Home types and construction methods
RTM homes: what a ready-to-move home costs and how it gets to your lot
By Jonathan Kennedy, cabin owner and tiny home rental owner · Last reviewed October 29, 2026
An RTM (ready-to-move) home is a full-size house built in a builder's yard or plant, then trucked in one piece to your lot and set on a basement, crawlspace or piles. Prairie builders listed most RTM plans at about $135 to $300 per square foot in October 2026, for the house alone. Moving, the foundation, utilities and permits are extra.
You've got land on the Prairies and a ready-to-move home looks like the fast way to get a house on it. The listed price is often a third less than you'd expect for a new house, and it is real. It just covers less than you'd think.
What is an RTM home?
RTM stands for "ready to move". The house is built off its final site, usually in the builder's yard, then moved whole onto a permanent foundation. Manitoba's building code office groups RTMs with modular homes as buildings that must meet the Manitoba Building Code, whether they're built on site or in a factory (Manitoba ITS 25-007).
How it differs from the other off-site options:
| Type | Where it's built | How it arrives | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTM | Builder's yard or plant | One piece, usually 18 ft wide or less | Provincial building code |
| Modular | Factory | Two or more boxes joined on site | Provincial code, certified to CSA A277 |
| Manufactured (mobile) | Factory | One or two sections on a chassis | CSA Z240 MH |
| Stick-built | Your lot | Built in place | Provincial building code |
Herauf builds all its RTM plans 18 feet wide or less so each one moves on a single trailer (Herauf). Nelson says building the house in the yard while the basement goes in at the same time cuts total construction time roughly in half, against 12 months or more for an on-site build (Nelson Homes).
RTMs are a Prairie specialty. Nelson delivers RTMs only within Alberta and Saskatchewan (Nelson Homes), and Four Peaks ships anywhere in those two provinces (Four Peaks). Manitoba has its own cluster of yard builders in the southeast and the Pembina Valley.
How much does an RTM home cost?
These are prices from builders' own sites, checked on October 29, 2026. Treat them as a snapshot:
| Builder (province) | Model and size | Listed price | Per sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Hills Construction (SK) | Zehner II, 640 sq ft; Vesper, 1,092 sq ft; Hilda, 2,030 sq ft | $146,000; $240,000; $365,000 | $228; $220; $180 |
| Herauf Modular (AB) | Ash, 900 sq ft; Ridge, 990 sq ft | $205,000; $225,000, home only | $228; $227 |
| Warman Homes (SK) | The Wollaston, 1,048 sq ft | $153,414 | $146 |
| Elm Acres (AB) | Wyndham, 1,144 sq ft | $257,800 plus GST | $225 |
| Jade Homes (AB) | Pearl, 1,401 sq ft | $375,501 plus GST, delivery included in southern Alberta | $268 |
| Zak's (SK) | Simple RTM models | $123,900 to $290,000 | Not stated |
Sources: Blue Hills, Herauf, Warman, Elm Acres, Jade, Zak's. The per-square-foot figures are our arithmetic from the listed price and floor area.
Larger homes cost less per square foot: Blue Hills' 2,030 sq ft plan is about $50 a foot cheaper than its 640 sq ft one. Herauf's 192 sq ft studio lists at $85,000, or about $443 a foot. Jade says its custom RTMs averaged $215 to $300 per square foot in 2024 including transportation (Jade FAQ).
Our take: get every builder's exclusion list in writing before you compare. Herauf's price is "home only"; Jade's includes delivery within its zone. That one line can be worth $15,000.
What isn't included in an RTM price?
Most of what happens off the builder's yard. Herauf lists the foundation, delivery and crane set, site work, utility connections, permits and GST/PST as not included (Herauf). Four Peaks leaves out the foundation, shipping, mechanical systems and utility connections, and sizes the furnace and hot-water tank after delivery (Four Peaks). Jade's FAQ adds the land, building permits, line-lifting fees and any basement or garage (Jade FAQ).
On a rural lot, you'll also need a well and septic. Our 2026 estimates are $9,000 to $24,000 for a drilled well and $25,000 to $40,000 for a septic system; those figures come from Ontario quotes, so get local ones too. Saskatchewan also charges 6% PST on top of GST (Four Peaks).
How much does it cost to move an RTM home?
