Moving a shed

[Davelfitz]

I need to move a 12' X 16' storage shed about 30' in my yard. Can't seem to find anyone to move it. Can anyone help? I live in the Seattle/Tacoma area.

 

[Rewind97]

Are you asking for physical help or suggestions on how to move it?

 

[6768rogues]

Jack it up, put 3 or 4 inch PVC pipe under it, and roll it to where you want it. I am 65 years old and if I were nearby I would move it and take your money.

 

[shelteredV]

^^^ he's got it.

 

[930dreamer]

Very easy to move with pvc pipe.

 

[tthornto]

I second the PVC pipe roller suggestion, but will add that in the great northwet you should either wait for those 3 weeks in August known as summer or lay down some scrap wood for the pipes to roll on or they will sink into the mud. If you don't have scrap wood find some free pallets.

 

[bad_idea]

I moved my 8x10 the other day about 15'. I hooked a chain to the skids, then a ****** strap to the chain, then snatched it with the jeep. Made quick work of it. Didn't even bother with pipe. Dug the lawn up a bit, but not too bad. If you decide to drag it with a jeep/truck, empty it out first. Made a hell of a mess inside, I don't want to talk about it.

Less destructive method though, get a high lift jack (see them stuck on the side of jeeps, also called a bumper jack or a farm jack). Jack one side of the shed up, slide hunk of pipe under it, jack up other side, slide pipe under it. 3 pieces of pipe is ideal. Two pieces under the shed at any time. As the pipe rolls out the back of the shed, shove it under the front. When you get it where you are going, jack it up, pull the pipe, shove blocks under shed.

 

[58Yeoman]

My 8x10 was built on 4x4 runners by the previous owner. It even had holes drilled near the ends. I strung a rope through the holes and pulled it about 100 to the back yard. I couldn't get the Ranger 4x4 any closer to where I wanted it, so I used a come-along from a sturdy tree and drug it the rest of the way.

 

[driftpin]

You better check with your zoning dept to see if you are encroaching into a required setback. Legally, to do what you propose I think you're going to be required to submit a site plan.

You might think, "oh, I'm just re-positioning something already there," was the original accessory building ever permitted? If not, you may be in for some unpleasant times, trying to move and make use of something which may-not meet the current Building Code, Land Development Code, or Zoning Code.

I would say that you need to do a permit search on your property, to see if this accessory structure was ever-permitted. If it wasn't, you need to find-out from the Building and Zoning depts. what they require to permit something new, the size of what you have there now. You don't have to tell them, "it's already there," they can see that from using Google Earth, Pictometry, or the county property appraiser's website for aerials. Get the permit history, and find out what is the process for permitting an accessory structure of the same size. Then you can make an informed decision about how to proceed.

If it was never permitted, I don't think it's going to be a happy experience for you, even if you say, "hey, I'm just moving it 30 ft.," and you do it. A nosy neighbor, a code enforcement inspector seeing something 'appear' where there wasn't anything before, a building inspector checking on another house in the neighborhood, it doesn't take much to end-up on the radar of the municipality.

Companies that sell sheds do that type of work all the time, moving sheds. Can you 'do it yourself?' Probably, but know what you're getting involved with doing, before you spend any $. The legal issues are what you need to consider, before you start moving your accessory building.

You can start here: http://www.codepublishing.com/WA/Enumclaw/

 

[Steve.S]

I've moved on about 100 in a straight line using 2" PVC rollers. If I had to do it again, I'd use 4" PVC instead.

A friend rotated one 180 degrees and moved it to the other side of his yard by jacking it up onto four car dollies and rolling it across sheets of plywood. Took him about an hour altogether.

 

[rburke65]

Well just my wild thought here....that would be the day I’d pull a permit to move my shed.

 

[MushCreek]

Yeah, some areas are **** about this stuff. That's why I live out in the boonies now. Nobody cares what you do with your shed around here.

I need to move my shed, too. It's only 8X12, but the ground is pretty uneven. I might put some skids under it, pick up one end with the tractor, and try dragging it. If it falls apart, I guess I need to build a new (bigger) shed.

 

[driftpin]

I had a new 10' X 20' steel-framed , 3/4" PT plywood sheathed, Hardi-Board building delivered, to be installed on my new slab, and when the 'experienced' installers tried the 4" sch. 40 PVC roller install, it crushed the PVC like an obese woman sitting on a Dixie Cup. Evidently they don't get many installs like mine, or they would have had properly-sized steel rollers.

