Anyone have Expreience Moving an Outdoor Shed? (1 Viewer)

[Brian Mansure]

I have the oppurtunity to get a "free" shed from my next-door neighbor but moving it onto my property seems kinda difficult.

It's a complete outdoor storage shed approxmiately 7ft. wide, 6ft. deep and 10.5ft. high. Overall it's in good condition they just needed a bigger shed and were planning on tearing it down.

My brother, father and I looked at it and estimated that the whole structure probably weights roughly 900lbs. with most of that weight at the top with the shingled roof.

The size of the shed is not the only obstacle.
Although the shed is currently located only 40 yards from where it's going to be on my property, there is not enough clearance from a nearby utility pole and drop lines to move it straight across.

The only viable solution we've come up with so far is removing the shingles from the roof (most of the weight), then trying to seperate the roof from the rest of the shed and moving the walls, doors, roof seperately and reassemble on my property.

Have you done something like this before?

How did you accomplish it and what would you have done differently if given the chance?

I appreciate any and all suggestions.

Thanks,
Brian

 

[Brian Mansure]

Mods,

If ya get a chance would ya mind correcting my spelling error on the post title?

Thanks :b

Brian

 

[DonRoeber]

Seriously, just hire someone. See if your neighbor knows who delivered it, and contact them. They'll have the right equipment for the job. This is a big heavy thing, and you don't want to hurt yourself, destroy the building, or take out those utility wires.

 

[DaveHo]

I came across a free playhouse for my little cousin. Only catch was I had to haul it. This playhouse had been built with the intention of never being moved. I broke it down the best I could into managable pieces(note it was not built from a plan, just something the guy had whipped up, everything nailed together) and carted it to my aunt's. In the end, I would have been better off building my own from scratch. Till I put money into it fixing what I had broke dismantling it and repairing what was crap to begin with, it just was not worth it. Plus I could have easily built something similar in less time than it took to do so. I garauntee you that you will spend more time breaking it down and reassembling than it is worth.

-Dave

 

[Grant B]

a friend got divorced and got the shed. he moved it to his new house using a crane.
very tricky and asking to be on america's worst backyard diasters if something slightly goes wrong

 

[Chris Hovanic]

I have moved a few heavy things and you should have no problems... use your brain and not your back (as much as possible )

If the droplines are not electrical you may be able to hold them up out of the way of the shed on its trip to its new home. Is that possible or is it too tall? Utility companys will come and drop the lines for a short period of times if you schedule it with them, normally free of charge.

A "sawsall" will be your best friend while taking the roof off... Might be able to get it in one piece. Make sure you take pictures or make some marks so you can re-assemble it easier.

To move the structure use some pipes or round posts. Get several and roll the shed on the pipes replacing the pipes as it moves. doing this one or two people would be able to move a shed of that size. Take it easy and slow! Use some long 2X6's on end for leverage to raise part of the shed to get the pipes under it.

Last bit of advice buy a case of beer and some pizza and get all your buddies over to see who is the strongest.

Good luck

 

[Brian Mansure]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Actually the shed was assembled in my neighbor's backyard not hauled in as one piece.
I think everything will come apart with a crowbar and some work.

Since they were planning on tearing it down anyway, I have to at least try. It could end up being a win-win situation, I need a shed and they need this one taken off their property.

 

[Mark Fontana]

One of my coworkers moved a large, heavy (9x12?) wooden shed as follows: He separated the walls from the foundation, nailed 2x4s along the interior walls at thigh height, then offered pizza to about a dozen guys at work. We went over to his place, everyone got inside the shed, lifted it half a foot off the ground using the 2x4s, and walked it to its new location (blind, with his wife trying to steer us from the outside ). After a confusing minute or two, it was done, and without the need to disassemble the shed.

 

[Brian Mansure]

Ya know I probably never would have thought about nailing 2X4's to the inside frame (making handles) to move it.

Good idea, keep em coming.

Thanks.

Brian

 

[Troy Madlem]

Not knowing what your experience/tools available are, but one option not mentioned is to install a couple 4x4 "runners" under the shed, then tow it with a pickup truck. You would want to cut the ends of the runners to sort of resemble the front of a ski so they don't just dig into the ground. As small as the shed is you could easily place a bottle jack at two corners at a time to lift the structure up enough to slide the 4x4 runners into place. Just make sure you either securely fasten them so you don't pull the shed off. To make it easier to pull you can also lay down a few lengths of pipe under the runners so they roll along the ground - you just have to go a few feet at a time so you can relocate the pipes.

Although it may appear heavy and bulky to move it really isn't too bad a job assuming you have the tools. I've seen small outbuildings moved like this several times and often over a much longer distance than you have. By the time you try to tear it apart neatly you'll have much more time and money invested than if you can just slide it over.