Relocating a 36 x 48 Pole Barn

[tarious]

Greetings!

I would appreciate any advice or tips you all have to offer. I’ve never tried anything like this before. If possible, I’d like to avoid a spectacular crash creating a **** of a road block.

Anyone have any advice on moving an existing pole barn? Through a sealed bid process I purchased two steel pole barns. A 24 x 24, 2 door garage and a 36 x 48 x 12 steel building with a large sliding door and small overhead door. The buildings are 5 years old and in solid structural condition.

Both buildings are made with 6x6 posts buried 4 feet underground. The posts are not cemented and neither building has any type of floor. The walls are simple 2x4 bracing with steel sheeting on the outside and the roof uses standard manufactured trusses.

I need to move the buildings 20 miles through rural North Dakota. No wire issues, or obstructions of any kind.

I have use of general construction equipment (loader, excavator, dozer, and bobcat) to lift and load the building at its current location.

A friend has a 38 ft goose neck trailer and I have a 2500HD pick up. I also have a small 33 horse CUT that I can use to load, unload, and prepare the new site.

I plan to brace the 6x6’s with 2x10’s across the bottom. I then hope to be able to place a jack (will rent jacks) on each post and slowly raise the building out of the ground and up 4 ft. Then I planned to back the trailer into the center of the building and run some beams across the trailer to beneath the 2x10’s I used to frame up the posts. Then maybe add some bracing from that beam up to the rafters. Finally set it on the trailer.

For now I’d like to just place the building on the new site a foot or two above the existing ground (grass area, but often wet). I then plan to fill the gap with gravel. Perhaps remove the gravel and pour a concrete floor in the future.

Questions:

1 - Can a building like this be raised out of the ground safely, or should I just cut the posts off?

2 - Do I need footings here in ND, if so how deep?

How much does a building like this weigh? Can I safely move it with a 16,000 pound capacity gooseneck car trailer and 2500 hd pick up?

3 - Is there anything that I am not considering or perhaps doing entirely wrong? I have a general knowledge of carpentry, a CDL, and a desire to complete this task as inexpensively as possible.

Oh, I almost forgot, I do have a thermos to keep the coffee warm…which will keep me awake at 3 AM when I move the building.

 

[EddieWalker]

Tarious,

I've never tried to do what you propose, but from what little I know about building and pole barns, I'd think it was an impossible task.

The amount of movement fromt the walls without a solid floor will just tear it all apart. 2x10 across the poles wont accomplish anything. You'll need massive amounts of support going just about every direction.

Calculating the weight and what it will take to support it is beyond me, but I'd say you'll need at least a flatbed or lowboy trailer and a very large semi truck to move it. How you'll get it on there and off again is another challenge that is beyond me.

If you want to move the building, than the only practical method is going to be to disasemble it. Take it down piece by piece with lots of good notes. Tag every piece as it comes off so you can put it back together exactly as it came apart.

Lots of people give away buildings because they are impossible to move and it will cost more than it's worth to have it demolished. I hope you got a good price on it, because it's going to be a HUGE amount of labor to get that building to your site.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[radman1]

My neighbor sold his 10 acre property to a developer. He had his 30x40x14 pole barn moved by a professional company. They just cut the poles off and moved it easily with a semi. No way would I attempt this task by myself and I have a 30' tandem axle gooseneck trailer. It is not just the weight, but the overall size that that makes it difficult for even a 24x24' building. The weight and size of the bigger pole barn shed is way to much for a 16,000# car trailer. The price for moving these kind of buildings may not be that bad. Relatively siimple job compared to moving a house. If you can have them moved intact, that is the best and probably the cheapest, rather than the time and expense of taking them apart and rebuilding. The movers will have insurance and the expertise to move them right.

 

[tarious]

Eddie, Radman1,

I appreciate both of your thoughts. First, I feel that I did get a "good deal" on the buildings. I bought both for $600.00 including all wiring, conduit, and breaker panels. However, if impossible to move, even $600.00 is high.

Eddie, I hadn't considered contacting a house mover, I just assumed the cost would be prohibitive. I will call tomorrow to get some estimates.

