How Much Does It Cost to Move a Mobile Home?
Highlights
Moving a mobile home requires skilled movers, permits, inspections, and special materials, justifying hiring professionals.
The average cost to move a single-wide mobile home is $6,500, and a double-wide is $11,500.
Mobile home moving costs are influenced by moving distance, trailer condition, moving materials, and insurance and liability costs.
Moving a mobile home includes services like disconnection, reconnection, setup, permits, and transportation.
Highlights were summarized from this existing cost guide text using automation technology and were thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.
Mobile home movers charge between $5,000 and $8,000 to move and set up a single-wide trailer. To move and set up a double-wide trailer, the cost is typically between $10,000 to $13,000, on average. Long-distance moves can cost from $13,000 to $20,000, depending on the size of your trailer and the total distance of your move. Expect to pay closer to the average moving price of at least $7,000 if you need set-up services.
In addition to set-up costs, other cost factors include:
Trailer size and weight
Trailer condition
Moving distance
Insurance and liability
Moving materials
Permits and inspection
Average Cost to Move a Mobile Home
How much you'll pay to move your mobile home largely depends on its size. Moving a standard single-wide costs an average of $6,500, while moving a double-wide typically costs $11,500. These prices are for full-service moves, which include disconnection, reconnection, setup, and permits. If, however, you don't need these extra services, moving mobile homes of any size under 100 miles costs between $1,000 and $5,000.
| Trailer Size | Price Range | Average Price |
|---|---|---|
| Single-wide | $5,000 – $8,000 | $6,500 |
| Double-wide | $10,000 – $13,000 | $11,500 |
Single-Wide
The price range of a full-service move for a single-wide trailer is $5,000 to $8,000. Shorter moves that require little to no setup could cost as low as $1,000.
Double-Wide
The cost of moving a double-wide trailer ranges from $10,000 to $13,000 on average, including set-up, utility hookup, and getting permits. If you don’t need those additional services, you might only pay between $2,000 and $5,000.
Price to Move a Mobile Home per Mile
Prices to move a mobile home vary from $5 to $15 per mile. Some moving companies might only charge a per-mile fee after a certain distance, such as after 50 or 100 miles, but they’ll still have a flat-rate moving fee.
Mobile Home Moving Cost Factors
When you’re moving a mobile home, you’ll need to hire skilled, experienced movers with the right tools and equipment. It’s wise to get quotes from several mobile home moving companies before choosing who you’ll hire. Consider the following price factors when hiring a moving company to transport your mobile home.
Moving Distance
The cost to move a mobile home less than 100 miles is $7,000 on average. It could cost as low as $700 or as high as $20,000 or more, but costs will increase no matter what if you move more than 50 to 100 miles.
This price may include set-up costs, but some moving companies charge that separately. Check with a moving company near you for price guidance.
The further you move a mobile home, the more you'll pay in total, but, often, the less you'll pay per mile. The average cost to move across the country is significantly more than the cost to move under 100 miles and will likely be billed by the mile. Movers generally charge a flat rate for shorter distances of 50 or 100 miles, but after that limit, they'll then charge you by the mile.
Trailer Condition
The cost of moving your mobile home will likely depend on the age and condition of the trailer. While all trailers need to be safely secured to the moving truck, this can be more difficult with homes in older or poor condition. Older trailers often require more time and effort to secure, so they will likely cost more to move.
Moving Materials
The moving materials your trailer requires will also impact the overall cost of moving your home. Most professional mobile home moving companies will have the necessary tools to get a standard job done, but some homes require additional materials. If your home has special features that require additional breakdown and packing, like a deck or porch, you can expect to pay more for the use of additional moving materials.
Insurance and Liability
The quote you receive from a professional mobile home moving company will likely include costs for insurance and liability. Carrying insurance is a requirement for these companies and will protect you should anything happen to your mobile home while in transit.
