Moving and repurposing a building, advice needed

[r8f1k]

A gentleman not far from my place built a very well made lean-to/pavilion and used it for equipment service. He has passed away and the family wants the property cleaned up, the building included. I can have it for nothing, just get it out. It needs a roof, but it is well made. It is 44ft long, 16ft wide, about 8 feet tall around the perimeter. I would use it for the same thing, but I need some help figuring a way to move it. The site is pretty open, there is a heavy forklift on site as well as a heavy skid steer. My thought was to pull 3 hay wagons under the roof, place two 45ft telephone poles on top of the wagons, lengthwise and then bolt them together with shorter pieces of telephone poles (call them 6ft wide). Once this is under the roof, lift the ends of the telephone poles up to the roof and get the weight off of the posts. Chainsaw off the posts, and lower the roof onto the wagons. I would chain the wheels straight on the back two wagons and allow the from wagon to steer. He is about 1 mile from my place and it is a pretty easy ride over. I would pull it with my pickup.

My fear is getting telephone poles that long and they would make the roof too heavy. I also don't really need the big poles......any thoughts on another way/better way to do this? No, I'm not going to pay someone to move it. I don't think it is going to be worth the expense. And I have never hauled a hay wagon with the steering axle chained in a fixed position, thoughts?

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

 

[r8f1k]

If I only knew 300 people.....and they would work for a can of beer.....

 

[Citydude]

If the forklift and skid steer can handle the weight, I'd give it a go.

 

[pmsmechanic]

If you could borrow a flatbed semi trailer with a front jeep, that would be the way to go. Back it in centered, thoroughly brace the building down to the deck and then remove the posts. If you were careful you could move everything to your place and reuse the posts if they are still good.

 

[scaredychicken]

can the roof be sectioned into 3 x 15 ft pieces ?
a flatbed semi trailer sounds like a good option

if the roof can be slowly / carefully lowered off the post / barrels onto a trailer, that would be good

is the new location prepped, accessible, and ready ?

I think the roof and telephone poles would be too much weight for a pickup

all the best with this endeavour

 

[r8f1k]

I can haul it with my tractor, I'm sure it will do it. The truck is an F350, capacity I think is around 12,000lbs.....I THINK. I'm pretty sure, if I went nice and slow, it can be pulled without issue.

The site is not prepped, but it is flat. I was going to move it, leave it on the wagons until the weather changes and spring chores are done. Hence, I can't borrow someone else's lowboy or semi trailer. I also don't want the concrete barrels, I would dig new holes and use new posts.

 

[2manyrocks]

I had a house moved. The house mover had a trailer rig that was basically two huge I beams sitting on an adjustable trailer dolly. What would be a nearly impossible task for anyone else was pretty easy for him because he had the right rig. When he got the house to my location, he jacked it up about 10' or so in the air using hydraulic jacks and cribbing. Then we built a first floor under the house making it a two story house.

I'd suggest you at least check to see if there's a house mover or a portable building mover near you that could move the structure for you and raise it back up. You could then set your posts under it. Drop the pavilion onto your posts. Done.

You're getting a free structure, but your cost is what it would cost you to move it. How much that will be and whether it's worth it to you is your decision.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Around here farmers use flat beds with jeeps to move hay and straw bales from the fields to storage. They sit around unused for most of the year. That doesn't sound like an option for you.

I wouldn't bother with 3 wagons. Two, one behind the other would be enough. I would just hook the rear wagon up to the front one. For stability though you could put the two rear wagons side by side and hitch them to the front wagon. You're power pole moving frame should be able to move around on the decks of the wagons enough to turn corners.

I think that your idea of lowering the roof and then raising it again is a lot if extra work. I understand why you want to do it though. A roof that high off the ground is a very unstable top heavy load.

Just a few ideas.

 

[oldnslo]

I have some doubts that chaining a hay rack so it cannot steer would work very well and would put excessive stress on frame while making anything but a very mild turn do to distance between the axles. Long flatbed would be a much better option.

 

[2manyrocks]

I keep coming back to house mover because they've done this enough to know what works and have the equipment to lower and raise the structure on to a purpose designed trailer long enough and strong enough for the task.

