Chattel houses, as you saw yesterday, are built so that they can be moved. This means that they are rarely built on a permanent foundation. Instead, they are usually propped up on concrete building blocks or sometimes big stones.
In fact they are most often built in one place, purchased by the owner and then moved by donkey cart or tractor to another location. 
Chattel houses being constructed in Westmoreland
Most of these chattel home owners live on land that is leased for a term of years. When the term of the lease expires they are required to move, so they pack up everything, house included and move to another leased property.
On Sunday, while driving through the town of Savanna-la-mar in Westmoreland I just happened upon such a scene.
11 comments:
Wow... now that's an idea... we could always be sight seeing without leaving home...
Wow! I would have loved to see that in live and living colour. See what one misses out on when one lives in Kingston? The country is far more exciting, it seems.
Mobile homes were a great idea. Someday I'd like to drive around the US in an RV. I notice that the chattel homes are made of wood, I guess they'd have a lot of damage in a hurricane.
That's totally wikid. I like the one with the fancy french doors. Re your post about the circuit courts - excellent, gave me a lesson on Jamaican justice - who are the 3 magistrates in the photo?
@ quint & felicia: They are a great invention...and they came out of necessity as well! Felicia, depending on where they are located you'd be surprised to know that some of these houses fare better in hurricanes than some seemingly stronger structures! Unfortunately the roofs are usually made of zinc sheets and so those usually will come off.
@jamaican dawta & ri : This was actually only my second sighting of a chattel house being moved. Come to think of it, the first one I saw was in Westmoreland as well! So the moral of this story is, if you want to see a chattel house being moved go camp out in Sav! lol!
ri: Her Honour Ms. Tie is the female RM. His Honour Mr. Brown is standing beside her and His Honour Mr. Smith is on the left.
Ok Ann...you have just made me realise that I need to drive around Jamaica some more....I have to applaud you for capturing that photo....I have never seen anything like that in my life!
@jamaican girl: lol :) Jamaica is a fascinating place my girl. Go explore!
a great way to travel.
That looks like fun! I'd love to live in one of those.
Nice shots and narrative! Looks like I need to get one of those. I can just see it now, in the hills this month of the beach next month...
stunner, you can get one and set it up right by the beach. Then when a hurricane threatens you just hitch it up and move to safer ground ;-)
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