Moving a shed is one of those jobs that sounds straightforward until you are standing in your backyard trying to figure out how to get a 1,500-pound structure through a gate that is 36 inches wide. It is doable in the right circumstances, but it comes with real limitations -- and for a lot of Ontario homeowners, a new shed ends up being the smarter call.
This guide covers what moving a shed actually involves, what tends to go wrong, and how to decide whether it is worth it for your situation.
Before you plan anything, take an honest look at the shed you want to move. A shed that is worth relocating is structurally sound -- no soft spots in the floor, no racked walls, no roof that leaks. If the shed has foundation damage, significant rot, or walls that are out of square, moving it is likely to make those problems worse, not better.
Also consider the age and quality of the shed. A ten-year-old kit shed that cost $2,000 new is probably not worth the effort and risk of a move. A well-built custom shed in good condition is a different story.
If the shed is worth moving and the logistics are workable, here is what the process looks like.
Remove everything from inside the shed before any movement happens. This reduces weight, protects your belongings, and gives you room to work. Even an empty shed is heavier than it looks -- a basic 10x10 structure can weigh over a thousand pounds.
Walk the path from the shed's current location to its new spot. Look for overhead obstacles like tree branches or wires, narrow gates, uneven ground, and anything else that could block the move. Measure any gates or gaps the shed needs to pass through. If the shed cannot fit through the path without being disassembled, factor that into your decision.
The most common method for moving a shed short distances is jacks and rollers. Use a floor jack at each corner to lift the shed off its base, then slide lengths of pipe or wooden rollers underneath. With one person pushing and one guiding, roll the shed slowly along the pipes, moving the rear pipe to the front as you go.
This works well on relatively flat ground for distances of up to 50 or 100 feet. Beyond that, or on any kind of slope, the process becomes significantly more difficult and the risk of the shed tipping or shifting increases.
For longer moves, a flatbed trailer or a shed moving company is the more realistic option.
Have the new foundation ready before the shed arrives at its destination. The ground should be level, cleared, and set up with the appropriate base -- concrete deck blocks, gravel pad, or screw piles depending on the size of the shed. Moving a shed onto an unprepared surface creates new problems immediately.
Once the shed is in its new position, anchor it to the foundation, rehang any doors that shifted during the move, and check the walls and roof for any damage that occurred in transit. Reattach anything you removed before moving -- shelving, hooks, latches.
The most common problems with shed moves are doors that no longer open or close properly after the structure flexes during transit, floor damage from the jacking process, siding that cracks or separates, and roofing that lifts if the shed is moved on a trailer without proper securing.
Older sheds with any existing weakness tend to show that weakness clearly during a move. A wall that was slightly out of square before the move may be significantly worse after.
Moving a shed to a new position on your property -- even within the same backyard -- can affect your permit status. If the new location brings the shed closer to a property line than your municipality allows, you may be offside even if the original location was compliant.
In Ontario, most municipalities require accessory structures to sit at least 2 feet from side and rear lot lines. London, Kitchener, Guelph, and Cambridge each have their own specific rules. Before you move a shed to a new spot on your property, confirm the new location meets your municipality's setback requirements. A quick call to your local building department is worth the time.
For a lot of Ontario homeowners, the honest answer is that buying a new shed is simpler, faster, and cheaper than moving an old one -- especially when the old shed is already showing its age.
If your current shed is more than ten years old, made from kit materials, or showing signs of floor rot, wall movement, or roof wear, the move is unlikely to extend its useful life by much. The labour involved in a shed move -- whether you do it yourself or hire someone -- adds up quickly, and a damaged shed after a difficult move is worse than no shed at all.
A new professionally built shed arrives installed and ready to use in a single day, with no risk of damage in transit, no foundation to figure out, and no doors to rehang.
BES builds and installs custom sheds across southwestern Ontario -- London, Kitchener, Guelph, Cambridge, Brantford, Woodstock, and surrounding communities. Most installs are completed in a single day. Our standard shed sizes are designed to stay within Ontario's 160 square foot no-permit threshold, and we handle the permit process for larger builds.
If you are weighing whether to move your existing shed or replace it, get a free estimate and we can help you figure out what makes sense for your property.
Today is the day to start building the structure of your dreams. Share your design ideas with us so we can get started on bringing your shed to life.
