How to move a large shed?

   / How to move a large shed? #1  

avc8130

Platinum Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2010
Messages
974
Location
Northern, NJ
Tractor
Kubota L45
A buddy can get a 12x24 shed for free if we can figure out how to move it. We have access to 2 Kubotas: my L39 and another buddy's L45. Both have an array of chains and pallet forks available. We have access to a deckover trailer and we are researching the oversize load permits.

The big question is how to go from the ground in the back yard, to the trailer in the front yard? Any advice or experience?
ac
 
   / How to move a large shed? #2  
First ..... use cross braces the walls will flex without them. Can you not get the trailer in the back yard? Best way is to lift it straight off the ground and back the trailer under it. We have also used large wood timber skids to drag them around. But as I said brace everything very well they will fall apart easily.
 
   / How to move a large shed? #3  
Makign assumptions here!!!

Pick it up with both tractors and drive it to the fornt of the yard. Brace and aslo make sure you look at lift ponts.

Also make sure your height is ok. Having a simple tri-plex lifted could cost more than a new shed. Drive the routes many times sometimes the long route is the easiest.
 
   / How to move a large shed? #4  
Makign assumptions here!!!

Pick it up with both tractors and drive it to the fornt of the yard. Brace and aslo make sure you look at lift ponts.

Also make sure your height is ok. Having a simple tri-plex lifted could cost more than a new shed. Drive the routes many times sometimes the long route is the easiest.

About 10 years ago I looked into buying a used garage and found a few outfits doing this. I saw some nice garages priced between $1-$5,000 and they all included free delivery to site. I think all of those places also dealt with trailer houses. They might give you a reasonable price to haul for you and they would know how and where to brace. One thing though, I recall that the typical setup required a garage door opening for the truck/trailer access.
 
   / How to move a large shed? #5  
I agree with the trailer move. I moved a building of about the same size. Took out both ends, backed the 25' goose neck inside, scewed 2"x10" boards at about the same height as the deck down both walls then jacked up the building and put 4"x6" across the deck and under the 2x10s in three spots. This was a stick built building with solid siding. I did screw some long 1x4s at an angle to keep it from racking. Moved it 3 miles with no issues. I had the slab poured at the new location. Getting it up on the new slab was tough because it was taller. Had to use a tractor to help the truck back it up the ramps I built.

I would think if you can get the building out of the back yard you should be able to get a smaller trailer in and out as well. Send pictures of the process.
Watch for power lines!!!

Dan
 
   / How to move a large shed? #6  
I volunteer at a local outdoor farming museum and we had to move a good size building. If the building you want to move is the type with wood timber skids for the foundation, you can do it the same way we did.

#1 if it is on soft ground, use a winch or tractor to pull it over to hard ground

#2 if you have to move it off the property get a good sized truck and trailer, if not, skip this step

#3 get a BIG, BIG, BIG forklift (the one we used was able to lift a forklift the size of the big ones at home depot out of the mud, with one fork) and pick up the shed and sit it on the trailer. (if it is on the same property, just move it to the new location with the forklift)

This is the exact way we moved it, and the building was about 25 feet by 12 feet, with counters and cupboards and shelves inside. (it used to be where you buy lunch and baked goods at the fall fair)
 
   / How to move a large shed? #8  
...I would think if you can get the building out of the back yard you should be able to get a smaller trailer in and out as well.

X2

In other words if you can't get a trailer into the back yard, I don't think you're going to get the shed out.
 
   / How to move a large shed? #9  
Might be easiest to just hire a company that sells pre-built sheds to move it, if you have one local. The place that I purchased my sheds from has a really slick trailer for moving them. All hydraulic tilts, rotates, side shifts etc.

Of course they would need to be able to get to it...
 
   / How to move a large shed? #10  
I had a 40' long wooden RV shed. Since I was not using it, I thought my neighbor could use it and convert to a horse barn.

He just had to move it to his property. He did it with two tractors and lots of careful coordination.

Here is a video of all the fun 40' RV shed moved with 2 tractors - YouTube

1.jpg
3.jpg
 
   / How to move a large shed? #12  
I think a lot depends on the construction of the shed. If it has a framed floor with timbers or runners underneath, then it should be easy to move. I worked for a modular building company in the 80s, and we used to build sheds inside a factory and then deliver them (using a rollback car carrier) to customer's yards. All of the sheds had a framed floor with two or three 2x4 or 4x4 runners going the length of the shed (crosswise to the floor joists).

Some tricks we used:

1) on the truck bed, on pavement, or on the factory floor, you could jack the shed a little and place 1" diameter iron pipes under the runners. With a gentle push, the sheds would easily roll, and it was just a matter of cycling the pipes back around under the shed every so often.

2) on grass or slightly uneven ground, we'd jack the shed and place round landscape timbers (about 4-6" diameter) under the runners. These are available in all sorts of forms -- as fence posts, etc. Two guys could easily move the shed around this way, and it was also easy to slide sideways on the rollers.

3) on sloppy ground, we'd use one of the approaches above, but put down skids or sheets of plywood first.

4) if you need to winch or pull the building, weld up a little "F hook" out of angle iron that will grab the first few floor joists and provide a secure pulling point down low. We had ones with 2-3 wings going back 2-3 floor joists, with a little screw on the front to snug up against the outer joist and keep the hook in place. From there, the truck winch or a come-along, or a chain to a truck/tractor pulling point would move the shed on rollers.

5) for final maneuvering, a doubled up 2x4 and some blocks makes a great big lever arm that you can use to "walk" the building inches at a time.

6) in winter, we actually moved a few buildings by sliding them on snow with old snow-mobile skis under the runners! Obviously, that is highly dependent on the right conditions -- frozen ground and just a few inches of snow.

7) one time in a tight space, we jacked the shed and then slid some old wheeled farm implements underneath (couldn't begin to tell you what they were). Then an old timer towed the shed into place with his tractor. I do remember the guy had about 5-6 sheds in his yard already!

==

If the shed did not have a solid floor, then I'd suggest jacking the shed and making a temporary frame or platform underneath, then move it on that frame. That's generally how houses are moved.

I found an old Polaroid of a shed I moved, see attached (this was just prior to strapping everything down on the truck). I think I was only 18 or so when I had that job. I'd kill to have that truck today -- it was sweet.

Good luck! Be creative!
 

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