Dilemma, move a shed or build a new coop?

[Wise Woman]

Hi all. I haven't posted for a while due to working on our vintage cottage. It has been over 7 months now since we bought it and we still aren't moved in. Hope to be in sometime this summer. Maybe by Labor Day. Anyway, last year prior to purchasing this cottage, we were planning to build a new coop. I drew up plans and knew exactly how I wanted it.

Then we unexpectedly bought the cottage and hubs decided it would be a good idea to move a shed he built to the new house and use that as a chicken coop. Great, I though. I would have an 8 x 16 insulated coop. What more could I want? Well, that has not been so easy.

I cannot find anyone to move it. Actually, I found one guy, but he is too far away and won't come and do it. Now I don't know what to do. Time wise, it would be much easier to just move the shed and then convert it to a coop. The shed is beautiful and would make a nice coop with plenty of room. My husband is very attached to this shed as a lot of blood, sweat and tears went into building it.

However, I still wouldn't mind building the coop I designed, as I think it would look adorable, but that will take even more time and with all we have to do to get the house livable, I am afraid it will put hubs over the edge. We cannot afford to purchase the materials and hire someone to build it for us, so hubs and I will be doing the work. Building a coop from scratch would actually fit better into the yard as the shed is about 10 or 11 feet tall and will stick out like a sore thumb. If we build from scratch, we could customize the coop to the yard.

I am so confused. What would you do in my situation? I have even thought about trying to sell the shed, but don't know how someone else will get it moved either. I suppose I can keep looking for someone to move the shed, but I am afraid it is going to cost as much to move it as building a new one will. But then there is the time factor. If I could sell my shed, that would pay for the new coop materials and possibly someone to build it. I don't know what used sheds go for. It cost us almost $3,000 to build it in 05. So many pros and cons to consider and either way we will end up with a nice coop.

Here is a pic of the shed. I appreciate any insight you might have on this matter. I have been thinking about it way too much.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v736/Ivywood/shedfront.jpg

Sorry for the link, I can't seem to figure out how to get my pics on here now that the site has changed.

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[Leahs Mom]

Just my opinion.... I would move it if you can find someone. We did that and I'm so glad we did as it saves so much time and effort on the building part. We have been doing changes to the interior to have the design I wanted inside and that has been enough to keep us busy for a long time!

On moving, some towing companies are set up to move sheds. I called the local towing folks and was given about 5 leads on people who do it regularly. I would recommend you call the towing services in your area and hopefully you'll get hooked up with the right folks!

 

[canesisters]

Since there is so much attachment to the shed, I think that you should definitely move it.
Call around to a couple of towing companies. They should have a 'rollback' (that's what we call them here) that is a flat bed truck that can be lowered and tilted to become a ramp - and that has a winch. They're used to pickup vehicles that don't run and have to be drug up onto the truck. I had an old van picked up last summer. It hadn't run in years and was tucked into a spot where the driver couldn't back up to it's front. He hooked up the winch, drug it out onto the driveway, then yanked it up onto the truck - and barely left a mark in the yard.
I'm sure you could get this done for much less than $3000 and you would have an instant coop once it's dropped off.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Your shed is cute too! I wouldn't want to leave it behind if I could move it!

 

[Melinda35]

That is a very nice shed. I don't blame your husband for being attached to it especially with all the work he put into it. You have decorated it very nice with the plants. Have you asked a tow truck person about moving it. They have the ramps that lower down and winches so they may be able to just pull it right on up on the bed of the truck. Sounds easy but what do I know.

I know I have seen sheds like that going down the road. You might could find someone that hauls large tractors. They might be able to help. I would suggest advertising on Craig's List but you don't want someone who has no clue what they are doing but you might find the right person too. Just be careful.

I wish you the best of luck. Everything will happen just as it is supposed to!

 

[Judy]

I suspect you just need to find the right people. Around here I'd ask at the local hardware stores and call local people who have heavy equipment like dump trucks, large trailers, and backhoes, as well as towing companies, particularly one who will tow something bigger than a car. You should run across someone who knows someone who can do it.

Have you considered partly dismantling it and moving it in pieces? Depends a lot on how it was built, of course. You could even rebuild it differently.

 

[Wise Woman]

Thank you so much for all the help! We never thought to call a towing company. I will do that as soon as I get home from work today. My husband has been talking to people with large cranes and he thinks it needs to be hoisted up by a crane. I don't think we could take it apart. Since we only need to move it such a short distance, I think putting it on a flatbed would be the easiest solution. Great ideas. Your help is very much appreciated.

 

[Leahs Mom]

No crane needed if the towing company is experienced. They literally drag it up as described above. I've seen some pretty large barns moved that way.

 

[Jakoda]

you can also check with a shed company.. I moved two sheds and they were great about it, very professional cost me 100 bucks of course that was many years ago

 

[Joe.G]

I just brought a shed from a guy down the road who was selling his house, the shed is only a few years old and i paid $400.00 for it and it is bigger in size then yours, My Buddy owns a tow company and he winched it right on no problems, and got it pretty close to were I need it. I then moved it around with a Skid steer and Mini Excavator, leveled it on gravel and it looks great.

I have since Painted the Shed and painted the roof ( came out great and matches my roof on house and other buildings better) and put the roof vent in the middle of roof back on. Ill try and get painted pic's up.