Any idea how to move a shed?

[Finley]

I'm moving to a new half plot! It's much nicer, raised beds in grass rather than on black plastic.. But I dearly love my glorious shed and am permitted to take it with me if I can move it! It's a double door one up a couple of steps with big windows across the front and doors. It's rickety on the front but pretty solid in general.
Online there are excellent suggestions involving rollers and jacks, but - and herein lies the rub - it would have to travel over a couple of metre high fences. So the question is this: I imagine sheds aren't actually very heavy once they're empty. If I recruit several strong people would we be able to carry it? It's not that far, less than 100 metres (up the path, over fence, down a bit then over another fence to new plot).. or is this a crazy fantasy?! Very grateful for any advice, be it positive or to tell me I'm barking!

[Snadger]

I think i would be inclined to take it apart and rebuild it!

[Stan79]

What Snadger said... only cost normally is a couple of screws to replace any rusted ones and a new strip of felt across the ridge.

[Chestnut]

I have only ever dismantled a (half rotted) shed, but had to saw each wall in half for me and OH to lift it over a waist high fence to get it into the skip...
Even with a few strong helpers I would suggest dismantling.

But, before/as you dismantle, take lots of photos, and make sure you label all bits of timber at any one joint with the same number or letter. If it is anything like flatpack furniture on the housemove after you threw away the instructions(!) it will make putting it back together much easier.

[Baldy]

We moved 4 sheds at the start of the season - the only one that ws a problm was the one that was 'under-manned' - I'd say for a 6*4 you should have 3 people on each side. If you are going over fences then you could do with a couple more. If the shed is in bad condition then don't try...

[Finley]

Excellent advice, thank you all!

[Chestnut]

Just a thought.....

Could the fences be temporarily moved aside, such as by removing a fence panel/rope/pallet?

[Finley]

hmm perhaps they could.. I'll have to investigate more thoroughly!

[Jungle Jane]

Would it be easier to remove the black plastic from your plot & put some some grass seed around the beds? If it's the same size plot?

[Finley]

Could do but.. Am being given new plot because of shouty complaining bully on the other half of mine! Suspect he'll be given my half just to shut him up when I move which will be frustrating but I just want a quiet life. And my shed!

[nickdub]

I reckon the shed move will work OK as long as you can take a couple of fence panels down, so you don't have to lift it too far off the ground.

I'd reinforce any walls that seem a bit wobbly by screwing on some batten at a 45 degree angle across them. I'd also tie or bolt some strong horizontal pieces of wood front and back to the shed, at about 2 foot off the ground to make some temporary handles for whoever is doing the lifting. Long ratchet straps can sometimes be useful for bracing stuff too, if you have any.

[Jungle Jane]

Could a shed fit on a fork lift truck,I think you can hire them,then raise it over the fence & somehow land it the other side?

[Baldy]

Forklift pah....

[Finley]

Haha if I knew someone with a crane or a forklift I'd be on it! It has to travel down a path between raised beds max 1metre wide - between my plot and aforesaid SCB, then up a sloped wooden entryway so I think manpower might have to be the way forward. This might cost me a few crates of beer.. and a bbq

[sparrow100]

It absolutely can be done with a few mates. We shifted mine from one end of the plot to the other, took 45 minutes and that was with relaying the base at the other end. 2 8ft poles screwed into the uprights/panel borders and we carried it like a sedan chair over my raised beds. We did it with 4 of us - going over metre-high bits might need a couple more people.

My top-tips - make sure the floor is securely fixed to the walls, or it will fall off mid-move like mine did. Make sure you have lots of juice in a cordless screwdriver to tighten things when it's back in place.

Pics and more are here: https://mudandgluts.com/2017/04/09/operation-shed-move/