# moving a garage



## Bondo (Dec 8, 2007)

Ayuh,... The short version is,..
You jack up the building using Hyd-jacks,+ blocking,...
You back in the trailer,...
You build a crib or box or bridge on top of the trailer, supporting the building....
Then you remove the jacks,+blocking to move the trailer with the building on it to where you want it....
Of course, then you reverse the procedure you just did where it was.....


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## sausmonkey (Mar 30, 2009)

well, that's pretty much what i figured. i'm kinda lookin for the long version though lol. My main concern is the hydro running to the garage, but if i know moving the building isn't going to be a big deal, i'll work that out . thanks


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

I'd cut the bolts that hold it down to the concrete pad
Jack it up & use metal pipe as rollers to roll it back

I moved a shed with wood rollers & my truck
Nail 2x's across the garage door opening/windows & maybe some of the walls if its older to keep everything square

The drill new holes & bolt it down again


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## johnnyboy (Oct 8, 2007)

I've moved sheds on skid foundations, I wonder if something like that would work. 

What if you jacked it up, set it on a bunch of 4x4 or even 2x4 "skids" pointing in the direction you want to go. Put a bunch of crossmembers to keep the thing square, and tug on it with a few come-a-long ratcheting chains. Hopefully you got a big tree close by 

obviously it'll still take some ingenuity on your part for the rigging, but it might work heh.


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

I'm on the same line of thinking as ScubaDave. If your garage is sitting on a concrete pad then it probably does have a bottom plate. As Dave said also, use 2x4's to brace up things, especially some cross-bracing. Jacking it up means only bringing any one area up 1/4" at a time if necessary, shimming, and cribbing accordingly. I know there's a difference but I've moved machinery weighing over 100 tons with this pipe roller method. We used to say it was a case of "mind over matter, and with our minds it didn't matter". Keep us posted on this. David


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## Wildie (Jul 23, 2008)

Its said that the Egyptians built the pyramids by using rollers.

You only have few feet to go, so i vote for the rollers! :thumbup:


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## sausmonkey (Mar 30, 2009)

i do like the idea of the rollers for sure-you guys are making it sound really easy. i'd rather do it myself than pay someone else though. I figure it'll be bolted to the pad, but it kinda sucks because it's drywalled and the old owner even put in baseboards lol. so i'm going to have to wreck some of that


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

The drywall should make it stiffer
I think trying to drag it without rollers would not work
I'm assuming the wood frame goes right down to the ground/cement foundation??


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## sausmonkey (Mar 30, 2009)

yeah, the wood frame goes all the way to the foundation. As long as it seems easy and i have a few different ideas of how to move it-in case one doesn't work, I will try for sure


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## TazinCR (Jun 23, 2008)

Try and use a Sawsall with metal cutting blade. Slide it between the bottom plate and concrete to cut the bolts.


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## Ron6519 (Mar 28, 2007)

Another vote for the rolling method. 
You will need to bolt the cross bracing, not just nail it to the wall studs. I think you will also need interior bracing that stiffens up the wall to wall connections or the building might rack. I'd also screw plywood accross the top 1/2 of the garage door and bolt a 2x8 accross the bottom.
You might need a, "come along"(winch) if the structure goes back askew of the new foundation.
Ron


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

I've seen an even easier way to lift & move a garage around here a few times. It's especially easy if you live near a farming community.:thumbup:

- Back hay wagon (flat rack) into garage, centered both ways.
- Let most air out of all 4 tires of wagon.
- Brace to garage walls & ceiling with 2x10's, microlams, etc. both directions and rest them directly on wood bed of wagon.
- Cut all anchorments to slab.
- Slowly air up each tire together.
- Back wagon up to new location.
- Slowly let air out of tires evenly, fine tuning position of garage.

Obviously, there is more detail than this, but others have already lent good info. I've never seen one moved with drywall, but I've seen unfinished garages moved for a few miles this way. Good Luck!


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## sausmonkey (Mar 30, 2009)

oh man, for the first time ever i wish i lived in the country haha. that sounds so perfect. i'm kind of in the middle of the city though,a nd even getting a tractor here wouldn't be much fun. Everyone worried about how much it's going to cost and/or the work involved, but you guys are easing my mind about things. thank you!


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

A truck that can hold the weight would work also


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

Scuba_Dave said:


> A truck that can hold the weight would work also


 
If you mean to replace the tractor, you are correct.

The wagon might be hard to replace with a truck tho.


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

I know it's way overboard but I happened to remember these. We had them where I worked and we used them to move really heavy machinery. Two men (literally) could move a 100 ton machine the length of the building by themselves. www.aerogo.com


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## sausmonkey (Mar 30, 2009)

wow that is crazy. the video is nuts. that would definitely make it easier. doubt I could rent one, around here anyway though, but would be sweet indeed.