I have strongly considered the disassembly route. Though, the tin is nailed on, not screwed. It would be tough to get the nails out without destroying the tin in the process. Also even with good pictures and a diagram, I doubt the building would ever be the same.

A neighbor here did move a regular double car garage with a grain truck without any problems. Assuming we can support everything, size shouldn’t be much of an issue. I do have access to a semi, though I’m not sure where I could find a flatbed.

Radman1, what did your neighbor use in place of the poles that were cut off? A bottom plate of pressure treated wood? Or some type of cement, floor, and footings? How did he connect the posts to the floor/cement?


Thanks for your thoughts,

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Your house mover can give you two different bids. One would be to just move the buildings and another would be to move and place the buildings.

There's a thread here in projects where a TBN'r added piers beneath an existing old pole barn. The same principles could apply to your situation. You did and place piers based upon measurements taken at the old barn location. The poles in the barn are attached to the new piers upon relocation with brackets.

When you consider the mover's bid keep in mind he'll be using materials in the move that will cost you a ton to purchase. Even if he quotes three thousand dollars you're still money ahead in my book.

 

[tarious]

I spoke with two house movers this morning. I could relocate the larger building for around 5000.00. Both movers would lift the building out of its location (poles intact) and reset them at the destination.

While this isn't as expensive as I thought, I may face another problem. The movers will not be able to get to it until into December. I am obligated by contract, to move the buildings within 30 days of today, 8/14/2006.

It looks as though I will be moving the building myself, either in one piece or several.

Any more advice would be appreciated.

 

[kmdigital]

See if there are any other movers that might be able to do it, although I realize you are in a very rural area and this might be difficult. This is your best bet, as they have the proper equipment and knowledge to do the job right.

If I were doing it, I think I would cut the poles off to make it easier and not as top heavy. I would definitely use a flat bed or low boy semi trailer for the bigger building, although the best thing would be moving dollies. If you cut the poles off, you can have the new concrete foundation or peirs already to set the building on when you get it moved, and this will be much, much easier then trying to set it down into new holes while keeping the bottoms of the holes at the right depth so the building sets level.

A big problem is that you won't know how deep to dig each individual hole until after you pull the posts because they won't all be set to exactly the same depth. Then you will have to somehow make some very precise measurements based on previous grade and exactly how deep each hole was so that you can make the new holes the same depth. It will be much easier to use a transit and cut each pole off at exactly the same height and then set them on top of concrete at the new location. Just be sure to properly secure the poles to the concrete with steel strap iron, etc so that the wind can't get inside the shell and lift if off the new foundatin.

 

[MarkV]

I am curious if you have looked into what kind of permits will be needed to take that kind of load on the public roadways? A 36’ wide building going down the road will draw some attention even in the middle of the night.

I have this vision of a state trooper getting on the radio to his buddy and saying, “come on out here you got to see this one.”

It is a must that you get some pictures and update this post when the big move happens. Good luck.

MarkV

 

[schmism]

theres a saying.... easyer to ask forgiveness than permission.

Theres a story of a guy that bought a 747 surpluss as the attraction for his restrant inside the plane (permantly parked on the ground)

for years he tried to get permission to move the plane intact to the location from the airport. Never could get the permits, so finnally one night, he just moved it. Ended up haveing to pay for like a $300 ticket or something he got.

but like others have said i dought you could move the large one in mass.

my suggestion, dissable it it and move it in sections/parts.

 

[bones1]

Agree.Cut the buildings in 20 ft? sections and try it that way, more trips but It would work.

 

[tarious]

I will certainly bring the digital camera and take some pics for all of you. As for permits or High Way Patrol...nope, early Sunday morning = no permit and with any luck no cops! While that approach may sound a little backwards, it is quite common here. In fact, our Mayor will come in a chase car... I will double check the route, but I do not believe we will have any power line or obstructions at all.

Moving the larger building on sections isn't a bad idea. I will take some pics of the buildings in their current locations and strong consider moving it in sections.


