Moving Our House
 The Scenic Ridge House Moves

We undertook an incredible project in November 1998 which many who know us wanted to see,
so enjoy our pictures & store below of our once in a lifetime project.

Page 2 ~ More Pictures

How it Started:  When we had moved back to Pennsylvania to be by our business after finishing our tour with the Navy we weren't quite sure where in the area we wanted to live so we lucked into a house that was for rent.  We figured we would live there until we could figure out where would be a good place to live.  Originally we were told that we could stay for 1 year.  The house along with 5 others were slated to be torn down when the Mon Fayette Expressway was to come through.  We actually ended up renting the house (pictured above) for almost 4 years from the PA Turnpike Commission.  We became very attached to the house and thought what a waste to tear it & the others down.  When we were finally told we had to move out we asked if the house really had to be torn down, could we buy the house from them and just live close to the expressway?  We were told no it was too close but we could buy the house from them for a $1 (yes one dollar) and have it moved.  We had never heard of moving a house but thought if it was economical why not.  So that was the plan and we made arrangements to do just that move the house.  But at the very last minute they decided to not sell us the house and told us that we needed to be moved out in 30 days.  Instead of leaving we decided to fight for the house.  Our family and friends said we would never win because it was a losing battle, but this only made us more determined.  After several long months and contacting a lot of people (Hillary Clinton, Senator Santorium, and lots more) we convinced the Turnpike to sell us our home so we could move it (recycle it).  However the Turnpike required us to buy the house from the demolition company who they hired to tear it down.  We paid $7,000 for the house, bought a 1.5 acre piece of land, hired Schepp's House Movers (great guys!!! ~ Joe & Ed Schepp House Movers, 1367 Brent Rd., Volant, PA 16156 ~ Phone (724) 748- 4815), and moved our house in.

Those of you wondering the cost to actually move our house was $18,500.  The best part of the whole deal we didn't even have to pack and remove our belongings (except items in our basement).  On 11/12/98 the house movers dug all the dirt away from the foundation, removed the foundation walls and added the steel beams.  Then they returned at 9 am. on 11/15/98 and jacked up the house (felt like an earthquake tremor), added the wheels, we got out of the house and they rolled it down to its new location and it was in its new foundation hole by lunch time 12:30pm. The dogs water bowl didn't even spill and the cat slept on the computer chair the whole time.  Believe it or not we only had 2 hair line drywall cracks inside around our bay window. The new foundation was built up to the house & we had utilities restored on 12/18/98 just in time for Christmas.

Still wondering why anyone would want to go through all the hassles involved in moving a house? Some of our reasons are listed below:

We were able to buy and relocate the house for less than a $100,000 and now own a $200,000 home.  Not to mention we loved the home and this would be the only way we would be able to afford this type of home for a long time.  Also by moving our house we recycled 40 ton of building materials in one day. If the house had been torn down all that material would have ended up at a landfill and at the tax payers expense. The average landfill fee to dispose of a torn down house is about $1,500 - $2,000.  With our house relocated it was beneficial to the community keeping our house on the property tax rolls, which it increased in assessment value. We are very thankful to the PA Turnpike Commission in letting us buy and save our home!!!

What an Experience this was!!!  Posting our house move story on the internet has landed a story about us in the New York Times, local and other newspapers, & on the Japanese TV show called "DaVinci No Yogen" a weekly documentary style science show which airs exclusively on TV Asahi on Saturdays in Japan.  This was definitely the ultimate challenge for us ~ to get the Turnpike to sell us the house instead of demolishing it, successfully move the house and have everything back together and functioning in 4 weeks.  This will be talked about in by our family & friends for years & years to come.  This was truly one of our biggest accomplishments!  Proving if you want something bad enough, go after it and you will succeed!!!  As of 6/1/01 the last two houses moved in May of 2000 are still not completely functional yet.  They are still working on them.

Click Here to see other House Moves (one disaster move) - One of the houses from our neighborhood fell while being moved killing one worker.   Also pictures of the other houses in our neighborhood that were moved.

Page 2 - Other House Moves