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## Thurman (Feb 9, 2009)

The company I worked for had a set in Michigan, we're in S.GA. They shipped the set all the way down here when we had to set a new piece of machinery. I had worked for a construction company that (I thought at the time) had specialized equipment to move machinery. When I saw these I actually thought "NO WAY", compressed air move this 18 ft. diameter, 100 ton behemoth? Again NO WAY. Ooops-WAY! The also sent down two millwrights to show us how to use them as our set was ordered, once we had it set up, ease the air to it, the machine just raised up smoothly about 1/4" off of the floor and just sat there hissing away. THEN- when I saw these two guys push this thing down the aisle (securely chained to a large forklift for safety) I almost freaked out. The plant manager had all operations stopped and all personnel come to this site. All 350 employees watching as they just pushed this big monster down the aisle, turned down another aisle, and put it on the very large red "X" they had drawn on the floor. We wound up setting 14 of these large macines total like this. We even subbed out to local companies to move machinery for them. They were always mind boggling. As you can see, those two little girls move that full size truck anywhere. NOTE: they do require a clean level surface to work properly.


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## sausmonkey (Mar 30, 2009)

so just a quick question bout anchoring. I'm just wondering where the structure would typically be anchored to the foundation. as i said, im lucky enough to have it drywalled, and even baseboards, so i'd like to do as little damage pulling that stuff back enough to get at the bolts. thanks


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## Daniel Holzman (Mar 10, 2009)

Not to be a wet blanket, but you better check with your local zoning authority to make sure you can actually move the garage where you want to. There are always setback requirements. See the recent thread about the bonus room that was not permitted etc. Bad news if you are out of compliance.


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

Sausmonkey, I just happened to realize the other day that a contractor friend of mine had moved a garage in the method I had described earlier to his property a few months age. The garage was moved a few miles, & has been propped up at his property for a few months. If your interested, I could probably take a few pics to show you how it was supported.


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## sausmonkey (Mar 30, 2009)

ya that would be dynamite. any pics you can get, if it's not too much trouble.
i'm definitely ckecking everything with the city to make sure it can be moved before i start. thanks guys


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## Roxxy (Oct 9, 2009)

*garage moving*

Hey I'm in the same boat as sausmonkey. I need to move my garage but up to 300 feet on the same property. Any news how the move went or any new ideas? My garage is wood construction 24x30, three garage doors (16', 14', and 9'), one entry door and three windows. Anymore thoughts or videos available?

Thanks!


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

I forgot about the picture untill now, OOPS!
The last picture is the trailer they used to move the garage.


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## Roxxy (Oct 9, 2009)

jomama,

Where are you in WI? I may need some help. I'm near Baraboo, WI (40 mins north or Madison).

Rox


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## Roxxy (Oct 9, 2009)

Do you think it would be easier to deconstruct the garage? How would you go about removing the roof? What equipment would I rent?

Any input would be great!

Thanks again.

Roxxy


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

Roxy, I'm over near Lake Michigan, not to far from Milwaukee. Little far to travel for work. Try to find on older carpenter that has some free time to give you a hand. IMO, moving the garage as one peice is less work than disassembling & putting it back together. Check out post #13, try to visualize it in your head.
Good Luck.


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## Roxxy (Oct 9, 2009)

Hi Jo, how are the 2x10's connected to each other? Would I need one or two trailers for a 30 wide 24 deep garage? If two are needed, how would they connect to the truck pulling the trailers? It appears from the picutres I will need to remove the garage doors too.

Do you have any insight on jacking the garage up, turning the garage in its current location, then rolling it foward onto a new foundation? Do you think this could work too? Garage would need to be jack up about 8 feet.

I've sent a couple pictures.


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

Roxxy said:


> Hi Jo, how are the 2x10's connected to each other?
> *I'm not sure I understand. There are 2x6 or 8's mounted to every wall stud by 1 or 2 lags. There are 12 or 14" microlams under these that are one piece that clear span the interior width of the garage. These in turn would rest on the trailer or wagon.*
> Would I need one or two trailers for a 30 wide 24 deep garage?
> *Only one if you can find the right material to span the 30' width.*
> ...


In all honesty, we don't move these garages ourselves. I've helped a few times, but we pour new slabs for them fairly often. In Baraboo, you should have no problem finding a farmer with a flat bail rack (wagon) to rent/borrow/etc....

If by any means you don't feel comfortable doing this, DON'T! I have seen Pro's move these things very efficiently (sometimes complete in 1 day) for a fraction of what a new garage would cost.

Again, Good Luck.


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## Roxxy (Oct 9, 2009)

Ok...just one more questions. Any recommendations to who is a PRO for this type of work?

Thanks for all your help.


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

Roxxy said:


> Ok...just one more questions. Any recommendations to who is a PRO for this type of work?
> 
> Thanks for all your help.


 You could start by looking for HOUSE MOVERS in the yellow pages. Better yet would be to ask around everyone you know to find someone with references. These Pros are few & far between, but well worth spending your time to find the right one.


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## jumbiee (Sep 7, 2014)

*moving wooden garage*

I just moved my wooden garage , 15 ft back it was too close to my house
make a new foundation
- cut pipes to make rollers
-pry or jack up garage and place pieces of 2by 4 all around then replace them with rollers
- use 2x 4 to brace the inside of the garage from shifting (important)
-i used six guys to push it with the help of 5ft long pry bars
then i bolt the garage to the new foundation
job complete now yard looks bigger- good luck i should have done it 30 years ago


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