Disassemble and Move 20x36 Garage - Ideas?

[milehiguy]

Hi all. I'm thinking about buying a "used" garage on Craigslist. I thought I'd see if anyone had any ideas or experience doing such a thing. I have a number of remodel/build projects, including a living room addition under my belt. So I think I'm up for the challenge, but need to do my research first. Cost is a major factor, of course, spending a few thousand to have it moved is out of the question. Sweat equity costs are at an all time low for me, since I'm blessed with lots of free time at the moment. Plus, I got a few favors I can call in from a couple buddies.

The garage is currently located about five or six miles from my house. It measures 20'x36' with 10' walls, five large windows, 8'x8' overhead door, and an entry door. From the pictures in the ad, it looks to be 2x4, 16"oc frame construction with roof trusses set 24"oc. I'm not really keen on completely disassembling the whole garage down to raw lumber and rebuilding it from "scratch". I'd rather take it apart in pieces or sections, load them onto a flatbed trailer, and cart the thing home (in a few trips) if possible.

My basic initial plan is as follows:

1. remove windows and doors
2. pull the roofing/sheathing exposing the trusses
3. free the trusses individually labeling them in order
4. cut the walls into 8' sections labeling them in order
5. remove wall sections from slab foundation
6. load on the flatbed, and cart the lot home.

As far as the 8' wall sections go, I was thinking about adding a 2x4 stud right next to an existing stud every eight feet to act as an 'end-piece' for each section. Then I'd remove a narrow strip of exterior siding every 8 feet to coincide with the new endpieces. Next, I'd use a saws-all to cut the wall sections apart between the 2x4s. Once the rebuild commences, I'd reassemble the walls in sections, connecting them with screws though the abutting 2x4s, kinda like the prefab wall sections I've seen on a couple episodes of This Old House.

I'm also considering something similar for the roof by "cutting" the roof into "sections" like the wall sections. However, I don't think it would be as feasible to add new "extra" trusses every six or eight feet in the roof as it would for the wall sections. Plus, it's one thing for 2 or 3 guys to cut up and load 8' wall sections onto a flatbed. It's another for those same 2 to 3 guys to try and lower down and load six 8x20 roof sections.

I'll have a better idea of how the building is constructed, and how best to tackle this project, after I take a look at it this weekend.

In the meantime, here are the pictures from the Craigslist ad. I covet your thoughts and ideas.

Thanks,
Ray

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[stingry]

I would consult a housemover and get a price to move it in one piece. Then balance the cost against the costs involved with doing it as you describe. You are looking at a lot of labor (even if it is your own, it has value) plus the cost of reshingling the roof, probably in the neighborhood of $1000 for materials.

Cheers
Steve

 

[kbs2244]

Procedure wise I think you have it pretty well figured out.

Those trusses look steep.
I would expect you would be better off removing the sheathing and handling them one by one.

The walls with big doors in them almost always are better of being dismantled.
At 36 feet it will fit on a semi flat bed.
If you make a set of triangles for the walls to lay on you should be able to stay under 8 feet wide and avoid any “Wide Load” permits.

I do think you are talking over $1000.00 to have it moved.
It is tall and that means overhead lines moved and it is wide and that means special permits and scheduling.

I have done it.
Two men makes it a lot easier to get everything down and into a pile.
And then at the least you are going to need a back hoe to use as a crane at each end.
One to load and then one to unload and help erect.

 

[brownbagg]

unless its free, its not worth it, cost you more to move it than build new

 

[pstnbly]

102" is maximum width before overwidth, looks like a deal to me I'd go for it. I'd probably cut the wall in 2 and stack them on 2 skids, then I would hire a roll back style wrecker to come and winch then on. If the job was packaged right you could probably stack the wall panels and trusses in 1 lift for 1 trip.

I've built many panelized homes, doesn't look like a problem to me.

 

[camarotoolman]

Cool idea. Years ago we got a garage for free and moved to the mountians and made it into a hunting camp. Peel the roof singles. Try to salvage the decking. Take truss down. I would cut in at the corners.
i think you get some guys and park a long trailer by each side aand lower and slide it on. Or if you are careful, you can demo all of if in a reasonable amount of time. I have been recycling lumber for years. I like free stuff. Make some easy money at it too. All depends how you want to use your time. All your should have to buy in new roofing and nails and some lumber to replace some that gets messed up.

 

[70redbee]

They should be paying you to tear it down and remove it. You are looking at a lot of work, not to mention the hazards of tearing it down. You will need a lot of expensive equipment to do it right. A forklift will be your best friend.

 

[marc isoni]

sounds like a lot of work,but please be sure to post pictures for us!!

 

[bootsnixon]

Just brainstorming, but what kind of roads are between your place and this garage? I know many would disapprove, but if there are back roads that could be taken, perhaps you could consider moving it in one piece yourself. Might end up being easier and cheaper.