It depends on distance, height and width, and most builders quote it per job (Zak's). Olympic Homes says most moves within Manitoba cost $12,000 to $14,000 (Olympic Homes). Star says its RTMs can't be moved within the City of Winnipeg (Star RTM).
The move needs permits, and tall loads need the power utility to lift or drop lines:
- Saskatchewan: a building move on a provincial highway needs an SGI permit, can't run between sunset and sunrise (except near major centres after midnight), and needs a SaskPower approval number if it's over 5.18 m high (Government of Saskatchewan).
- Alberta: FortisAlberta wants at least 7 days' notice for loads over 4.15 m high (FortisAlberta).
- Manitoba: Manitoba Hydro needs 14 days' notice for its structure move clearance above 4.8 m, and bills the actual line work after the move (Manitoba Hydro).
What foundation does an RTM home need?
A full basement, a crawlspace or piles. A basement costs the most and helps resale; screw piles cost the least and often go in within a day (Destiny Homes). Warman accepts wood, ICF or concrete basements, and wood ones must be backfilled and braced before the house arrives (Warman Homes).
Check your municipality's engineering rules first. The County of St. Paul in Alberta accepts a full concrete foundation or a 4 ft frost wall without an engineer, but wants an engineer's design for screw piles, concrete piles, preserved wood foundations and ICF without CCMC approval (County of St. Paul). Either way, the foundation has to be finished and inspected before the house ships (Four Peaks). Our screw pile guide covers what building departments ask for.
What permits does an RTM home need?
Usually a development permit, then a building permit, from your rural municipality, county or town:
- Saskatchewan: development and building permits from the RM or town, a septic permit from a public health inspector, and the SGI move permit. Herauf tells buyers to budget 4 to 10 weeks for approvals (Herauf).
- Alberta: the County of St. Paul wants a site plan for the development permit, then drawings, the builder's licence or owner-builder authorization, a Home Buyer Protection Act registration and the home's CSA certification number for the building permit, with separate electrical, gas, plumbing and septic permits (County of St. Paul). Alberta set a CSA A277 certification requirement for homes built off-site in 2019, with engineer sign-off or local inspections allowed as alternatives (Alberta STANDATA); ask your building department how it applies today.
- Manitoba: your municipality or planning district can accept a CSA A277 label, or inspect a yard-built RTM in stages while it's built (Manitoba ITS 25-007). Certification can't be added after a home leaves the plant, so settle this before the build starts.
How long does an RTM home take?
Herauf quotes about 16 weeks from build to move-in, with permits running alongside (Herauf). Jade takes about 6 months from signing to delivery (Jade FAQ), and Star about 7 to 8 months for a standard RTM, or as little as a month for a stock home already in the yard (Star RTM). Spring road bans and an unfinished site are the usual reasons a delivery date slips.
Can I get a mortgage on an RTM home?
Usually, once it's on a permanent foundation on land you own. CMHC's Prefab Plus insures new prefabricated homes on a permanent foundation with as little as 5% down, paid out in up to four draws: land and site work, the home on delivery, then installation and finishing (CMHC Prefab Plus). CMHC doesn't say whether a yard-built RTM without factory certification counts, so ask your lender early. Plan for deposits, too: Four Peaks takes 20% of the contract before it starts building (Four Peaks), and Jade takes $8,000 to start the blueprints (Jade FAQ).
Questions people ask
- What does RTM mean in housing?
- Ready to move. An RTM home is built in a builder's yard or plant, then moved in one piece onto a permanent foundation on your lot. It's built to the provincial building code, like a site-built house.
- How much does an RTM home cost in Saskatchewan?
- Published 2026 prices from Saskatchewan builders run from about $124,000 for a small model to $365,000 for a 2,000 sq ft plan, or roughly $135 to $230 per square foot for the house alone. Moving, the foundation, utilities and permits are extra.
- Is an RTM home the same as a modular home?
- No. A modular home is built in sections in a certified factory and joined on site. An RTM usually arrives as one finished piece, 18 ft wide or less, and many are built in an outdoor yard rather than a factory.
- Who pays to lift power lines when an RTM home is moved?
- The buyer, in most contracts. Builders such as Jade list line-lifting fees as an extra. Manitoba Hydro bills the actual cost of the clearance work after the move, and quotes it free in advance.
- Can you put an RTM home on screw piles?
- Yes, and it's the cheapest foundation. Many municipalities want an engineer's design for piles under a house; the County of St. Paul in Alberta does. Check with your building department before you order.