Moving a 12x16 shed

[garagelogician]

I have a 12x16 shed in my backyard that was built by the previous owner. In preparation for a new fence, I had the lot corners (3 of the 4 were missing) reestablished by a surveyor. Turns out the shed is partially on my neighbor's lot. One corner is just inside the line, the other corner is about 8-10" over the line. The shed was permitted and inspected by the city, so they obviously did not do their job when they checked the location of it.

The shed is standard 2x4 framing and is unfinished inside. It is sitting on a 4" concrete slab, and the sill plates are nailed to the concrete. The concrete slab extends in front of the shed, so there would be enough room to slide it forward even if I didn't want to extend the slab right now.

I'm thinking that I should be able to jack this thing up about an inch and slide some steel pipe underneath to act as rollers. Then I can sawcut the slab and probably have enough room to get my fence in behind it.

Thoughts? Has anyone done anything like this before? Any tips or other ideas?

 

[The Cobbler]

a friend moved a garage by rolling it on pipes. be sure to secure everything so it doesn't rack out of shape
do you know if the shed pad has thickened edges?
certainly can be done with patience & ingenuity

 

[EOC_Jason]

Yeah, a big *** prybar and some pipe to roll on would probably be easiest.

 

[adam0872]

If the slab has thickened edges you're in for a treat

 

[dmcintosh]

I would suggest adding some diagonal bracing on all sides to help prevent racking of the structure when you try to roll it.

 

[Dr Stan]

I recommend checking the set back requirements as it may require moving farther than just inside the lot line.

 

[garagelogician]

If the slab has thickened edges you're in for a treat

As far as cutting it you mean? Looks like it is consistent thickness throughout...so I should be okay.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone else, I probably wouldn't have thought to brace it. Good to know it has been done successfully before.

Any recommendations for jacking? Lag bolt something to the studs inside? Should I lift all 4 corners at once, or do one side at a time?

 

[The Cobbler]

my buddy did this.
fasten 2x8 on the flat to the wall studs around the entire inside of the building, cross brace those from side to side with 2x lumber to keep them from spreading .
double up some 2x8 nailed into the wall studs side to side to be used as a lifting point. put a 2x4 blocking above the 2x8 to the top plate to secure the 2x8 from lifting when jacking. jack from all 4 corners relatively equally . he also tied 2x from the center of the cross beams he used for jacking diagonally to the walls to keep them from bending.also braced the corners diagonally to keep the building from going out of square probably a lot of overkill when he did it, but the garage stayed within 1/4" of the dimensions it was before he moved it ( corner to corner, etc)

 

[James-W]

I helped a guy move a shed about that size several years ago. He had gotten (not sure where) half a dozen long wooden fence posts. We jacked one end up with a floor jack and put a post under it. We then jacked up the other end and put a post under that end. Then we (with some difficulty) put the other four posts under the shed. We were able to use a real long rope and wrap it around the building and pull it with a 4 wheel drive pickup truck. We had to keep moving the posts to the front of the shed, which took a little time, but wasn't bad at all.

I am sure pipes would work too, but I think the larger the pipe the easy it would be to move. If the pipe is too small it will probably want to sink into the ground.

 

[EOC_Jason]

I am sure pipes would work too, but I think the larger the pipe the easy it would be to move. If the pipe is too small it will probably want to sink into the ground.

It's on a concrete slab...

 

[James-W]

It's on a concrete slab...

Thanks for pointing that out. I had to go back and read it over again. I had thought the concrete was just under the shed and he wanted to move the shed off the concrete. Must of had a brain fart while reading the opening post.

 

[matt_i]

If you had a tractor you could move it. Guessing 30+hp will do it although its always more about getting the power hooked up to the ground.

Drill a 1/2" thru-hole near a corner of the slab, about 12" in from each side.

Dig out a hole so you can put a nut on a 1/2" bolt.

Use 1/2" hex bolt to attach a piece of flat steel, core a couple holes in the steel to accept 3/8" Gr70 chain.

Attach to tractor. Pull.

The only problem now becomes that the rough part of the slab underneath is not fully bearing on the soil and so it may crack. If no reinforcement is present it could be a bad crack which won't stay together or collapses. So some caution is urged. But it will move. I pulled a large driveway slab out using this method barely cracking the governor, hooked to my International 460 utility tractor. It could move a lot more, again if the engine power can get hooked up to the ground.

 

[Parrothead]

If you had a tractor you could move it. Guessing 30+hp will do it although its always more about getting the power hooked up to the ground.

Drill a 1/2" thru-hole near a corner of the slab, about 12" in from each side.

Dig out a hole so you can put a nut on a 1/2" bolt.