 

[milehiguy]

I realized I never posted an update, so here it is: I did NOT end up getting this garage. While I was still thinking, planning, and deciding what to do, someone else struck a deal with the seller.

Fortunately, about six months later I found another garage for free on Craigslist. It had been a workshop at a local car dealership. It's 12' by 28'. The walls have drywall on the lower third and pegboard on the upper two-thirds. It is insulated throughout. It is wired throughout with it's own breaker sub-panel. It also came with an A/C unit, and a heater (both 220v).

I spent about $1000 to have it transported from the car dealership to my house. The dealership is about 20 miles from my house, and the route went through three or four different cities (Denver suburbs). That $1000 was well-spent considering the various permits required. Plus, it was quite the treat to watch these guys jack up this building about five feet off the ground, back a trailer in underneath it, lower it onto the trailer, drive halfway across town, back into my backyard, and drop it exactly where I wanted it.

 

[RossABQ]

Wood floor, or concrete slab?

 

[TractorJeff]

Yeah, 12 wide isn't 20 wide but it is FREE! Even a $1000 is still a deal!

 

[rburke65]

You should be glad ya got beat on the first "deal". The second was better money wise.

 

[HoosierMark]

I moved a house by disassembling it the way you are talking. We stripped the sheating off the roof and took each rafter down individually. We also stripped the sheating off the walls. Did the walls the same way you propose. You will need to put a new tie chord of 2x4 around the top and make sure the wall sheating covers the joints on the sides.
You do really need to think about the time you will spend doing this. When the dust all settled, I think I broke even at best with this move. Lots of work, lots of time, did not have things exactly where I wanted, etc. It probably would have been easier to just spend the time hunting for good material deals.

 

[bczygan]

You should be paid to remove it. Only then is it even remotely worth it. And only if your time is worth nothing.

You will have the cost of disposal of shingles, unless you can stuff them in the owners and neighbors, and your own trash each day.

Best garage option is one with either vinyl siding or plywood panel siding that you can pry off the framing.

You are basically going to be disassembling into it's components and then have a stack of materials to build with.

Cheaply built garages of 40's vintage aren't worth it.

Modern ones with trusses may be.

 

[milehiguy]

Wood floor, or concrete slab?

Wood floor...with built-in skids. Made the move really easy.

Yeah, 12 wide isn't 20 wide but it is FREE! Even a $1000 is still a deal!

12 x 28 is proving to be plenty big enough for me. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do with a bigger shop (other than fill it with more junk...lol).

You should be glad ya got beat on the first "deal". The second was better money wise.

I agree. At my pace, had I gotten the 20x36 garage, I probably wouldn't have finished reconstructing it yet, so I'd be sitting with a half-built garage and no functioning workshop. In contrast, with "John Elway's Garage" (that's what my brother calls it, since the car dealership I got it from was John Elway Chevrolet), I basically got a functioning workshop on day one.

Over the past three years I've been SLOWLY making changes and customizing it to fit my needs, as my limited funds will allow. I replaced some damaged floor joists, added a 36" door (it came with only a garage door), beefed up the insulation, replaced some missing fascia, added some rafters (for some reason only the back half had rafters spanning the width of the building), built some heavy duty shelving on the back wall, added some cabinetry and a temporary workbench, and loaded it up with more lumber than I know what to do with at the moment!

I still need to rearrange the cabinetry and finish the workbench, including built-in stations for a table saw, radial arm saw, miter saw, and grinder. Plus I have an industrial size dust collector (another Craigslist find) that I need to somehow add into the system.

But the BIG project I have in front of me is the electrical. Even though it came pre-wired with it's own breaker panel, I have yet to tie it into the main breaker panel on the house. I'll be starting a new thread about that project and looking for feedback very soon.

 

[GuyllFyre]

Just have a bunch of Amish people pick it up and walk off with it.

 

[mikegt4]

I can't help you with your move, but today a shed was being "moved" a few houses up the street. It was about 6' x 8', wooden T-111 siding and was obviously nearing the end of it's useful life. The new owners spend most of the day disassembling the shed and stuffing it into the back of a fully blinged Cadillac Escalade. He probably had more money in just one wheel than a brand new shed would have cost.

I have a 8' x 12' shed (cedar siding) that my Dad built in the early 1970's. My house is going to be sold this summer and I would like to move it to my son's house (he needs a shed and this would be free) so this thread has perfect timing. I have a flat bed trailer and a small track loader so physically moving it is not a problem. Less than required clearance between fences and trees is. These tips on disassembly will be helpful.

 

[Vegaman_Dan]

I would be curious to see what the municipality will do for the permits, plans, surveys and other things you'll need to even put the structure on your property. You'll be needing a foundation, and that will require more permits and plans as well.

Moving a shed is one thing. Moving and reusing a structure like this is questionable when it comes to costs involved. I can easily see this costing $5-10K in all the legal aspects, materials, labor, and repairs/updates to do what you want.

Personally, I wouldn't do it. Not unless it was just across the street and I had lots of open property to put it on.