Crane lifts house over Tauranga CBD

A house was lifted over another house in central Tauranga this morning. Photo/George Novak

A road in central Tauranga was blocked and powerlines removed as a crane lifted a house over another home this afternoon.

Passers-by looked on as a 350-tonne crane lifted a 1930s three-bedroom house in two sections over Chris Vetter's home on Christopher St.

"It was the only way to get it in," Mr Vetter said.

"The driveway is too small."

Mr Vetter said the house would be lifted in two parts over his.

"It is very frightening to watch to be honest."

He said you could see the crane lifting the house from Mount Maunganui.

Owners of the "flying house" Mike and Fran Drummond were there watching on as their home was lifted into place.

Mr Drummond said the house was 110sq m in total.

"They have shut down the road and taken the powerlines down to get it in.

"It is quite a big operation."

McLeod Cranes dispatcher Brian Henzler said the team used a 350-tonne crane, the largest of its fleet, to lift the house.

Mr Henzler said the crane needed 116 tonnes of counter-weight on the back of it which was brought in by six trucks.

"It took about two and a half hours to set the crane up. The actual lifting does not take that long."

He said the house was moved in two sections, with the largest weighing about 13.5 tonnes.

"It went behind an existing house. We had to position it between two homes."

Mr Henzler said they had to close the road, drop power lines and fibre phone lines to allow the lift to begin.

He said it was not uncommon for the industry, but certainly caught the eye of many onlookers.

"We have another one planned next week. It generally gets a bit of an audience."