Use 1/2" hex bolt to attach a piece of flat steel, core a couple holes in the steel to accept 3/8" Gr70 chain.

Attach to tractor. Pull.

The only problem now becomes that the rough part of the slab underneath is not fully bearing on the soil and so it may crack. If no reinforcement is present it could be a bad crack which won't stay together or collapses. So some caution is urged. But it will move. I pulled a large driveway slab out using this method barely cracking the governor, hooked to my International 460 utility tractor. It could move a lot more, again if the engine power can get hooked up to the ground.

THAT is a good idea !!!

Could you drill some holes in the slab after it's moved for some hydraulic cement to support the voids after moving? I think it should work, but maybe I'm missing something.

 

[garagelogician]

If you had a tractor you could move it. Guessing 30+hp will do it although its always more about getting the power hooked up to the ground.

Drill a 1/2" thru-hole near a corner of the slab, about 12" in from each side.

Dig out a hole so you can put a nut on a 1/2" bolt.

Use 1/2" hex bolt to attach a piece of flat steel, core a couple holes in the steel to accept 3/8" Gr70 chain.

Attach to tractor. Pull.

The only problem now becomes that the rough part of the slab underneath is not fully bearing on the soil and so it may crack. If no reinforcement is present it could be a bad crack which won't stay together or collapses. So some caution is urged. But it will move. I pulled a large driveway slab out using this method barely cracking the governor, hooked to my International 460 utility tractor. It could move a lot more, again if the engine power can get hooked up to the ground.

I'm not moving the slab. I'm moving the shed on top of the slab.

 

[ard]

Just a comment on county/city inspections. WHen I've built, I have been required to note the distances to the property boundary on the site plan. Also, I've had to mark the property boundary with flags. I have never had to provide fresh surveys. The owner/builder is responsible if they mis-represent distances or the true location of the boundary- not the inspector.

 

[garagelogician]

Just a comment on county/city inspections. WHen I've built, I have been required to note the distances to the property boundary on the site plan. Also, I've had to mark the property boundary with flags. I have never had to provide fresh surveys. The owner/builder is responsible if they mis-represent distances or the true location of the boundary- not the inspector.

Agreed that it is the responsibility of the owner/builder and not the inspector. With that said, my city requires that the property corners be physically uncovered and staked (for fences and accessory buildings) so that the inspector can verify what the owner/builder is claiming the boundary, is actually the boundary. They do not require a fresh survey, I just needed one to reestablish the missing irons.

In my case, the previous owner (who also did the actual construction) stated that the shed was 11 ft from the line. If the property corners were not in place, the inspector did not do his job. He should have stopped the work until the corners were in place and visible.

 

[ard]

Agreed that it is the responsibility of the owner/builder and not the inspector. With that said, my city requires that the property corners be physically uncovered and staked (for fences and accessory buildings) so that the inspector can verify what the owner/builder is claiming the boundary, is actually the boundary. They do not require a fresh survey, I just needed one to reestablish the missing irons.

In my case, the previous owner (who also did the actual construction) stated that the shed was 11 ft from the line. If the property corners were not in place, the inspector did not do his job. He should have stopped the work until the corners were in place and visible.

I have 1100 feet between my irons.... being able to see the corner irons doenst solve all the issues....

As noted above, what IS the required setback? If the prior owner claimed 11, and it is a 10ft setback, you might be dragging that slab!

 

[garagelogician]

I have 1100 feet between my irons.... being able to see the corner irons doenst solve all the issues....

As noted above, what IS the required setback? If the prior owner claimed 11, and it is a 10ft setback, you might be dragging that slab!

Well my lot is about 80'x150'...so a little different situation. I'm in a "Development Flex" zoning area, so setbacks aren't clearly defined in writing by the city. In a standard single family residential zoning situation, it would just need to be out of the drainage and utility easement (5ft for the side yard in this case). There is also a 25 ft rear D&U easement for a storm sewer, and the shed is almost entirely within that easement...but that was already approved by the city engineering department back in 2009 when the shed was built. There are no utilities in the side yard easement, so hypothetically the city should have no problem letting the shed stay within the easement.

I haven't discussed this with my neighbor yet, but we get along well and he is pretty low key. Since this is in a platted subdivision, it is an encroachment, but adverse possession would not come into play and he still owns what he owns. I would still feel better getting it off his property, as long as the city will allow it to be just a couple feet in.

 

[bczygan]

Leave it where it is and take the property by adverse possession...???

 

[AZ Pete]

Leave it where it is and take the property by adverse possession...???

Now, aren't you a good neighbor to have.


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[garagelogician]

Leave it where it is and take the property by adverse possession...???

No, not going to do that.