Thanks again,

 

[radman1]

TARIOUS
I don't know how he tied down the building. You could tie new short posts to the existing building posts with bolts and then set the new posts in the ground 4 ft or so. The other way would be as mentioned earlier using metal straps or angle iron bolted to the cement if there is a cement foundation or floor.
Personally I would at least try to get a professional mover to move at least the big shed. If you take it apart it will takes a long time to take down and put back up and it will not be as good as it is now. You will always bend some tin, break some boards etc. My shed has a lot of ring shank nails which don't come out easy. Very hard to use the same holes in the tin as the original shed if have it taken down. $5000 is relatively cheap for the aggravation and large amount of time. Look at it this way, you paid $5600 for a shed that size which is a bargain. Unless you have the right equipment the height factor is also a big problem. You will probably have to hire help unless you have really good friends.

 

[EddieWalker]

Sorry for being so negative on this, it's realy outside my comfort zone, so I'm trying not to be too bad.

If the tin was put on with nails, it's probably just about worthless already. If not, it will be with the move. Nails don't do real good with movement. The only thing you can hope for it small leaks all over. I'm guessing you will have massive leaks when it rains.

Just pull off the tin, maybe find a place that wants it for a rustic look, and buy all new stuff. I know it's expensive, but you will will have a roof that will last a lifetime if you do it right.

Once you get the metal off, then take down the truss's. Cut the perlins if you have to, or push them off with the excavator. Save the trusses as individual units. This is what's worth any money in the building!!!!

Then you can deal with cuting up the walls in sections, or taking them apart. The basic building should be fairly straight forward and simple now. If you can pull off the purlins, you might be able to pull the poles out of the ground and have everything you need to rebuild it just the way it was, except better with new metal.

Most pole barns can be built in a few days to a week. You should be able to pull it apart in twice that time real easy.

Good luck,
Eddie

 

[randy41]

can you post a picture?
i think i would remove the roof in one piece and move it on a flatbed trailer using a crane to load it. i would then move each wall seperately on a flatbed trailer...maybe you could pile them up on the trailer so it can be done in one trip.
so you got four walls piled up laying flat and the roof on top. so remove the roof and set aside and then pile the walls up and then the roof on top. then the crane can be at the destination to unload. keep the poles attached to the walls.

 

[Paddy]

Eddie,

I'm with you on this one. The nails will woller hole the size of the heads before it's said and done. I'd take it down by pc, salvage what you can. The perlins will smack off with a three lb slegd. the roof steel will work for siding something.

At 36', you will be buying alot of mail boxes. Also, can't imagine there will be no power line in that distance

 

[WhyNot]

If you are set on moving it yourself and have some extra jinggle in your pocket's check this out http://store.aetv.com/html/product/index.jhtml?id=75892 It is from the History Channel's series Mega Mover's. It took this crew a few day's just to rig and brace this 60x80 metal polebarn. Then took a lot more cribbing and hydraulic jacks all lifting at the same time to get it on the flat bed. I know your's is not as large but it is still the same operation just a little bigger. I tried to find a free link but couldn't if some one can please post it. It was very interesting

 

[radman1]

I would think you could move the buildings without any significant damage by a professional mover. People around here move houses with brick exterior, chimney etc without loosing a brick. In my city, a historical stone house was moved out of the city to the country about 30 miles. Walls were a foot thick and housed was estimated at 70 tons. If I remember right, the new owners said the cost was about $35,000.

 

[EddieWalker]

Nobody is saying it's not possible, the problem is if it's a do it your selfer project. I'm of the opinion that it's not. Sometimes a project is just too big for the first time. If it was a quarter the size, then maybe he'd have a chance, but this is just too big to be learning on.

Eddie

 

[sandman2234]

If you do decide to take it apart, get a good majic marker and start at one corner, and mark each sheet of tin, on each side of it. 1-1, 1-2, 2-2, 2-3, and on untill you get all the way around the building.
Good Luck, be carefull and may God Bless,
David from jax

 

[bx23barry]

Man, I say go for it. Brace it up good, jack it out of the ground and load it up. Really if it falls apart you still got all the pieces to put back together without having to take it apart. But really I think it can be done if ya plan it out good, take your time and are careful. Housemovers do it all the time.