My guy had a pair of hydraulic house jacks that were linked together so they raised and lowered the same amount at the same time. He also had enough oak cribbing to stack as needed to raise all four corners of the house.

Telephone poles would concern me for the amount of weight, the taper, and the round profile having a tendency to roll during travel.

Cobbling this to that would also concern me for wanting to separate at the worst possible moment on some roadway with a bunch of idiot drivers to contend with.

You also need to check your route of travel for low hanging power lines and any other height obstructions.

 

[r8f1k]

So, on my site I have a fork lift and a skid steer as well, so lifting it isn't going to be so bad. At least I don't think so. I would love to get a trailer that I can move the whole thing, but I don't know if I can borrow/use it that long. I think if the telephone poles are strapped down to the running gears, they should allow the wagons to pivot a little more, so they don't bind as bad. I am in essence moving only the roof so it will be pretty low. The mover I have spoken to in the past, is usually booked months out. I really only have a 45 day window at this point to move it, since the property is being leveled and sold. I am thinking I could move the building late at night going about 5 mph with a lead car and following car. There would be a left turn, right turn and right turn. That's it. No power lines that are low at all.

 

[2manyrocks]

I'd encourage you to call your mover to at least see if he is an option. If not, he may have some useful tips to help you.

 

[civilian]

What kind of roads wi you be travelling down? Private roads or county, etc? 16ft wide normally requires permits on Northern Michigan roads. Jon

 

[r8f1k]

Country Roads. I will need to get a wide load permit.

 

[r8f1k]

What kind of roads wi you be travelling down? Private roads or county, etc? 16ft wide normally requires permits on Northern Michigan roads. Jon

Just curious, why is it that farmers are able to move machinery significantly larger than 12ft wide without a permit? They have the SMV triangle and I understand the act of farming has many exemptions, but some machines are ENORMOUS. Are there dates that allow this kind of traffic to roll down the road without a permit? Being an orchard, we don't have any really wide equipment that is more than 12ft.....just curious.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Just curious, why is it that farmers are able to move machinery significantly larger than 12ft wide without a permit? They have the SMV triangle and I understand the act of farming has many exemptions, but some machines are ENORMOUS. Are there dates that allow this kind of traffic to roll down the road without a permit? Being an orchard, we don't have any really wide equipment that is more than 12ft.....just curious.

Just pull the load with your 560 and you'll be ok.

 

[r8f1k]

I went and looked at the building again, it has a large double 2x10 main beam/header running the length of the building. I can't get a hold of any 45ft telephone poles, the longest I can get is 32ft. My thought would be to add more bolts to the beam/header to stiffen it up, add another cross beam on the ends spanning the shorter ends versus trying to span the length. Lift the building with the added cross beam and use the existing main beam to raise it up off the posts. Once it is raised off the posts, lower it down onto the wagons. If I use a short telephone pole to rest it on a wagon, I can fix it in place in the center of the wagon so it can pivot while moving it. I have a couple 10 ton gears and the rest are unknown, but not as heavy.

On a side note, I don't know if my skid steer will lift the roof its an old Gehl 4500, 1100lb capacity and once the bucket is all the way up, that drops way down. I do have a nice Clark forklift, with deep forks, but the site is pretty soft and usually is.

 

[r8f1k]

Just pull the load with your 560 and you'll be ok.

I would have no problem doing that, however, the 560 is bone stock and has NO driving lights/flashers to speak of. My Mahindra does and I'm leaning towards using that.

 

[aczlan]

Just curious, why is it that farmers are able to move machinery significantly larger than 12ft wide without a permit? They have the SMV triangle and I understand the act of farming has many exemptions, but some machines are ENORMOUS. Are there dates that allow this kind of traffic to roll down the road without a permit? Being an orchard, we don't have any really wide equipment that is more than 12ft.....just curious.

If it is an "Implement of Husbandary" a lot of "normal" rules don't apply, so tow it with a tractor, not your truck.
Have a chase vehicle to provide lights/flashers.

Aaron Z