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Discussion Forum

movers,how much does a garage weigh?

alwaysoverbudget | Posted in General Discussion on January 11, 2004 06:29am

i’ve got a 24×24 garage i’m thinking of moving about 200 feet on my lot and i’m trying to guess what it weighs. 24×24, one 16′ door,8′ tall walls, 2×4’s on 16″ centers,rafters on 4′ centers,walls and roof sheeted in 1/2 osb .sided with vinyl, one layer of 3 tab shingles.this garage is only 2 years old so i hate to tear it down and if i could get it set on a trailer or picked up with 2 fork lifts and moved to back of lot it would make a great shop to tinker in.my biggest concern is the rafters,whoever built it went as cheap as possible on stick built rafters .i put together  a figure of 4700 lbs for a guess.anyone have a better guess? i’ve read so much on this guy that has his house jacked up in the air,supported with 2×4’s i don’t want to be the next one that everybodys laughing at when it collaspe’s my 16′ 6000lb car trailer!!!! also any suggestions on easy way to pick up and move?thanks larry

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  1. Schelling | Jan 11, 2004 06:24pm | #1

    The easy way is to find an excavating contractor who has experience in moving small structures around. Both of the excavators we use are experienced at this. This of course is not fun nor cheap (though it won't cost much).

    I think your estimate about the weight is about right. Certainly it is not 1000# more than that. Your main problem will be to stabilize the bottoms of the walls. I would build a temporary floor with long 2x10's 4' oc and legged up to the ridge. I would put two long pieces of steel under the floor and jack these to raise the structure on cribbing. From there you can use a trailer or simply roll or skid the structure to its new home. You will of course remove the doors and brace the front wall before any of this.

  2. davidmeiland | Jan 12, 2004 02:45am | #2

    I have a small tool shed, 10x12, 8 foot stick framed walls with 1x6 siding, a 12/12 metal roof, 3/4" plywood throughout the interior. I had it moved by a guy with a crane. He estimated it at 4000 pounds. I had my 28x42 one-story house raised by a house mover who estimated it at 45000 pounds. Your garage sounds like somewhere in between and would crush your trailer if in fact you could pick it up. It could be done by a very large mobile crane and a lot of rigging.

    1. User avater
      Sphere | Jan 12, 2004 03:05am | #3

      how come ya didn't build yer house an shed WHERE ya wanted them?

      1. davidmeiland | Jan 12, 2004 05:24am | #4

        I'll let you wonder about that... keep you busy

        1. User avater
          Sphere | Jan 12, 2004 04:18pm | #5

          EVery body knows that if ya plan on movin the house and shed at a later time....LEAVE THE WHEELS ON>>>LOL

          1. davidmeiland | Jan 12, 2004 05:48pm | #6

            Alright alright... house 80 years old, built by farmers using fieldstones as piers, only 12" off the ground under there, so I lifted it up to make the concrete work and all that a lot easier. Pic attached. It's still right where it was, only higher. Shed maybe 50 years old, built by farmers using large logs as the foundation, no problem except it's blocking the view of the valley from where I'm putting a deck. I wanna sit out there and look at the valley and at my neighbor's Scottish Highland steers. So, guy with a crane slings and swings the damn thing. We put it to block the view of the neighbor's ugly garage... best $250 I spent on this place.

          2. User avater
            Sphere | Jan 13, 2004 01:21am | #7

            Geez..yer taking a chance..SHOWING the pic. These guys'll be on ya like white on rice!!!..No, it looks great..at least some folks know how to raise the house..cool place.

            Thanks fer sharing.  sorry bout bustin yer stones..just havin fun...

          3. dIrishInMe | Jan 13, 2004 01:50am | #8

            It's a nice looking house.  What state (country) do you live in?  I'm guessing somewhere in New England.  One small criticism though... I'm surprised those front steps passed inspection.  The rise looks to be more than 8.25".

            Matt

          4. davidmeiland | Jan 13, 2004 03:37am | #9

            House is on San Juan Island, Puget Sound, northwestern Washington. I had it raised enough so that everything I did underneath was a stand-up job. Then it was lowered about 3 feet so that the permanent front stairs have five treads and six 7" risers. The pic was taken on the first day up, right before I built a temporary set of stairs using stair angles and 2x12. Yes, it was a bit of a risk to raise this far--someday I'll post photos of the excavator with his bucket biting in right next to those cribs and his cab about 6" from the end of the steel beams. We insured the job appropriately and everyone was really careful.

            Here's my rhyme for the day:

            I will not plumb lying on my back. I will not squeeze in thru a crack. I will not wire laying down. I will not stretch out on the ground. I will not crawl in where it's tight. I will not .... you get the idea.

          5. User avater
            Luka | Jan 13, 2004 06:16am | #11

            You might be a redneck if your front steps are a stepladder.

            : )

            Yaaarg !¡!¡!  Hold still... While I smite thee ! 

            quittintime

  3. JohnSprung | Jan 13, 2004 05:32am | #10

    I'd suggest talking to some local house movers.  They have the equipment to make the hard part of this job easy. 

    If you build the foundation in the new location,  cut the structure loose from the old foundation, and do some bracing and other prep work per the mover's instructions, his crew could come in and do the stuff you can't in about half a day. 

    If you work it out so you pay the house mover for only the things you really need him for, the price could be a lot less than you might expect.  A long time ago, a friend of mine used to do spec houses by buying vacant land and houses to move onto it, and did very well at that business.

    -- J.S.

  4. noitall | Jan 13, 2004 07:41am | #12

    Had a 12' X 24' moved by a crane with ease. Less than a hour to do and  no ruts in the earth to deal with from the tracks of the float. Only your crane operator will be able to tell you if he can lift it and if it will be one or two lifts. Just like any trade though there are good and not so good operators. We like the owner operator we use now but most in the business now are to the point they have to know their unit pretty well. They can't afford to have it sit for repair.

    Scott T.

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