Around 2.39% of people in the United States have a shed. Shed sales have been increasing in recent years, and for a good reason. Having a shed is great for extra storage space, an extra office, an exercise room, and so on.
But what if you already have a shed and don't like where it is? Does this mean you have to tear the whole shed down and start from scratch? Not at all!
All you need to do is learn how to move a shed. Doing this is not as hard as you would expect. Keep reading and learn more about moving a shed below.
Don't jump right into moving your shed yet. You first need to evaluate the movability of your shed. Some sheds are much more mobile than others.
Most sheds are small enough to move in a variety of ways. It might be possible to lift and drop your shed onto the back of a trailer. This would make it easy to drag the shed wherever you want it to be.
If your shed is very small, you might put it on the back of a truck bed. This is not recommended if your truck is old and not able to hold a significant amount of weight. It is also not recommended if the shed is a tight fit for a truck bed.
Squeezing a shed into this space might damage it. Some sheds are also movable with a forklift. Forklifts are designed to carry very heavy loads.
Most of them can withstand half a ton of weight. This is important if your shed is large or made of heavy materials. A forklift should lift such a shed without any problem.
While you can rent a forklift and move the shed yourself, this is not recommended. If you have never used a forklift or tried to move a shed before, doing it yourself will likely end in disaster. It is better to have a professional forklift operator do it for you.
This will ensure that your shed will come out in one piece.
There are also some cases where it is impossible to move a shed. Suppose your shed is cemented to the ground.
This would make it impossible to move. You might also have a permit from the city saying that you cannot move the shed. You would instead have to leave it where it is and perhaps get a new shed in a different location.
There are also some sheds you can move by disassembling them. While disassembling a shed is a lot of work, it does make the structure easier to move. But it is important to break down the shed properly.
You don't want to get an axe and tear the thing apart. It is better to unscrew the nuts and bolts so the structure doesn't get damaged. This also makes it easier to reassemble the shed once you place it in your new location.
Once you know how your shed can be moved, you need to prep your shed. Start by emptying the shed. Anything inside the shed will make it harder to move.
Emptying the shed will not make the shed weightless, but it will make it easier to move. An empty shed may still weigh around 100 pounds or more, depending on how large it is. Having objects inside the shed can also be dangerous once you move it.
Those objects might rattle around and damage the inside of your shed. They might also fall out of the shed and get scattered across the road while you're making the move. If your shed has glass windows, stray objects could destroy these windows as well.
Put the objects in a safe place far away from the shed so they won't get in the way. You then need to determine what method you're going to use to move the shed. Many people like the rollover method.
This is when you get a bunch of UVC pipes and place the shed over them. You can then push the shed over these pipes where they will roll it to the desired location. This can be tricky if your shed is very large, oddly shaped, or heavy.
Very small sheds can be moved with a dolly. But you should be careful when doing this. A small shed can still tip over and get damaged if you don't have firm control over it.
It would be a good idea to call over a few friends or family members to help you. They can hold onto the shed while you move it to make sure it doesn't tip over. Once the shed tips over, it will be very hard to pick it back up.
It might get damaged in the fall as well. Once you determine the moving method, make sure the area you plan to move it to is prepared. You need a firm and even surface to set the shed on.
A grassy hill isn't going to work. You need to dig up the area and smooth it out. It is a good idea to put down a concrete slab, but this is not always necessary.
The path to the shed's new resting place should also be clear. Make sure there are no branches, stones, or bricks in the way. This debris can cause you to trip and fall during the move which can be hazardous for your safety.
Remove any doors and windows your shed may have before you move it. Windows may fall out of their sockets when you move your shed. This is because the shape of your shed will warp when you move it.
This is also true for the doors. The door hinges and the door itself may get damaged when you move the shed. It is best to remove these objects so they won't distract you or get damaged.
Once you have everything prepared, you can start moving your shed. If your shed has been in one place for a while, it likely has sunk a few inches into the ground. You will need to dig it out before you can lift it.
Get a shovel and some friends to help you. Once you see the bottom edge of the shed, you'll be good to go. But be careful if your shed is on a hill.
Your shed could easily tumble down the hill if you lose control of it. A power jack can be a big help when moving a shed. It will lift the shed in small increments so you can shove something under it like a dolly or a forklift.
It is also helpful when using the rollover method. You can shove a pipe or two under the shed to help it roll in a specific direction. You will need to keep your strength up when moving a shed as it will take a lot of effort and muscle.
Avoid doing the heavy lifting yourself if you have back problems. If you plan on loading the shed onto a trailer or a truck, you'll need a ramp. This is a very difficult process and you will need others to help you.
Enough manpower will help you push the shed up the ramp and into the truck or trailer. It is important to have several people helping you because the shed could easily fall off the trailer. If you are driving the shed to a new location, be careful.
Driving too fast can bounce the shed around too much. This may damage it. It may also make it difficult to drive since the weight of the shed could cause the trailer to swerve.
You should also be careful when driving over bumpy roads. It is best to drive slower than the speed limit to reduce the risk of damage to your shed. Once you arrive at your destination, put the shed in its new location.
As long as that new location is prepped, your shed should have a great new home.
Learning how to move a shed isn't as hard as you'd expect. Tips for moving a shed include emptying the structure, prepping the new area, and clearing the path. Shed moving can also be made easier by getting some friends or professionals to help you.
To learn more about sheds, check out the options we have to offer.
