Moving a 16x12 wooden shed

I currently have a 16x12 wooden shed sitting on the ground with a wooden floor inside of it. The floor is covered with USB. I believe the floor beneath is framed. I am having problem with critters chewing up through the floor. The studded walls and roof are all in excellent condition. I am thinking about moving the shed and pouring a foundation. Anyone have experience in moving a shed of this size?

 

You would probably need to jack it up and put it on skids. (4x4s that have a slight angle on the bottom like the tips of a pair of skis) then you can pull the 4x4s... pour the pad, the pull it back over the pad, jack it up, remove the skids, let it down.

 

Not sure what exactly you had in mind, but noticed that you said "foundation" and X said "pad". A pad, with footers of course, would be good, and I imagine that is what X had in mind, but, in case you were thinking of a perimeter foundation, I would advise against it. First off, you don't know the condition of the joists that have been laying on the ground, and you don't know if they are sized to carry the span with only perimeter support, although one could probably correctly guess that they were not. Any chance that you have space to just move your shed to one side or the other? If so, it might be easier pour your pad, move the shed just one time, then reseed the spot that it's sitting on now.

 

Also, check with your local zoning and building inspections department. Sheds just sitting on the ground are often considered "temporary" and escape many regulations. The minute you pour concrete they usually consider it to be a permanent building and subject to zoning and building codes.

 

Pad might be a better word, a pad with a rat wall. This shed is very structurally sound, as i said it is 16x12 with storage in a loft. The frame would be anchored to the slab. I am not worried about the regulations as I will get the proper permits. My concern is the feasibility of moving this shed. I have seen some videos of laying 4x4s along with 4 inch pipe and rolling the shed. After jacking it up of course. I was just wondering if anyone here has done it or if it is even possible. I thank you all for your responses.

 

For small-sized outbuildings that need to be critter-proof, such as chicken coups, the common farm practice around me is to pull up some floorboards and just pour the concrete in between the existing joists.

 

I've moved smaller sheds and rolling them anywhere is a function of what they are rolling on. I suspect those 4x4's will disappear into the soil when you try to pull the shed. I would be thinking 6x6 runners sliding on a bed of 2x? planks laid crosswise.

Of course empty the shed completely first. Jacking it up will probably start with digging a few holes to get your jacks below the frame but the frame may not be strong enough to lift that much weight. That's to be determined. You might end up digging out the 4 corners to install a larger pad to jack against.

It isn't going to be easy, but can be done.

Bud

 

100% sure there's no 4 x 4 skids already there now?
Just hard to believe someone would just build it in direct contact with the ground like that.
I've moved many a shed with 3 pieces of 4" PVC, two big eye bolts, and two Farm jacks.

 

I agree it could be done as I've moved a few, even loaded one on a trailer one time so someone could take it elsewhere, but 12x16 with a loft sounds like a lot of weight. At a minimum I would be thinking like Bud mentioned, 6x6's in place of 4x4's. But might be more inclined to consider doing it half and half as in removing the flooring so the joists ar exposed, tilt it one way with the jacks, pour the rat walls and floor on one side, let it down, tilt it the other way, and pour the second half. Would be a pain finishing the concrete while working around the joists but wouldn't think you'd have to go as high. Then you could decide if you wanted to put the OSB back or anchor the walls to the concrete and cut the joists out.

 

Google "moving a storage container".

I was thinking of buying one and even the small 20' units are 5000#'s.

Can it be moved sure, should it be?

I too would really look hard at pouring a foundation around existing structure!

 

Have you considered jacking it up and pulling masonry mesh underneath it? Finish by stapling the mesh around the outside edges of the building.

 

I get some 4x4 and 6x6 blocks. I have a 6' pry/ tamp bar, lift up a corner, insert a block. Work your way around the shed until you can get some 4" schedule 40 PVC under the shed. There needs to be a flat surface such as 4x4 skids or a 2x6 or 2x8 on its side under the shed to roll on. Cut the 10' PCV into 3' sections. Get at least three sections of pipe under each side. Insert the pry bar under the end of the shed and scoot the shed. The more sections of pipe (Wheels) the easier it will roll. Keep all the wheels pointed in the same direction. Not enough sections and you can collapse or crush the pipe. Wheels and a good lever and you can move anything.

 

When I was younger, dumber and poorer I had a friend in the same condition and we moved a building larger than this about 15 miles on a trailer. We jacked it up with farm jacks and used some cribbing to hold it to get the trailer under it. It set on the trailer for a while until we got the foundation, not a slab, poured and then aligned the building with the foundation and rolled it on to the foundation with 2 1/2" steel oil field pipes that ran across both sides of the foundation Three young, dumb, poor strong men leaned against the house and got it moving and then it rolled easily until it abutted the house that this building would attach too. Those two handy man jacks got a workout but did the job and the trailer was overloaded and the city police man who kindly escorted us out of town called the sheriff and highway patrol to find out they were in other areas of the county and we took off. It was an adventure.

Google moving a barn in Nebraska It was done with man power twice.
This is very doable just figure out the logistics of placement and means of raising and moving beforehand.

If you are curious you could calculate the weight of the structure. Measure the board feet of lumber and siding and roofing material and look up the respective weights and multiply and add and you would know what you have.
Jacks can be over loaded so keep supporting as you go so if one slips or fails you don't lose all you gained.
Let us know what you do and how it goes.

BE CAREFUL.

 

I've straightened a sagging barn forebay, and moved a few sheds.

The biggest problem with moving structures is wracking or twisting.

I'd HIGHLY recommend temporary x-bracing along the floor and ceiling rafters, and at least diagonal bracing on the walls, before moving.

Use a nail gun or pneumatic nailer, because In my experience, amateurs pounding nails into an old structure basically guarantees LOOSENING the other nailed joints.