Moving home doesn’t mean leaving your shed behind.
If you’re itching to keep it but aren’t sure how to move a shed, you’ve come to the right place. How you’ll move your shed to another part of the garden, from your old home to your new one, or into storage, will depend on its size and whether you will dismantle it.
So, let’s get to it!
Moving a shed – key considerations
Before you move your shed, check to see if you need a special permit.
If you’ve got a standard 6×8 or 8×10 shed, you should be okay – but check your new local building regulations just in case. If you don’t have a permit, you must keep the following in mind:
- You might not be able to put your shed in a Conservation Area without a permit.
- The maximum height for sheds in a residential garden is 3 metres.
- Your shed can’t cover over 50% of the space around the building (or 15 sqm).
- Your shed needs to be installed away from walls and public roads.
- Your shed can only be used for domestic, not commercial, purposes.
Steps for moving a shed
1. Decide if you can move the shed
The first step is to see if your shed can be moved – or is worth moving – in the first place.
If it’s a very old shed structure or is broken in places, it may not survive the move, so you might consider saving up for a new one. If your shed is secured to the ground with cement, bear in mind that if you move it, you’ll have to source new floor panels.
2. Empty the shed
The second step is simple: empty the shed.
If you’re dismantling the shed before moving it, you can’t avoid emptying it first. But you’ll also have to empty it if you’re not dismantling it. Otherwise, you’ll make the job much harder by adding to the shed’s weight, and your items will likely get damaged during the move.
Depending on your time, emptying the shed could be the perfect time to clean your garden tools and eliminate what you don’t need. You could donate your unwanted tools to your friends and family or a local charity or tool-sharing scheme.
3. Dismantle the shed
If you’re relocating a storage shed yourself, we recommend dismantling it. This way, it’s less likely to get damaged and can be less physically strenuous for you. Check your guarantee first: if you move it without dismantling it, you may void your guarantee.
Here’s what you need to do when it comes to dismantling a shed:
- Get the right tools – you’ll need a hammer, screwdrivers, gloves and a ladder.
- Identify any issues, such as heavy parts that require more pairs of hands.
- Remove the finial, fascia and trim first using a screwdriver for screws or hammer claw for nails.
- Remove windows with care, especially glass ones.
- Remove the door by unscrewing the hinge mounts.
- Remove roof coverings using a hammer claw for shingles and a flat-head screwdriver for felt tacks.
- Take off the roof boards with care.
- Detach the walls, whether they’re tongue and groove walls or overlap ones.
- Remove the shed floor and use your screwdriver to detach any screws.
- Move the parts and rebuild your shed at your new location!
4. Get the equipment for moving a garden shed in one piece
Although dismantling the shed first is best, you might consider moving it in one piece. Only do this if you’re experienced. Naturally, smaller sheds are easier to move in one piece because they weigh less. When moving a shed by hand, you may need:
- Rollers
- A shovel
- A ramp, jack or forklift
- A van or trailer
Here’s how to move a shed from one place to another when you’re not dismantling it…
5. Secure the shed
When moving a shed in one piece, you’ll have to secure the most vulnerable parts of the structure to prevent them from breaking. Remove window panes and insert two wooden braces to the studs diagonally (in an X shape).
Do the same with the doors: remove them and insert two wooden braces from the top left to the bottom right, and vice versa, to form an X shape.
6. Prepare the new garden
You can’t think about how to move a storage shed without considering your new garden.
Don’t forget to make way for your shed in your new outdoor space! Ensure ample access to the garden, remove any obstructions and clear the spot where your shed will sit.
7. Dig out your shed
Wooden sheds, even small sheds, weigh a lot – usually between 1200 and 2600 pounds. Due to the weight, it may have sunk, and you’ll need to use a shovel to dig it out! However, if your shed sits on a concrete base, you should be able to lift it without having to dig it out.
8. Lift the shed
Again, you should only attempt this with experience – and additional hands on deck.
Together with the friends you’ve recruited to help, the next step is to start moving the shed by getting it onto the rollers. Lift one side of the shed using a car jack, keep the other end in position and place the rollers underneath. Lay the rollers at least two feet apart.
If the ground is particularly wet, create a wood platform for your shed to roll on.
9. Move the shed
Roll the shed a short distance to its new location in your garden or the vehicle you’re using to transport it to its new destination. Lever the shed and slide it onto the vehicle, or use your collective strength to push it up the ramp and onto the vehicle. Make sure you research how to do this properly and have plenty of people to help.
Once you’ve positioned your shed in its new home, fill it with your belongings!
Get in touch with Removals & Storage Experts
Moving home can be one of the most stressful things you can do without the right people and professionals to help. If you need to move or store a garden shed or any other belongings, give the team at Removals & Storage Experts a call. Don’t risk injury and stress by doing everything on your own. Our team of experienced removal experts will pack and move your items for you so that you can focus on the paperwork side of your moving house.
