Can you move a house?

Absolutely! Some houses are even built in a factory, designed to be almost fully assembled and easy to cart around. These are called mobile homes, manufactured homes or trailers. They can be moved from the factory to the owner's land using a semi-trailer truck.

But even houses meant to be in a permanent location are moved sometimes. It's just a lot harder and slower and much more expensive. This is done for a number of reasons. For example, the original land isn't suitable for a house anymore, or the house is in the way of something, or the house is historic and needs to be preserved.

To move a house is no simple task! A team of special movers separates the house into pieces if it's too big and load it on to a truck. It is then (very slowly and carefully) moved to the new site. Obstacles like streetlights, trees and power lines all have to be moved out of its path and put back in place after the house passes by. Police might have to assist with traffic.

An example in Toronto is the David Duncan House, a designated heritage building. It is one of the last remaining examples of the "gingerbread" style of gothic architecture in Ontario. The farm house was originally built in 1865 on York Mills Road, west of Don Mills Road. In 1986, it was moved several blocks to 125 Moatfield Drive. At the time of this post in June 2025, it still exists as a restaurant!

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