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How to move a heavy shed? chris jung 03-02-2008
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Posted by chris jung on March 2, 2008, 8:14 am
Hi,
We are getting a nice older shed (a solidly built homemade one, not a
commercial one) and have a spot picked out for it in our back yard. I've
visited our town's Building/Zoning office with photos, sketches & our lot
layout to fly this project pass the code enforcement officer (he said it
looked fine) and got advice on foundation requirements (4" bed of gravel
under the shed, 6" deep around the perimeter. After shed is in place, we
will attach it to the ground with 4 anchor ties).

One problem we will have is that we will need to move the shed onto our
property before we will have the foundation ready. It will be transported
by a tilting flatbed truck and placed on cinder blocks about 5 feet to the
side of the final spot.

Even though the sq footage of this shed isn't huge (8'x12'), it's solidly
built, is already insulated and drywalled and I betting weighs a lot -
especially a lot more than we could muscle around. We have no idea how to
move a solid beast like this five feet to the gravel foundation without
tearing up the lawn or messing up the foundation. Is there something that
we could rent that would help in this? Or does it make sense to scout
around for round poles (old telephone poles?) to roll it into place? Any
sage advice on this?

Thanks,
Chris



Posted by Jim Elbrecht on March 2, 2008, 8:40 am

-snip-
>One problem we will have is that we will need to move the shed onto our
>property before we will have the foundation ready. It will be transported
>by a tilting flatbed truck and placed on cinder blocks about 5 feet to the
>side of the final spot.

That's too bad-- I'd be trying to figure out how to get it so the
truck can drop it right in place-- delay the truck or hire the prep
work out.

>
>Even though the sq footage of this shed isn't huge (8'x12'), it's solidly
>built, is already insulated and drywalled and I betting weighs a lot -
>especially a lot more than we could muscle around. We have no idea how to
>move a solid beast like this five feet to the gravel foundation without
>tearing up the lawn or messing up the foundation.

I wouldn't worry about the lawn- that heals in a few weeks. I move
a 10' square shed around [no sheetrock- but I've quit emptying it for
the last two moves] on a track of greased landscape timbers. I work
alone and use a 6' pry bar to scoot it along the timbers. I put
a 2x4 'skirt' around the bottom so the prybar doesn't mar the siding.

I've moved it 20 feet south, then 10 feet west, and then 10 feet
northeast over the years. It's none the worse for wear.

>Is there something that
>we could rent that would help in this? Or does it make sense to scout
>around for round poles (old telephone poles?) to roll it into place? Any
>sage advice on this?

I tried rollers & found that it always wanted to roll in the wrong
direction, the rollers would turn, etc. If I was working with a
crew of 4-5 people I might try several 24" long pieces of 2" iron
pipe. That *might* work without the mess of grease---- but for 5
feet I'd probably still go with 2 landscape timbers [those 3x5
cheapies are fine- just pick out a couple smooth ones] and a couple
pounds of axle grease. [crisco would probably work if you want to
stay 'green']

Jim

Posted by DerbyDad03 on March 2, 2008, 9:36 am
>
> -snip-
>
> >One problem we will have is that we will need to move the shed onto our
> >property before we will have the foundation ready. =A0It will be transpor=
ted
> >by a tilting flatbed truck and placed on cinder blocks about 5 feet to th=
e
> >side of the final spot.
>
> That's too bad-- I'd be trying to figure out how to get it so the
> truck can drop it right in place-- delay the truck or hire the prep
> work out.
>
>
>
> >Even though the sq footage of this shed isn't huge (8'x12'), it's solidly=

> >built, is already insulated and drywalled and I betting weighs a lot -
> >especially a lot more than we could muscle around. We have no idea how to=

> >move a solid beast like this five feet to the gravel foundation without
> >tearing up the lawn or messing up the foundation. =A0
>
> I wouldn't worry about the lawn- that heals in a few weeks. =A0 =A0 I move=

> a 10' square shed around [no sheetrock- but I've quit emptying it for
> the last two moves] =A0on a track of greased landscape timbers. =A0 I work=

> alone and use a 6' pry bar to scoot it along the timbers. =A0 =A0 =A0 I pu=
t
> a 2x4 'skirt' around the bottom so the prybar doesn't mar the siding.
>
> I've moved it 20 feet south, then 10 feet west, and then 10 feet
> northeast over the years. =A0 It's none the worse for wear. =A0 =A0
>
> >Is there something that
> >we could rent that would help in this? =A0Or does it make sense to scout
> >around for round poles (old telephone poles?) to roll it into place? =A0A=
ny
> >sage advice on this?
>
> I tried rollers & found that it always wanted to roll in the wrong
> direction, the rollers would turn, etc. =A0 =A0If I was working with a
> crew of 4-5 people I might try several 24" long pieces of 2" iron
> pipe. =A0 That *might* work without the mess of grease---- =A0but for 5
> feet I'd probably still go with 2 landscape timbers [those 3x5
> cheapies are fine- just pick out a couple smooth ones] and a couple
> pounds of axle grease. =A0[crisco would probably work if you want to
> stay 'green']
>
> Jim

re: I've moved it 20 feet south, then 10 feet west, and then 10 feet
northeast over the years.

Why? (just curious)

Posted by Jim Elbrecht on March 2, 2008, 10:40 am

-snip-
>> I've moved it 20 feet south, then 10 feet west, and then 10 feet
>> northeast over the years.   It's none the worse for wear.    

-snip-
>Why? (just curious)

I knew I should have 'splained that.<g>.

I'm slowly- as in one wheelbarrow load at a time, and no more than 5-6
loads in a day- re-grading the back of my property to eliminate the
'river' that runs through my garage each spring.

First move was to get it out of the way. . . second move was after a
change of plans put it in the way again. . . and the third one has it
about where I want it. [this year, anyway]

Before I'm done I might just tear it down anyway, but moving it is
really not much of a project. One of the advantages/disadvantages of
working slow and alone is that plans change as the landscape changes,
so to speak.

Jim

Posted by Jim Elbrecht on March 4, 2008, 7:47 am
letterman@invalid.com wrote:

>wrote:
-snip-
>>I'm slowly- as in one wheelbarrow load at a time, and no more than 5-6
>>loads in a day- re-grading the back of my property to eliminate the
>>'river' that runs through my garage each spring.

-snip-
>I've done jobs the same way as you're doing, but there are limits. My
>time is valuable too.

I'm in no rush. My dirt moving is part 'construction', part hobby
& part 'fitness program'. In the summer I work outside. In the
winter I continue on with the basement I started 20 years ago.

>For about $100 to $150 you could rent a skid
>loader for one full day and get the job done.

I rented a machine a couple years ago for a job that needed to get
done. In my part of the world I called around for 2 days and ended up
with a small backhoe/loader for closer to $400 a day. [and for the
job I'm doing by the wheelbarrowload I'd spend more time filling ruts
than moving dirt]

-snip-
>
>You still did not say the size of the shed.....

We both did-
OP- "this shed isn't huge (8'x12')"
Me- "I move a 10' square shed around "

Jim



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