52 | Rapid growth from Auckland outward Sue Russell With two crews the company has grown in scale to be able to handle more moves. TRANSPORT EasyMoves “Moving larger old homes can involve a lot of road management activity, to ensure that the building is not damaged.” to page 54 EasyMoves house transporting and sales company is a real family affair, established back in 2003 by Troy and Vanessa Etting. Today, son Connor takes care of the overall operation of the day to day transport of all manner of houses and sundry buildings, from the company’s yard in Glen Eden, West Auckland. When the company started, the bulk of it’s work was in the Greater Auckland region, however Connor says these past five years can see the trucks hauling homes of all shapes and sizes throughout the North Island. Along with shifting, selling and relocating homes EasyMoves has been involved in the transporting of prebuilt homes. In and around Auckland itself, with all the new housing developments happening, a substantial number of older homes, often sought by those relocating into provincial or rural areas, are transported. With two crews the company has grown in scale to be able to handle more moves. Each one, Connor says, usually involves two to three days of work. “With the older homes you have to take it day by day because of the age of the structures. “Moving larger old homes can involve a lot of road management activity, to ensure that the building is not damaged,” Connor says. Asked how easy it is to learn the skills needed to be part of a crew Connor explains that if someone presents with the right attitude and, especially, has a drivers licence, then they can be trained up by the crew. “It’s not all building work. A lot of it is labouring but it’s a real problem with how few young people present with a full drivers licence these days. They get stuck on the restricted licence and don’t go on from there.” When Business North spoke with Connor the business was just about to acquire a brand new 685hp Mack Superliner, 120 tonne rated including truck, trailer and load. EasyMoves also has a 2016 ex Linehaul Mack. Connor says the trucks perform very well. “They are a big investment. Most of our loads are lighter than this rating but we need it for the once in awhile job.” At any one time, the company will have between 5 – 25 homes for sale from its Lot in Glen Eden. Stock moves steadily through, with some houses and buildings, depending on their age and nature, taking longer to sell. Buying and relocating a second-hand home is a really good option Connor says, especially for those after a genuine character home who have bought a plot of land away from the city at a much more affordable price. Connor says there’s an environmental element to the industry often overlooked.
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