Moving a shed can be a daunting but often necessary task.
The size of the shed, the location of the shed, and the materials used to build the shed should be considered.
Moving sheds can be challenging because they require heavy lifting. If you don’t have the proper equipment or experience, then you might want to hire someone who does.
But if you are the DIY type of person, moving a shed is totally possible.
You’ll need a good plan in place, otherwise you might find that you break the shed using incorrect moving techniques.
No matter why you are moving your shed, it can certainly be a difficult and stressful task.
While it might seem impossible by staring at your shed in your yard, moving it can actually be easier than you first think.
Today we’re going to be looking at how you can move your shed without any expensive tools.
Instead, you’ll need a couple of helpful friends, some basic tools that you can find around the house (or maybe in the shed?), and some time.
Let’s get right into moving that shed, shall we?
What's In This Article
What You Will Need To Move Your Shed
The first thing you will need is a friend, this is an essential part of this method.
More specifically you will need a friend that has a truck.
They will help you load up all of the items that you will need for moving your shed.
Items you will need to move your shed:
• A trailer big enough to fit your shed onto
• Rollers made from a sturdy material, such as logs or UVC pipes
• Multiple jacks or a forklift
• Strong straps that aren’t going to snap
• A dolly, if you are moving the shed around your yard
• A crane, only if you are moving an incredibly heavy outbuilding
Bear in mind that these supplies are not all needed, and you might only need one or two of them depending on the method you’re using to move your shed.
For example, you won’t need both a trailer and log rollers.
Steps For Moving Your Shed
Now, let’s take a look at how you can move your shed without creating too much hassle for yourself. Make sure to read this entire section before making a plan of how to move your shed.
Step 1: Evaluate Your Own Shed
Some sheds are not able to be moved to another property, or even just to a new place in your current yard.
Some are too large or cumbersome, and some materials are too fragile to withstand the moving process.
So, before you start trying to move the shed, you first need to determine whether it can actually be moved without breaking it or not.
First of all, look at the dimensions and weight of your shed.
Once you have the dimensions, either from its user manual or a trusty measuring tape measurer, you can determine which of these five categories your shed fits into.
1. Movable With Trailer
If your shed is longer than 8 feet long and over a tonne in weight, you might have the best luck with moving your shed with a trailer attached to a vehicle.
2. Movable With Forklift
Forklifts are a good option for smaller sheds that weigh less than half a tonne. However, you will need to be able to safely operate a forklift with this option.
You might need to pay a licensed forklift driver to do this if you are not qualified.
3. Movable With Truck Bed
Small sheds less than 6 feet long can often fit within a truck bed. They can also often be lifted by a number of people onto the truck bed before driving to the new location.
If your shed is bigger, though, you might need to enlist the help of specialist equipment and a bigger truck.
4. Movable Once Disassembled
Some sheds will not be able to be moved as a whole, but they can be moved by disassembling them.
While this can be annoying, you might choose to do this instead of purchasing a new shed as they can be expensive.
5. Not Possible To Move
Unfortunately, not all sheds can be moved from their resting place. This could be because it is cemented into the floor, and therefore you will not be able to move it.
You’ll either need to accept that you cannot move it and leave it there, or get a new one installed in the new place.
Now that you know which category your shed fits into, you will better know how to move it. If you can move your shed, move onto the next step.
Step 2: Remove Everything From Inside Of The Shed
The first thing you must do when you want to move your shed is remove everything inside of it.
This includes any tools, furniture, appliances, etc. that you may have stored inside of your shed.
You don’t necessarily have to remove everything at once, but you should try to make sure that nothing is left behind.
A shed will most likely still weigh at least 5 stone while empty, so you can imagine that it is still going to be very heavy if you leave anything in it!
Get your family to help remove everything from the shed and store it somewhere that it is going to be safe until you can get it back into the shed once it has been moved.
Step 3: Get Everything You Will Need For The Moving Process
So, the shed is empty and you have established that it can be moved, and you have a rough idea how you are going to move it.
If you are using rolling pipes or logs, you will need around 10 pipes that are just longer than your shed.
You might also need a jack or a forklift to get the shed off of the ground if you think it’s going to be too heavy to lift.
This will also be needed if you don’t have anyone who can help with the lifting process.
It will also be helpful to have a number of tools on hand in case you need them, for example if the shed has been bolted into the floor that you need to undo.
You should know how you are moving your shed – forklift, truck bed, or trailer – so make sure that you have this ready to go too.
You might need to hire this equipment, so choose a day to move the shed and book it for the same day.
Now that you have everything ready that you need for the move, it’s time to start preparing the shed.
Step 4: Prepare Your Shed And Its New Bed
Before you begin moving your shed, you will need to prepare it for its new home.
Make sure that you clean out all of the debris from around the shed unless you want to bring it along with you.
