Moving a shed is a project that most people would avoid. However there may be circumstances when it is necessary or desired: if your purchaser doesn’t want it left behind, it may be a condition of the sale, or it may be a shed that you built yourself that you want to retain and reuse. Unless you want to incur the cost of using a specialty mover with a flatbed trailer your shed must be disassembled in order to be moved. If the shed was originally purchased as a kit and is constructed of metal, fiberglass or a composite material it will be easier than if it is a wooden shed that you built from scratch.
DIY Sheds vs. Shed Kits
With a kit type of shed the disassembly process will be virtually the opposite steps taken to assemble it. Hopefully you may still have the instructions that came with your shed but if not, you can usually get a copy of those instructions online from the shed manufacturer. Moving a homemade wooden shed is a much larger job and will require more manpower and care.
Moving a Shed Steps
While every shed is a little different, the following is a general guideline of the usual steps along with some cautionary notes about problems that can arise. The first step when disassembling a shed is to first remove any windows and doors to help lighten the weight of the shed. This is particularly important with a wooden shed, where the windows are made of glass and the door is usually a very heavy piece of wood. Next step will be the removal of the roof which will definitely affect the stability of the shed. The roofs on most non-wooden sheds are made up of panels and can be unscrewed with a power screwdriver. With wooden sheds, you will have likely have shingles that need to be removed. Usually it is not possible to reuse these shingles but generally you can save the metal flashing. Also with a wooden shed you may want to consider some temporary bracing before you start removing the sidewalls. The last thing you want to happen is for walls to fall over and get damaged or cause injury.
Whether you are disassembling a metal or a wooden shed, you will probably find that screws or nails have rusted and will need to be replaced when you go to reassemble the shed in the new location. You may also encounter some rotted wood sections that cannot be saved.
Once the shed is totally disassembled be sure to carefully pack all of the hardware in clear plastic bags and mark the outside to identify what section they have been removed from to make reassembly easier.
As you can see, moving a shed can be difficult. If you can afford it, hiring someone who is familiar with assembling and disassembling sheds can save you a lot of time and aggravation. A professional mover like Premiere Van Lines can take care of moving your shed along with the rest of your items when undertaking a home or business move! To learn more about this great service and more, contact us today.