Insider Info

Would you like to spend the day moving a 90-ton submarine that once belonged to Jacques Cousteau? Or how about moving a castle complete with drawbridge, windmills and other unusual items?

These are just some of the challenges that house and structural movers are likely to encounter.

Murray Nickel owns a house moving company. He learned the moving trade from his father and from other movers.

"I'm second generation," he says. "My father and uncle started the company. There are no courses to take. You learn on the job."

Nickel has seen it all. He finds that no two days are alike. "This morning, one crew started at 4 a.m. They traveled to Vancouver to move a submarine that had formerly belonged to Jacques Cousteau. The sub has been stored here for a number of years, and now it is being set up for display at the marine museum," explains Nickel.

"First, the workers had to jack the submarine up six feet so they could put dollies, or wheels, under the framework. Then it was transported to the barge by truck. Next, the crew moved the vessel a kilometer [0.6 miles] to the maritime museum and the rest of the day will be spent moving the vessel over a concrete foundation."

Nickel's company has done many different types of moves. "We moved Trader Vic's restaurant this summer. A few years ago, we relocated a European-style castle. Within the next few months, we will be moving bridge panels for the Lion's Gate Bridge, and we will be moving modules for the catamaran ferries," he says.

"We also move houses. Sometimes developers come into an area and buy up property. Then they re-zone the area for new homes. The existing homes are advertised for sale, but the buyers must move them to a different location.

"Or in other cases, if a developer is putting in a highway or a shopping mall, they are required by law to maintain the heritage homes in the area. So they often have us pick up those homes and relocate them to other spots."

Many buildings require anywhere from three days to several weeks to prepare, move and relocate. "There are always new challenges, and I like that," says Nickel.

"But it can be stressful because we have to coordinate the move with many different authorities -- such as the hydro company, the telephone company, environmentalists, engineers. It can be stressful trying to satisfy all the requirements."

John Sweetnam first became interested in the moving business as a young boy when he watched the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. His family was involved with pre-engineered housing and repairing engineered homes, so Sweetnam joined his family business when he finished school.

In 1986, the family bought out another family-owned business that was becoming active in moving buildings and structures.

"I had never moved anything before, but I understood the technology and I had a broad base of experience. One of the previous owners stayed in a mentoring or advisory capacity for 10 years," Sweetnam says.

Sweetnam's moving company has worked on a half-dozen major projects. "We move about 34 houses or cottages a year. Once in a while, we get a particularly interesting project. In 1991, we moved seven homes a short distance to free up space for a new library at Queen's University. The choker was the time factor -- we had to complete the project in 67 days," he says.

"What's more, some of the buildings were fragile, and at that time, no one else had moved that many buildings that quickly, so there was no example to study."

Sweetnam believes his company was awarded this and several other major projects based on their reputation for doing things on time and keeping to budget.

One of the challenges Sweetnam faces is arranging moves in locations as far as 500 miles from home.

"Nowadays, in addition to the move, we are often asked to do excavation, lay the cement work and arrange for the permits. When you are away, you don't have every tool. You don't have contacts in place. We have built a relationship with family-owned businesses in other communities, and we cooperate with one another."

Since winters are often severe in Sweetnam's location, there is a seasonal nature to the work. "We try to keep our workers on for most of the winter. It is too difficult to find qualified workers, so you do what you can to keep the ones you have."

Sweetnam's employees often work long days that may start as early at 4 a.m. and continue until 10 p.m. at night, including driving time to and back from job sites. "I try to arrange for them to have weekends off so they can spend family time," says Sweetnam.

When Sweetnam hires workers, he looks for people with a good attitude. "You can train skills, but you can't train attitude. I look for people who have a natural aptitude for equipment. They may not have the class A driver's license they need, but they are so trainable that it is second nature," he explains.

"You need a good head on your shoulders to use hydraulic equipment. Because of government regulations, we want Grade 12 graduates so we can be sure that they can read the safety manuals."

Sweetnam believes it takes three to six years of experience before a worker becomes good. "I am looking for innovative people. They have to have the flexibility, the creativity to find solutions to moving challenges that are different for every project."

It's also important, in Sweetnam's opinion, that a mover love the outdoors, motors and working with structures.

In Fort Worth, Texas, Donna Landers refers to herself as a third-generation house mover. "My grandfather was a mover, my father was a mover, and now my brother, sister and I are involved in the business, " she says. "It is all I ever wanted to do. I never considered pursuing any other career."

While Landers was in high school, she loved spending her weekends working on the crews with her dad. After completing high school in 1973, Landers began working full time for the family business.

"I graduated with high business honors, but that type of work did not interest me. I looked around for a college course where I could study moving, but I found the local college was contacting my dad to give lectures on structural moving to engineering students. So I decided that I could learn what I needed to know from him."

For the first two years, Landers worked with the moving crew. "Since I grew up in the business, I already had some knowledge, so this gave me some hands-on experience. The work is physically demanding, but I knew my limitations.

"You learn to devise methods so you don't always have to ask others for help. I could drive trucks at a very early age, so I could drive if I wasn't always able to move the heavy blocks like the men did."

Now Landers works in the office full time, although she sometimes still works with the crews when the need arises. On a typical day, Landers meets her dad and her brother at 7 a.m. to discuss the day's work. "Maybe a storm came through, maybe we have to regroup or move from one job site to another," she says.

Around 8 a.m., Landers arrives at the office where she spends her time working on the huge amount of paperwork that must be done to comply with state and local regulations.

"It takes longer now to get the paperwork in order than it takes to do the actual move," she says. "There are contracts, permits, doing payroll, answering the telephone or tracking down information."

Landers loves her occupation, which she describes as the world's largest recycling industry.

"When you move a house, you save a tree. You save the landfills. You might end up with a house that is built with lumber that can't be bought anymore and you are creating instant equity in a home. And another thing, if a reputable mover moves your home, you end up with a house that can be paid off in a reasonable amount of time."

Lander's enthusiasm for the occupation has attracted recognition from her peers. In 1999, the Texas Association of Structural Movers presented her with its highest honor -- the Casey Jones Award. The award is reserved for someone who has gone above and beyond the call of duty in contributing to the moving industry.

If you are considering a career as a mover, Landers suggests you be sure to get your high school education and to pay attention to office management courses. Then, try to arrange some work experience through a work program or a summer program with a reputable mover.

"Learn all you can. The biggest part is common sense and a willingness to work. It's also very important that you observe safety practices and that you are able to fit in with a crew. With a well-oiled crew, there is nothing you can't do. As big as you can dream, you can do it!"

Landers has one last piece of advice. "One thing I have learned is that you only fail when you quit trying. If it's your dream, don't let anybody steal it from you."