Permits and Inspections
The destination of your mobile home will determine how much you’ll pay for permits and inspections. If you cross state or county lines, you’ll need to obtain a permit from each area your mobile home will move through. Depending on your area, your mobile home may also need to pass an inspection to ensure it’s in good enough condition to move safely. The mobile home moving company will likely obtain any necessary inspections and permits for you, but they’ll include those services on your total bill.
Size and Weight
The size and weight are important cost considerations. The larger and heavier the mobile home, the more costly it is to move. That's because heavier loads consume much more fuel, place greater strain and wear on the moving vehicle, and take longer to transport. Heavier loads, particularly when covering long distances, may be charged at a higher rate that includes the cost of new tires and enough budget to account for engine or mechanical breakdown and recovery on route.
Setup Services
A full-service move includes the cost of disconnecting utilities, getting permits, securing appliances, and sometimes even packing your belongings, as well as reconnecting your utilities and setting up your mobile home once it reaches its destination. This type of move costs substantially more than a transport-only move, because there's much more work involved.
Note that these prices are for setup on an established site. Costs for mobile home setup on undeveloped land cost substantially more, often well in excess of $20,000, just for the setup.
| Trailer Size | Transport Only Price Range | Full-Service Price Range |
|---|---|---|
| Single-wide | $1,000 – $3,000 | $5,000 – $8,000 |
| Double-wide | $2,000 – $5,000 | $10,000 – $13,000 |
Move a Mobile Home Yourself vs. Hire Movers
It’s illegal to move a mobile home by yourself. You’ll have to work with a licensed mobile home moving company, acquire a moving permit and check building codes and other laws for where you’re moving.
While you might want to move the rest of your belongings on your own, it’s highly convenient to hire movers for the entire job. The average cost to hire movers is $1,700.
Saving Money When Moving a Mobile Home
One of the easiest ways to save money when moving a mobile home is to pack your own belongings and disconnect and secure any appliances and electronics yourself. Professional packers cost $270 to $2,220, so this alone is a substantial saving.
If you have the know-how, you can also disconnect the trailer from utilities so that you're paying for a transportation-only move, or a partial service move, rather than a full-service one. Remember, though, that if you opt for transport only, you'll be responsible for obtaining the moving permit, as well as disconnection, reconnection, and setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Newer mobile home models weigh between 45 and 50 pounds per square foot. Older trailers are lighter and weigh between 35 and 40 pounds per square foot. The heavier your mobile home, the more materials and equipment the moving company will need. Things that can make your mobile home weigh more include a trailer hitch, appliances, and even carpets.
Setting up a mobile home can cost anywhere from $1,500 to $20,000. It all depends on the location and the tasks involved. If you're moving to a park home community where everything is already in place, then you'll pay $1,500 or less for setup, as aside from positioning the trailer and connecting to the utilities, the bulk of the work is already complete.
However, if you're moving your trailer to undeveloped land, you'll pay considerably more; it requires a lot of work. For example, laying a foundation costs $4,000 to $13,400, including excavation and leveling. You'll also need to pay for installing a septic system, which costs $7,000 and $25,000. You’ll also need to cover:
Water costs
Electricity connection costs
Gas costs
interior and exterior finishing costs
HVAC costs
internet and TV services
Site inspection costs
Laws differ from state to state, but the number one rule is that you cannot move a mobile home on your own. You have to hire a licensed mobile home moving company. While each state is different, you’ll also have to research HUD codes, permits, and other laws specific to the area to ensure your move follows all necessary regulations.
Depending on the size of the portable building or shed, you could pay anywhere from $340 to $600 for a local move. You can expect to pay an additional per-mile fee after the first 50 miles. For other services, such as adding skids or removing concrete blocks, additional charges will likely apply.
You’ll likely still pay at least $700 to $1,000 to move a home 20 miles. Many moving companies have a flat-rate fee for shorter distances. Often, this short-move rate is for 50 miles or less, so whether you move 10 miles or 50, you'll pay the same fee. Some companies charge a flat rate for up to 100 miles, so you may want to shop around to find a better deal on a shorter move.
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