How to Move a Shed

Obviously, moving a shed isn’t a small task. Some might even think it’s no longer necessary.

Here are some common reasons why people think about moving their shed:

• Relocating the shed to a new house.
• House upgrades.
• Keeping the extra storage space.
• Making room for a new or bigger shed

However, no matter the reason you want to move your shed, the question still remains — “How do you do it?

Just the thought of moving this whole structure will give anyone a bad headache. First, you have to think about the place where you’re relocating your shed. Then, you need to make sure that the place is leveled enough. Once you’ve thought about this, the next thing to decide is whether to hire a moving company or DO-IT-YOURSELF (with a couple of your best buddies, of course). If you decide to do it yourself, then you need to think about the supplies and equipment that you’ll use to lift and move your shed.

But if you decide to hire a moving company, then you need to start thinking about the possible costs and start doing research in finding the best moving company that’ll fit your preferences.

Tips on Moving your Backyard Shed

There are a few ways to move your shed in the backyard. You can move it by hand using PVC rollers or rent a forklift truck to drive the shed from one place to another. These are the most common ways. However, if you have a bigger budget, you can rent out a crane that’ll pick up the whole structure and move it from one spot to another. Of course, this third option will definitely be the most costly and even more complicated since you’ll be needing a crane operator, some permits and so on.

BUT you can avoid all this hassle if you decide to hire professional movers from respected moving companies like moveON moving.

Well, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Here are some things you need to prepare when moving a shed:

1. Make sure the new location has enough space and level ground – Choosing the new site carefully will help you avoid any hassles during the relocation. It’s important to make sure the new location has enough space, good drainage and level ground. The best tip would be to look for an out of the way corner in your backyard, this way the shed will still be highly accessible without being an obstruction to your outdoor space. Also keep the shed away from any gas lines or water lines as well as your cesspool. And don’t forget to check the place for any possible roadblocks like pet graves, in-ground sprinkler systems or a forgotten oil tank. Be as careful as possible before deciding to actually move your shed, you don’t want to be surprised by any hassles when you decide to sell your property and learn that you need to move the shed all over again.
2. Prepare the site for relocation – After making careful assessments and checking the new location for any obstruction, it’s finally time to prepare the new site for the actual move. If the ground is not level, then you need to make it so. First, you need to dig out a space for the foundation, make sure you’ve removed any rocks, pour concrete if necessary, and then tamp down the spot where you plan to place your shed. The best material to use is solid concrete blocks. However, if you are still a bit unsure about the foundation, you may want to try pouring an actual concrete slab for the base.
3. Clear up the shed – Remove everything inside the shed. From lawn equipment to patio chairs. Take out every tools and items stored inside to make the shed lighter as possible. Remember the shed needs to be completely empty so a regular jack can lift it up. Also, clean the shed by sweeping the dusts out and hosing it down so there’s no dirt or dust inside and it’ll be clean when you relocate it. Keep in mind that you don’t want any cloud of dust forming at dangerous situations. Especially when you’re moving a 1,000-lbs backyard shed.
4. Prepare the Right Equipment – Deciding on which equipment to use greatly depends on how you want to move your shed. If you’re planning to D-I-Y it with a couple of friends, then a small jack and some pipes will do. However, if you want to use modern equipment like a small Bobcat or a forklift, then you need to rent one out and hire an operator or learn the basics yourself. There are a lot of independent tool rental places that offers a variety of heavy equipment that you can use to move your shed flawlessly. If you want to operate this equipment yourself, remember to LISTEN CAREFULLY to the instructions on how to properly use them so you can avoid any accidents.
5. Prepare a smooth, solid lanes of transport – If you are going to use some pipes to roll the shed to its new location, it’s important to make sure the surface is smooth and relatively hard. What you can do is place a couple of 2×4 wooden planks to create some tracks. This would act as a traction that’ll enable the rollers to flow freely, thus making the pushing process easier and faster for you and your helpers. Also, don’t forget to look for any overhead obstacles along the way like low-hanging tree branches and power lines.

Moving the Shed Using the Roller Method

To accomplish this, you need a couple of rounded poles, some 2×4 planks, and some wooden dowels or PVC pipes which you’ll place underneath the shed to “roll” it in its new location. First, use the 2x4s to create a “track” for the shed. Then, use one or two hydraulic jacks to lift the shed up the ground. Afterwards, place the PVC pipes or wooden dowels underneath it. Once everything is in place, you can now push the shed along the tracks you made, to its new location. This method works with most small to medium-sized sheds. Don’t forget to call a few of your friends over so you’ll get the work done faster.

Your helpers will be the ones lifting the shed, placing the rollers and pushing it from behind and pulling it from the front, towards its new place.

Moving the Shed Using a Small Forklift

As I previously mentioned, there are a lot of independent tool rental places which you can go to if you want to rent a small Bobcat with a forklift attachment. If you’re not going to hire a licensed forklift operator, you can learn the basics yourself since they’ll also provide you with comprehensive instructions on using the equipment.

So once you’ve gotten yourself a small Bobcat, here’s what you’ll do next. Use the forklift attachment to lift the shed up and drive it towards its new location. It’ll be much safer if you do your research beforehand and read some articles on the proper usage and driving techniques for forklift vehicles.

Also, don’t forget to call some of your friends over since you’ll be needing a few people who’ll make sure the shed is properly placed on the forklift and aligned on its new location. They’ll also help clear out any obstacles which you weren’t able to remove beforehand. Keep in mind that the person driving the forklift will have limited vision so having an extra set of eyes will make the work safer and much more efficient.

How to Secure Your Shed in its New Location

After placing the shed on its new location, you need to make sure it’s properly aligned and in place so you won’t worry about extreme weather knocking it off the ground. If you’re not going to use concrete foundation, you should take some extra measures to tie it down in place. Get some stakes, big ropes and a mallet and pin down the shed in its place so that strong, heavy winds wouldn’t turn your backyard shed upside down.

Once you’ve finally finished relocating the shed, go on and fill it back up. It’ll also be much better to keep your things organized, this time.

Move Your Shed Easily with moveOn Moving

moveOn Moving is one of the best moving companies in Las Vegas. We provide our clients with an array of moving services at affordable prices. So whether you’re planning to move your shed locally or long distance, let our team of expert movers help you accomplish your goals.

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