Joel Libava
We always wanted to move to North Carolina. But there was a problem.
We couldn’t find a beach house we liked. None of the homes our Realtor showed us felt like home. Not one. So we came up with this crazy idea.
What if we moved our house?
So we called Your House Movers, a moving franchise company to learn more about the process, and if it could even be done.
Meet Your House Movers Franchisees, Norm And Diane Snell
Since there weren’t any franchisees in our area, we reached out to Your House Movers franchise headquarters. They told us that the closest franchisees were located in Dayton, Ohio. We called them. They seemed nice, and they told us about the process of moving an entire home. Then they sent us this video.
After watching that video on moving a house, my wife and I looked at each other for a moment, and then (at the same time) said the following:
“Are we nuts?”
Diane told us we weren’t. Not that we breathed a sigh of relief after she told us that…
Then she gave us an estimate on the cost of our little project.
But before I share how much it will be to move my Castle down to the gorgeous beaches of North Carolina, here’s some information on the Your House Movers franchise opportunity.
Learn More About This Moving Franchise
Your House Movers started franchising in 2019.
Founded by Nashville, Tennessee native, Chuck Ellison, the company has grown to 15 franchises and has 5 more getting ready to open this year.
“We wanted to add something different to the moving franchise segment of franchising”, Chuck told me. “We figured that there was more than a handful of people who loved their homes so much they would want to move them to their favorite places. We were right!”
So how many moves have they made?
“Our franchisees have moved 55 houses in total, with about a dozen more in the works.
That’s impressive. I think. It’s not like I have anything to compare those figures to.
Finally, I asked Chuck if he had ideas for add-on services his franchisees could capitalize on.
“Actually Joel, we will soon be adding ship ahead packing services. We’ll help homeowners pack their belongings and ship them to their new addresses ahead of time. That way everything they need will be ready to go when their house gets to their new location.”
Sounds good.
How Much Is This House Moving Franchise?
Your total initial investment for a Your House Movers franchise business ranges from $850,000-$975,000.
It includes one highly specialized house moving vehicle, hydraulic equipment, containers, liability insurance, startup marketing/promotion costs, a computer system, measuring tools, $25,000 of working capital, and the $40,000 initialfranchise fee.
In addition, you’ll need to have a net worth of $1.5 million, including $200,000 liquid cash, and the ability to setup a $100,000 credit line. You’ll need that for any miscellaneous expenses that occur during a house moving job.
To summarize, the cost of a Your House Movers franchise isn’t cheap, but the margins are probably* pretty darn good.
*You need to talk to existing Your House Movers franchisees to find out about margins, profitability, expenses, market need and the like.
How Much Will It Cost To Move Our House?
We were sitting in our Ohio backyard when the phone rang. It was Diane Snell.
“Hi Joel. Norm and I came up with a price for you.”
Me: “Great. What’s the damage?”
“Well, to move your house, including 2-3 days to remove it from your foundation, 5-6 days to transport it to Caswell Beach, North Carolina, insurance, fuel and lodging for the transport team, your total cost* will be $_ _ _, _ _ _ .
*Warning: graphic language coming.
Me: “What? No offense, but are you guys f#cking crazy?”
“That’s what is costs, Joel. I know it’s a lot. I mean you’re welcome to call around if you want. But our price lines up with anyone else’s price in the industry.“
Me: “I’m sure you understand that we’re going to need to think about this.”
“Of course, Joel. I know it’s a bit of a shock.”
Me: “It sure is. We’ll let you know what our decision is in a few days. Thanks.”
“Sure. Let us know. We’d love to help you with your dream of beachfront living.”
Are We Moving Our House?
After careful consideration, we decided to use Your House Movers* to move our house to North Carolina. But the cost to do it is none of your business (per my wife).
Then I woke up from one of the most vivid dreams I’ve ever had.
Nonetheless, we’d love to live near the ocean someday. It’s a dream of ours. We shall see. But we’d never even consider moving our Ohio home. And I have no idea how that expensive idea appeared in my dream.
*Your House Movers is not a real business.
Caswell Beach image courtesy of Gerry Dincher on Flickr and Wikimedia
https://www.flickr.com/people/11629603@N04
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