Modern House & Building Movers Are Here to Help
By Peter Roos
I had no idea when I mentioned Modern Movers LLC in my article “An Elevating Conversation” on page 49 of our December 2024 issue that they would become the cover story of our March 2025 edition. Let’s just say the universe brought us together, with some encouragement from our back cover advertiser, Melinda Pletcher of Smith & Associates.I had heard about a house in the Don Cesar district being elevated, but I had not heard about the beautiful Treasure Island home featured on our cover this month. I imagined elevating a home would be expensive and have a long waiting queue. I was wrong. While the price tag is up there, it is likely the very best investment you’ll make since you bought the house. I learned that Modern Movers is a fourth-generation family business with a proud legacy of safe, quality service. They can elevate 3-4,000 homes annually, and their in-house team comprises architectural and engineering experts as well as sales and operations professionals. They do not work with outside contractors or commissioned salespeople.
Jeremy Patterson, the president of Modern Movers, told me that his grandfather, an Iowa pig farmer, had started moving structures in 1952. They have a display in the entry of each of their offices with one of granddad’s original jacks and awards they’ve been given for their work around the country and the world. They also still have the pig farm in Iowa. “My father raised 500 structures. My mother raised 5,000. We are up over 50,000 since I took over in 1989. On an average week, we jack between 20 and 30 structures. Jeremy’s daughter Ashley Patterson runs the Florida division of the company. She is relocating to a home in Redington Beach and a building they just bought in Central Pinellas.
“It is a family business,” says Jeremy, “our whole family is involved. We have 350 employees around the country, including in-house architects and engineers. They are all our employees, with an amazing safety record, and they are covered by workman’s comp. If you talk to anyone else about this service, ask how long they have been in Florida. Ask if they use subcontractors. Ask about their liability and workman’s comp insurance.
If someone gets hurt on your property and they are not covered, you could be liable. I do not have a 401K. With 42 family members involved, I am confident this 75-year-old company will be here to pay for my retirement, as long as we keep doing every job right. We have 40 million pilings in the ground, and we have never had a call back, because we know how to do this. We also have an aluminum elevator made just for us, that we offer at cost ($40,000) as an add-on for homeowners that prefer the option. We want to do what’s best for your family and ours.
Our website talks about helical pile foundation, but we have been in Florida since 1981 and we learned they do not work here. We drive a deep foundation system that goes five times deeper than anybody else’s, using high-pressure jacks that go 80 to 90 feet deep around here. We use 60-120 jacks per house and we are constantly updating our equipment. We have 18 Unified Jacks, million-dollar machines made by JSJS, and we move the biggest buildings in the world every year. We do not have a big backlog because our crews do so much work.”
A lot of folks seem to want to know what it costs. Elevation Only: This package includes a deep foundation system with pile-supported elevation, footings, columns, and structural steel at $110 / sq ft. Their Turnkey Package is the Most Popular. This includes everything in the elevation-only option, plus under-slab plumbing, electrical, block walls, stucco, concrete landings and stairs, metal rails, a ramped driveway, and complete exterior paint. The cost is $140–180 per square foot. They do not do interior remodels, windows, or garage doors.
Pricing applies to the total square footage of the raised area, with a minimum of 1500 square feet, including attached structures such as garages, lanais, and porches. For example, our home has a 2,000sqft living area with an additional 400sqft attached carport. In our case, they will use the combined 2,400sqft for pricing. They charge only for the ground level, so multi-story homes do not incur extra costs. Modern Movers wants your home to look better when they’re done with it than when they started. Their reputation depends on everything going right. In Florida, projects require a single permit, which must be filed in Modern Movers name if they’re managing the entire project, or in your name otherwise.
Jeremy says “if you are counting on the government’s help, be wary. Programs like the new Elevate Florida program are designed to get flood insurance funding back in government coffers. Elevated structures do not get insurance payments from NFIP, but owners agree to pay flood insurance forever and it goes on the deed. When costs get prohibitive, the structure can become worthless.” If you are concerned about the cost involved, think about the flood insurance savings you’ll experience, the peace of mind and the ultimate payback for your investment.
Realtors have advised that elevated homes have always sold at a substantial premium over those threatened by flooding, and the difference is likely to grow after Helene and Milton. Think of it as the best investment you could make in what is likely your biggest asset. Since it is an investment, you should consider using your investment funds, borrowing from your 401K, a rich relative, or refinancing your home. In case none of these opportunities are practical for you, look at what grants and low interest loans may help.
Jeremy said, “On a typical home, say 2,000 square feet, where the estimate is $350,000 to elevate, we take 10% down. We do the architectural and engineering work and pull the permit. Our next payment is due when the piles are driven,” allowing the owners to get funding off the company’s plans.
Specialized mortgages are offered locally by organizations like Van Dyke Mortgage and Bay First Bank to allow this kind of recovery work. Contact Diana Schwartz at Bay First dianas@bayfirstfinancial.com or Kim Harestad at Van Dyke for details. kharestad@vandykmortgage.com. The Small Business Administration also has low interest loan programs to help with storm mitigation. www.sba.gov/funding-programs/disaster-assistance/physical-damage-loans
If you own a structure, like a home, beach hotel or restaurant that would benefit from being elevated, just imagine it 12 feet up on solid concrete pilings with shaded parking below. If the scope and pricing align with your anticipated budget, please let Modern Movers know so they can arrange a free consultation to discuss your project in further detail. To schedule a free estimate, contact Modern Movers at 239-994-4409 or visit their website at www.modernmovers.com. Be sure to let them know you read about Modern Movers in Paradise News.