You need a clear path from where your shed currently is and where it is going. If this is just another area of your garden, then make sure that your garden is clear and easy to maneuver over.
If you are moving the shed to a new house, you need to make sure that you have cleared both backyards so the shed can be moved swiftly.
Look for stones, dirt, or clumps of grass that could trip you up while moving the shed.
For the best results, we would recommend mowing the lawn and raking the grass away before moving the shed.
It will take a while longer to fully prepare, but it will be worth it not to trip over and drop the shed, breaking it in the process.
Also remember to rake the area where you’re going to put the shed in the new spot so that it is flat.
Putting a shed on an uneven ground will alter its level and potentially leave it susceptible to rotting thanks to water being able to pool underneath the wood.
We would recommend considering removing the windows and doors from the shed. This will prevent the wood from being stretched and therefore broken when moving the building.
Move them separately from the shed with the rest of the items that were removed from the shed in step two.
Step 5: Dig Out Your Shed
Some sheds are anchored into the ground to make them more stable. If this is true for your shed, you should dig it out using a shovel.
The goal here is to remove as much soil as possible without damaging the foundation of the shed.
Experts have found the best way to do this. You are going to need to create things called ‘gripping points’, which are placed around the shed by using the shovel to dig downwards next to it.
This will create divots where you can fit your jack or your hands to lift the shed up.
Depending on how many people you have to help you, you should create the same amount of divots as you have hands.
For example, if you have four people helping and therefore eight hands, you need eight divots. Put two either side of each corner of the shed so that the four people can lift one corner each.
If you have more than four helpers, make more divots along the length and width of the shed so that the extra helpers have somewhere to put their hands too.
If you’re using a jack rather than people, you will only need one divot for each corner.
You might also want to use additional jacks along the length and width of the shed for additional strength.
Be careful if your shed is on uneven ground as creating divots might shift the ground underneath it and make it become compromised.
Step 6: Get To Moving The Shed
Now that you’ve dug out your shed, you need to get it onto the truck – or the forklift, or the trailer. If you have a friend who has a pickup truck, you can ask him/her to move the shed.
Otherwise, you’ll need to rent a trailer or a forklift.
If the shed is small enough, you might be able to pick it up with the help of some friends on each corner.
If you’re going to be lifting the shed yourself, though, make sure that you and your helpers lift from your legs rather than using your backs. Otherwise you could seriously hurt yourself.
For larger sheds, we recommend using jacks to lift it. These will help you to lift all sides of the shed thanks to the hydraulic pressure mechanism.
Pump the jacks until the shed is high enough for you to move it onto the truck, trailer, or forklift.
If you’re only moving the shed to another area in the garden, you can use rolling pipes underneath the shed to roll it around the backyard into the new space.
However, if you are moving it to a new garden on a new property, you will need another mode of transportation. If you are going to be using rolling pipes, though, we talk about how to do this later in the article.
Step 7: Load The Vehicle
Once you’ve lifted the shed enough that you can fit something underneath it, you need to load it onto the vehicle.
There are different ways to do this depending on what kind of vehicle you’re using. If you’re using a pickup truck, you should be able to lift the shed onto the truck bed.
If you’re using other vehicles, you may need to hire someone else to do this for you.
You can also use a crane to lift the shed over the top of the vehicle. However, this requires a lot of manpower and is not recommended unless you really know what you’re doing.
A forklift is probably the easiest method of loading the shed onto a vehicle as it will be stronger than you, and hopefully won’t cause any injuries!
Plus, if you’re only moving the shed a little way, you could probably leave it on the forklift and use that piece of machinery as your transportation!
Loading a vehicle with your shed is probably the most difficult step of this whole process (if you can believe that!) as it requires a lot of concentration and strength.
Here are a few ways that you can load your shed onto a vehicle.
Using A Jack
The simplest way to load a vehicle with a shed is by using a jack. This is usually done at the front of the vehicle so that the weight of the shed doesn’t pull the vehicle backwards.
Once the jack is under the shed, you simply lower the platform until the shed is resting on the jack.
Then you pump the jack to raise the platform back up. You then repeat this process until the shed is high enough to be loaded onto the vehicle.
This method is an easy one, but it also takes a lot of jacks to do. Plus, you need a jack that is going to be able to raise the shed high enough to get onto a shed.
Make sure that you put jacks all around the shed and pump them at the same time so that the shed is raised evenly.
Using A Ramp
Another way to load a vehicle is to use a ramp. This is similar to the previous method except that instead of pumping the jack, you push the shed up the ramp.
This allows you to load the shed onto the vehicle without having to worry about raising the shed too much.
There are many different types of ramps available, which means there’s no right or wrong way to use one. Some trucks come with a ramp which will make the job much easier.
However, you can also make your own ramp from wood or another strong material.
Have a few helpers push the shed from the back so that it slides up the ramp and onto the truck bed or trailer.
