Frequently Asked Questions
What areas do you service?
We are based in Brisbane QLD and buy houses in South East Qld and North Eastern NSW for delivery to locations up to around 750km from Brisbane. Delivery over long distances can be cost prohibitive and impractical.
Why buy one of your houses?
We specialise in finding suitable homes and help facilitate the process from the initial assessment of the home, inspections, purchase agreements and documentation, council approvals etc, right up to the delivery of your home so you don’t have to worry about what happens next. It can appear to be a complicated process so we break it down for you and hold your hand throughout so that you have peace of mind and can enjoy the process too.
We only select and list houses for sale that have been assessed by us as both practical and economical for relocation. Not all houses are suitable and we avoid the ones that will not be worth your time and effort to consider. We price the homes with delivery and re-stumping allowances included (which can vary a lot between houses) so it is easier for you to compare.
You have the choice of a number of contractors, or you can elect to use your own.
Even if you have relocated a house before, you will benefit from our decades of experience and freely available advice. We always recommend first timers get expert help at least the first couple of times to avoid costly mistakes.
Can you help me with a house I find myself?
We only deal in houses that we buy and sell ourselves. If you already have a house that you want to move to another location we can refer you to a relocation contractor. If you decide you would rather sell your house instead we can assess it for purchase, and if deemed suitable then buy it from you and on-sell it.
What’s included in the price?
Supply of the house in as-is condition and allowances for delivery within 100km in Queensland and re-stumping of the house to 900mm above ground assuming a level site and standard soil and access conditions.
Delivery costs may vary from the allowance included due to transport limitations, road and access conditions or restrictions. Re-stumping costs may vary from the allowance included due to slope on site, soil conditions or specific height requirements. Delivery and re-stumping costs are confirmed once plans are completed and delivery route survey has been done.
Any parts the building not included will be nominated on the floor plan. Items below floor bearer level to be demolished to facilitate relocation of the house may be available at additional cost. Concrete or terracotta roof tiles may not be included if the contractor deems them not suitable for transport (they can be fragile and costly to handle)
What does it cost to reconnect services and complete the house?
Once the house has been delivered and installed on new stumps it will be your responsibility to complete reconnection of services including power, water and gas if applicable at your cost. You may also be required by council to upgrade the structure so that it complies with current cyclonic tie down requirements. This typically involves some metal strapping and/or screws installed to provide a continuous engineer specified tie down link from the ground through to the roof sheeting. Energy efficiency measures may be required including installation of insulation and/or ceiling fans etc. The building may require other work depending on its existing condition, level of fit-out or renovation.
It’s not easy to estimate a total cost up front but there is a rule of thumb that can be applied to give you a guide as to what to expect. We recommend adding 50% of the delivered and re-stumped price on top to arrive at a reasonable allowance for completion of a house of average condition and quality. So if your house is priced at $80,000 delivered and re-stumped, add 50% (i.e. $40,000) to arrive at $120,000 as your total estimated cost including the house, delivery and completion ready to move in. If your house requires a fair amount of renovation then you will need to allow more than that.
Can I get finance?
Many buyers obtain finance to buy their removal home however it is not the same as obtaining finance to build a house or to buy an established property.
Banks generally will not include the value of the removal house as collateral for the loan meaning that unless you have property with sufficient equity to borrow against you might have difficulty financing the initial purchase and delivery of the house. Once the house is installed, banks can value the property including the house and refinance at that point to release additional loan monies to complete, renovate, or add additions etc.
Can first home buyers get a removal home?
Existing grants available to first home buyers in QLD require a comprehensive building contract with a licensed builder to carry out and manage the whole job from start to finish. Finance for first home buyers is typically difficult given most buyers will need a reasonable amount of cash, or equity in other property to use as security to fund the house purchase and delivery.
How long will it take to have a home delivered?
Each house has a preallocated delivery date or window which is usually about 6 to 8 months ahead of time. This allows for the required council application and approval process to be completed prior to delivery. Changes to the allocated delivery time may be made providing all parties agree.