Need ideas for moving a storage building
Greetings gentlemen,
As is my longstanding custom, I’m dropping in to solicit your sage advice. The project, this time, involves moving two storage buildings from one location on my property, to another location on my property. The total distance will be about 100′ for one builidng, and about 75′ for the other building. The trek will not be in a straight line, so I will need to be able to turn and maneuver each buildings as I move it.
These two storage buildings are wood frame 2×4 construction and meaure approximately 12’Wx14’Lx8’H and 12’Wx16’Lx8’H. Both buildings were cobbled together by my in-laws many years ago. They are not rotted, but the floors are poorly structured. They aren’t much to look at either, but they do provide decent storage and I’d rather relocate them than tear them down. I’m moving them to facilitate some much needed landscaping.
What I need is some ideas on how to move them. Both buildings are currently sitting on concrete blocks. The clearance between the ground and the bottom of each building varies from about 8 inches to 14″ (one is sitting on a grade).
I have a forklift available that is strong enough to lift one end of either building. I’m wondering if I can slide a couple of beams under each building, long enough to extend past each end a few feet. Then attach some kind of wheels to one end of the beams, and lift the opposite end of the beams with the forklift by attaching to them with some kind of rigging.
I’d appreciate any ideas or critiques of this approach. Thanks in advance for any feedback.
Replies
I've read a house weighs about 60 pounds per square foot. If your buildings are not finished inside, you're probably looking at 7000 pounds apiece. If the landscape was flat, it would be easier. Not sure I would try a forklift, especially on a graded terrain. You might be better served thinking of bottle jacks to raise it up, knock out the cinder blocks, then set it back down on mobile home wheels and have a friend with an F250 drive it to the new location, then jack it back up, block it underneath, and set it back down.
It does sound like quite a bit of trouble and risky from a safety perspective. Jacking takes a lot of time (and a lot of jacks) and the building will shift and possibly the doors won't close again.
You might consider deconstructing it and salvaging what building materials you can and then rebuild it on the new site.
MW
Good to hear from you again!
Here's something that might be possible, and you can thank the egyptians or some other old time folks.
I've moved some real heavy, L-shaped counters that were probably 18 ft long and L'd another 8'. Used conduit. Jacked (with spud bars) up enough to slip a few 1" conduit under it. Rolled them along, replacing the conduit that it had rolled off of.
If you can find some phone pole-cut it to fit under the structure, get maybe 4pcs, and off you go.
or
if you can get it up on some tapered at the ends, 6x6, you can figure a way to use that as a sled and pull them along the dirt.
I moved my
8x12 shed with a small mobile crane. We slung a couple of straps under it, connected them to a spreader bar, and moved it about 50 feet in one pick. It's a stout little building that is well-suited to being slung.
In your case I think I'd try to get someone with an equipment trailer over there. If they bring a decent excavator, they might be able to sling and pick the buildings (one at a time), set them on the trailer, drive them across the yard, then re-set them.
If they're not stout buildings, I'd be hesitant to attempt any sort of dragging or roller-type approach.
I wish I were there to help, that sounds like a lot of fun!
I've moved several sheds that size by myself using jacks, 4" PVC and some concrete blocks. Yours both sound like light construction so I would run a few 2 X 4" diagonals inside from roof to floor to stiffen them up then start jacking. I put 4" X 6" skids under one, used some straps to secure it to the floor joists then hooked it to my truck and pulled it to its new home.
I jacked another one up enough to put in on a heavy equipment trailer, strapped it down, drove it 30 miles, unloaded it then rolled it sround the house on 4" PVC pipes.
With a fork lift I'd lift one side at a time, strap on skids and haul away. I left the skids under mine which makes it easy to level.
PVC pipes work great for rolling if it's pretty flat. Same for skids. Otherwise, your beams on wheels is much better. I've got an ex-military container mover which would work great. Know anyone nearby with one? Amounts to a two axle trailer with no bed between the two axles. A buddy in central Oregon also has one.
Until the owner decided she didn't want to pay the freight, I was going to move a log cabin intact with mine. Jack it up, place I beams, strap the cabin corners, attach to my container mover and head on down the hay field to the cabin's new home. Unfortunately now all they want to pay for is for me to push it into a burn pit. Too nice for that, I've been delaying, hoping to find someone who would want to relocate it.
Have fun.
Thanks, guys. You've given me some great ideas to work with.