How To Move A Garden Shed - Step By Step Guide
Date Published: 19th November 2021There are many reasons you might want to move a garden shed, but how exactly is it done? Moving a shed isn’t an easy task, but it can be extremely beneficial to your space in certain circumstances.
Here we share all the tips you’ll need on how to move a garden shed and get the job done successfully and swiftly.
Why Would You Move Your Shed?
Moving a shed certainly takes a lot of hard work, but there are multiple reasons why it might need to. If you’re debating whether you should move your shed, you might want to read the reasons below as it could give you the boost you need to get to work.
Utilise Garden Space
It’s great when you have an outdoor space that you can use and enjoy frequently. But if there’s a shed in the way then you might find yourself avoiding going out there. Could you move your shed to make better use of the garden? Is the shed blocking off a certain area that you’d like to make use of? Or is the shed taking up the spot of the garden that sees the most sunlight throughout the day? All of these are viable reasons why you should consider how to move a garden shed and make use of the garden space more wisely and functionally too.
Convenience
This is all dependent on the garden you have and how you make use of your shed. If your shed is housing items that you use daily, but it’s right at the back end of the garden, then it might be wise to move it to a closer location for ease.
Ensuring you have the right spot for your shed comes down to how you use your garden and how you use your shed.
Weather
Is your garden shed getting damaged by wet weather? If the location of the shed hasn’t been chosen wisely or greatly considered then there might be a wet weather reason you need to move your shed, such as a culmination of rainwater near the base of the shed. In instances like these, it’s vital for the health and structure of the shed that it’s moved, and done so quickly so damage can’t take hold.
Neighbours
There are guidelines around how close a shed should be to the house or a fence, so you want to ensure that you’re not violating them.
If neighbours have put in complaints to yourself or local authorities about the location of your shed in the garden then it might be worth conceding and moving the shed. Their wish for you to move the shed may or may not be justified, but it’s always better to be on good terms with your neighbours, you never know when you might need them in the future.
Plus, if the council warns you about the location of your shed and you refuse to move it, you could face a fine. But with our top tips on how to move a garden shed, we’ll help you avoid a fine and keep your shed intact too.
Can You Move A Garden Shed Without Taking It Apart?
It is possible for you to move a garden shed without having to dismantle it piece by piece. However, there may be some important reasons why you can’t do it this way.
The size of the shed is the first factor. Larger sheds will obviously weigh more, and mean they’ll be harder to move without at least taking apart some of it.
If you’re planning on moving your shed to another location, and don’t have a wide enough access path to get from the back garden to the road in front, then you will have to take the shed apart to move it. Unless you pay to hire a crane and move it this way instead.
What You Might Need To Move A Garden Shed
- Log rollers or sturdy pipes
- A forklift
- A trailer to put the shed on
- Straps to help keep it in place
How To Move A Garden Shed - The Methods To Consider
There are a couple of ways that you might want to consider moving your garden shed, all of which come with their own pros and cons that you’ll want to weigh up.
Dismantle it - Probably the most time-consuming option, but in terms of heavy machinery it’s likely that you won’t need any with this method.
Pipe rolling - A method that dates back to ancient Egyptians who would move heavy stones this way when they were building the pyramids. You use sturdy pipes or log rollers underneath the structure of the shed, and simply push the shed in the direction you’d like to place it. A little fiddly, and if the shed isn’t structurally sound, you might damage it in the process of moving it.
Forklift - If your shed is on the larger side, you’ll likely need a forklift to lift it. There could also be the potential need for a trailer to move the shed to its new location.
How To Move A Garden Shed By Dismantling It
Time-consuming and hard work, dismantling the shed is not the easy option when it comes to moving a garden shed. You’ll need tools to get you through the job, such as a crowbar and screwdriver.
Start by ensuring that the weather is going to be dry all day, and empty the shed of all of its contents.
Remove windows and place them in protective sheets. You’ll need to be careful when prying window frames away from the shed to help keep them intact.
Remove the door/s of the shed by unscrewing the hinges.
It’s advisable that you use wooden planks on each of the walls of the shed, this will help to keep the structure secure whilst you’re moving it. Create an X shape with these wooden planks to give the walls added stability when they’re not together in the shed form.
If you notice that there is damage to the shed floor, it might be worth replacing it before you put the shed back together.
Once you’ve taken it all apart, simply move it to the new location and start putting it back together again.
How To Move A Garden Shed By Pipe Rolling It
You’re going to need around four strong and sturdy pipes with this method, scaffolding pipes can work well, as can PVC or metal pipes.
To move your shed you’ll need to get the pipes underneath the structure whilst it’s raised and keep them perpendicular to where you’ll be moving the shed to.
Once the pipes are in place you should find that gravity will help you to move the shed along with ease, but you’ll need people at the front and back for supporting and pushing purposes.
As you’re moving, the pipes will come out the backside of the shed, so they’ll be needed to move to the front of the underbelly of the shed to keep it moving.
If you’re moving your garden shed just a small way, this is probably the easiest way to get it done.
How To Move A Garden Shed With A Forklift
The most costly method of how to move a garden shed is with a forklift, as you’ll have to rent the machinery to get the job done.
It’s important to remember that this method will only be possible if there’s space to get the forks underneath the shed, or the ground around the shed can be dug up.
Remove all your items from your shed.
Get the forks underneath the shed and fasten them with straps for security.
Load the shed onto the trailer you’re using and travel to your shed’s new destination.