As to permitting accessory structures and moving them after installation, I just saw an article which said, "Florida has the toughest building code in the nation." As a licensed plans examiner, and Life Safety Code inspector, I believe it.

I've moved on about 100 in a straight line using 2" PVC rollers. If I had to do it again, I'd use 4" PVC instead.

A friend rotated one 180 degrees and moved it to the other side of his yard by jacking it up onto four car dollies and rolling it across sheets of plywood. Took him about an hour altogether.

 

[bad_idea]

You should be able to look up the code on sheds in your county/city online. In Virginia Beach (lived there most my life) you are allowed up to 300 sq ft (no electrical) without a permit. In Pasquotank County, NC any building with a wall longer than 12' requires a permit. I am thinking of building an octagon shaped building with 12' walls.

 

[58Yeoman]

When we bought this place in 08, it had the 8x10 wooden shed in front and another 8x10 shed in back. I moved the front shed to the back, and had the 12x12 built in front in its place. Last year, we 'built' a plastic shed, 8x10 on the lower part of our yard. The tax assessor came by last year and saw the extra shed...our taxes went up $15. No permits needed here in the country.

 

[77Birdman]

I just moved my shed and thought about the roller idea. I ended up wrapping a chain around the base of the shed and pulled it with my material handler, but you probably don't have one of those handy.
Back to the roller idea, I would get 4- 2x10's as a skid board on the ground, a couple pieces of chain link fence post as a roller on top of the skid board. After doing that you could move it with a garden tractor easily.

 

[norson]

My Dad moved our 12x18 garage 20 feet. He nailed 2x6s around the bottom of the inside of the walls to stiffen it up and put a 4x8 plank across the inside of the back to push against. He drove the jeep into the garage and pushed it the twenty feet. I can't remember any rollers, but he might have greased some lumber for skids. That was 70 years ago and it's still standing. The 4x8 was made into a bench and the 2x6s still "stiffen" the walls.

 

[Kenstone1]

Call your local shed builder and ask them who moves/delivers their sheds for them.
That's what I did, because I needed an 8x12 moved from one house to another.
The guy had a jack like off roaders use with a wheel on the vertical and an angle plate on the jack tongue (pretty slick).
That jack wheel rolled up on the shed siding when jacking up the shed and he put a dolly with pneumatic tires under both back corners.
He had a little tow motor with a gas engine under the front center that pulled the shed out to the street.

I moved another shed by rolling it on round wooden fence posts but would use PVC pipe if I had to do it again.

 

[cgrutt]

Jack it up, put 3 or 4 inch PVC pipe under it, and roll it to where you want it. I am 65 years old and if I were nearby I would move it and take your money.

I'm in NY and have a 12x24 need to move to my neighbor's yard. Stick frame, hardwood floors, insulated and finished interior. Shed is on columns, probably 3' up at downside. Property is sloped.

I've got the 4" pipe, steaks and beer and a few dollars, LOL...

 

[rnixon]

Pipe rollers were not an option for me, had to maneuver around a row of junipers then between 2 trees and up an incline. Bolted a pair of towing spindles on, then mounted a set of rally wheels with 15 inch radials,bolted the tongue from my boat trailer to the floor and towed it with my F 150,only tricky part was backing it on to the new pad, mirrors were useless.

 

[Jackfre]

Well, there are sheds and then there are sheds. Which is yours? Is it well built or will it fall apart if you try to push it? Empty it out and put some internal bracing as suggested above. Lay out some 2x4's to 4x4's. Get an 8-10' 4x4 as a pry bar and lift one end. have someone slide the ground runners under as far as they can. Lift the end as high as you can and slide in the rollers. Go to the back end and lift or push it up onto the rollers. Use 3 or 4 rollers and make them plenty long as if it twists or skids you don't want it to come off. Unless you are going uphill you will be able to push it. If there is an incline use a hold back rope. Buy the beer and invite the neighbors over. Set out the lawn chairs so they can get a good laugh. It will take longer to set up than to actually do the moving.

 

[southalabama]

I moved one several hundred feet downhill on my property. Was going to go the drag is with a tractor approach instead paid a guy $100 with a roll back. Took him thirty minutes. The shed didn't take a beating of flexing with pulling.

Only thing I did was add an eye bolt through the center skid to make winching easier

 

[OneOfEm]

Last summer I moved a 12x24 hardiboard shed about 75' including a 90 degree turn.

I used round fence posts cut into thirds as rollers and pulled it with a come-along.