Bear in mind that the shed could fall backwards if you stop pushing it halfway up the ramp. So, get ready to push, and don’t stop until you’re done.
Using A Forklift
If you have access to a forklift, then you can use that to load the shed onto your vehicle. The advantage of this method is that you can move the shed easily once it’s loaded onto the vehicle.
Plus, you don’t need to worry about getting hurt while lifting the shed into position.
If you’re planning on using a forklift, you’ll need to find out how heavy the shed is before you start. It might help to weigh the shed first.
Then, when you’re loading it onto the vehicle, you should be able to tell whether the shed is too light or too heavy for the forklift.
If it’s too heavy, then you may want to consider using a crane to lift the entire shed.
It’s important to note that you should be qualified to use a forklift, and if you do not have the correct certification, you will need to hire someone who does.
Using a forklift is likely going to be the most expensive way of loading your shed because of how much forklifts cost, but it is also the easiest as you won’t have to do much of the work.
Step 8: Transport The Shed
Now that the shed is on your mode of transportation, make sure to strap it down properly. That’s it! You’re done and you can move your shed to its new home.
Once you have arrived at the new back yard, complete all of the steps in step 6 to unload it from the vehicle.
Now you can reattach the doors and windows before putting back all of its contents within it once more. Woohoo!
Moving A Shed Using Rolling Pipes
Rolling pipes are used to transport large objects like sheds. The best type of pipe to use is scaffolding pipes, but you can also use wooden logs if you have enough spare.
The former is cheaper and often easier to cut and use, but logs are still another viable option if you’d prefer.
Now that you’ve chosen which pipes you’re going to use (the best will be around 4 inches in diameter), you can use them to move the shed.
Complete all steps before step six and lift the shed with jacks enough so that you can slide the pipes underneath the base.
Make sure that the pipes are perpendicular to the way that you want to move the shed. Put one pipe underneath the shed for every four feet.
If your shed is only 6 feet, you will only need two or three pipes. You can use more for extra stability, though.
Rolling pipes will only work best if your backyard is even and free of bumps and obstacles.
Now that all of the pipes are underneath the shed, remove the jacks and start pushing the back of the shed.
You should ask some helpers to stand on either side of the shed to ensure that it doesn’t come off of the pipes while moving.
As the shed moves, the pipes will roll out from underneath the outbuilding from behind.
Have another helper in charge of getting this pipe and moving it back to the front of the shed, allowing it to roll further.
You can roll the shed around at an angle if you need to reposition it.
Rolling pipes are good for moving a shed small distances, but it might be easier to move the shed with a truck or trailer if you need to move it a larger distance.
Things To Consider When Moving A Shed
There are many things to think about when moving a shed. Here are just a few of them.
- Make sure that you are lifting all of the sides of the shed equally so that too much pressure isn’t added to one side of the shed at once. This could increase the likelihood of it breaking.
- Don’t rush the process of moving your shed. We know that it is a big task and you want to get it done as soon as possible, but rushing the move increases the likelihood of breaking the shed or injuring yourself.
- If you are using rolling pipes, put a few pipes underneath the front while someone is lifting the side of the shed.
This will help keep the shed moving rather than you having to replace the pipes every few seconds.
Why Would You Want To Move Your Shed?
If you’re thinking about moving your shed, then there are probably several reasons why you would do so. Some of these reasons are very good ones for moving a shed.
So, if you’ve read the process above and are considering not bothering with the move, read this list.
If your original reason is on the list, then you should definitely move it before it gets ruined and unfixable.
More Garden Space
Moving your shed means that you’ll have more space to grow plants. It’s true that most people don’t realize how much room they really have until they try to expand their garden.
Most people are surprised by how little space they actually have when a shed has been placed in the middle of the yard for no good reason.
Moving the shed will allow you to use more space in your garden to how you want it.
We recommend putting the shed in a corner of the garden so you can maximize the rest of the space without a shed getting in the way.
Weather Conditions
Weather conditions play a huge role in where your shed should be placed. The type of weather that you live in will determine where your shed should be kept.
For example, if you live with a yard that likes to collect water in one area of the garden more than others, the shed should be kept far away from here.
This is because water can rot your shed quickly if you’re not careful. So, the weather might be a great reason to move your shed as soon as possible.
For Aesthetic Reasons
If your shed is placed behind a lot of trees, no one is going to see it. This can be annoying if you’ve spent a lot of money on your shed.
If you want to make your shed more of a talking point during your backyard parties and barbecues, then you’ll want to move it somewhere that everyone can see it.
Read More: Best Shed Kits You Can Buy Right Now
Summary
We hope that this article has helped you move your shed, or at least made a plan to move it in the near future.
It is such a shame that people feel forced to leave their sheds behind in their old homes – but no more!
Using the steps above will help you keep your shed with you. Just remember to go slowly to avoid injuring yourself or damaging your shed. Good luck!
