The house at 120 Grand Promenade, Doubleview was built in 1948, during the immediate post-war years when Perth’s northern suburbs were rapidly expanding. Like many homes of this era, it was modest and practical rather than decorative, designed to meet urgent housing demand rather than make an architectural statement.

 

The house was a single-storey, timber-framed dwelling, weatherboard and raised on stumps. This type of construction was common in the late 1940s as it was quicker to build, used fewer materials than double-brick homes and performed well in Perth’s sandy soils.

 

Infill Begins

By the early 21st century, Doubleview had shifted from a low-density suburb into an infill hotspot. Larger blocks along major roads were increasingly seen as redevelopment opportunities rather than long-term family homes.

 

In September 2010, a subdivision and development application was lodged for the property. The proposal involved the construction of a two-storey brick house on the rear half of the block, at an estimated cost of $467,590.

 

Sales History

Once the rear development was established, the original house became a clearly defined asset in its own right. In May 2017, it sold for $430,000 and then again in August 2023 for $610,000. The increase in value reflects the broader rise in Doubleview property prices but also highlights a growing mismatch: while the land continued to gain value, the 1948 house itself no longer aligned with the highest and best use of the site.

 

Removing the House

In December 2025, the original front house was cut in half and relocated off site. Cutting and relocating a house is only done when the structure is still considered viable. Timber-framed post-war houses like this one are particularly well suited to relocation, as they are lighter, more flexible and easier to transport than masonry buildings.

 

What followed was a carefully planned and highly controlled process.

 

How a house is cut in half and moved

 

Step 1: Engineering checks and approvals

Before any physical work begins, engineers assess whether the house can safely be moved. The structure, framing, roof and floors are examined to ensure the building can withstand being lifted, separated and transported. At the same time, approvals are required from the local council and utility providers. Power, water, sewer, gas and telecommunications all need to be disconnected and traffic and transport permits arranged.

 

Step 2: Internal preparation and bracing

Inside the house, built-in cabinetry and fragile elements are removed or secured. Temporary bracing is installed through walls and ceilings to stop the building from twisting or flexing during the move. Doors and windows are often fixed shut to keep the structure rigid. This preparation work is largely invisible once the house is gone but it’s essential to prevent serious damage.

 

Step 3: Cutting the house in half

The house is then carefully cut along a planned line, usually through a hallway or between rooms where structural disruption can be minimised. The cut passes through:

• Floorboards and bearers

• Wall framing

• Ceiling joists

• Roof framing and sometimes roofing material

 

Step 4: Lifting onto steel beams

Large steel beams are slid underneath each half of the house. Using hydraulic jacks, the structure is raised slowly, often just millimetres at a time until it is high enough to be placed onto wheeled dollies or temporary tracks. At this point, the house is no longer a building in the usual sense. It becomes two oversized, fragile loads.

 

Step 5: Transport

House relocations are usually carried out at night or during carefully controlled low-traffic periods because once a house is lifted onto dollies, it always exceeds normal vehicle size and weight limits.

 

In Western Australia, any vehicle or load that exceeds standard limits, such as 2.5 metres in width, 4.3 metres in height or a prescribed length and weight thresholds, is classified as a Restricted Access Vehicle (RAV). A relocated house, even when cut in half, typically falls into this category and cannot legally travel on public roads without special approval.

 

To move an oversized structure like this, contractors must obtain an Oversize Overmass (OSOM) permit from Main Roads WA. This permit governs how, when and where the load can travel and is issued only after a detailed route survey is completed. The route survey identifies constraints such as narrow roads, tight intersections, bridge limits, road camber (slightly tilted road) and overhead services including power and communications lines.

 

Because the house at 120 Grand Promenade was cut in half, each section could be transported separately. This significantly reduced overall risk, made tight access easier to manage and helped keep the load within more manageable limits for height, width and turning radius.

 

Most house moves also require pilot vehicles (traffic escorts), particularly where loads exceed specified widths. These escort vehicles operate under a Transport Management Plan (TMP), which sets out the exact route, safety controls, communication protocols and procedures for dealing with third-party infrastructure such as overhead cables, traffic signals and signage. Escort vehicles use warning lights and markings and coordinate closely with the transport crew throughout the move.

 

Travel is typically subject to strict conditions, including:

• Restricted travel times (often outside peak traffic hours)

• Speed and overtaking limitations

• Temporary road closures or lane controls

• Restrictions on certain roads, guided by Main Roads’ RAV mapping system.

 

What appears to the public as a slow, surreal procession down suburban streets is in fact a highly regulated operation, governed by engineering limits, transport law and detailed journey planning.

 

Step 6: Reassembly at the new site

Once delivered, the two halves are positioned on new foundations or stumps. The structure is then stitched back together:

• Floor framing reconnected

• Wall studs joined

• Roof framing rebuilt and sealed

• External cladding and roofing repaired

 

Only after this structural work is complete do finishing trades step in to repair plaster, floors and services.

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Neighbours were relieved once the house was finally removed. Dust, along with trucks and workers regularly occupying much of the already narrow street, alongside parked cars, made the situation stressful. Thankfully, it’s a temporary disruption and not a recurring one.