reach out for a quote. 

Let us show you how Heavy Haul and Oversized is different. Come to us when you need help transporting a mobile home. Reach out online or give us a call at (855) 490-2433 today.