Move your shed.

A successful move involves more than just unscrewing panels; it requires careful labelling, structural assessment, and often the replacement of perishable components like roofing felt. Engaging a professional landscaper or handyman prevents common pitfalls like warped timber, shattered glass, or a shed that never quite sits square again.

What Does the Work Involve?

• Site Inspection: Checking the timber for rot and the roof for asbestos before work begins.
• Roof Stripping: Removing the old felt, barge boards, and any trim to expose the roof panels.
• Labelling and Disassembly: Marking each panel clearly to ensure they return to their original configuration.
• Base Preparation: Ensuring the new site has a level, solid base (concrete, paving, or timber frame) ready for reassembly.
• Re-erection: Reassembling the floor, walls, and roof, followed by realigning doors and windows.
• Waterproofing: Fitting new roofing felt and applying sealant to joints to prevent leaks.

Typical Costs

Prices vary based on the shed's size, material, and the distance it needs to be moved. If the timber is old and brittle, the labour time increases as the tradesperson must work more delicately to avoid damage.

Note: Costs for 2025/26 typically include VAT. If your shed requires a new concrete or timber base at the new location, expect to add £300–£800 to the total quote.

How Long Does It Take?

• Small 6x4 Shed: Usually completed within 4 to 6 hours by a single tradesperson.
• Standard 8x6 Shed: Typically takes a full working day (7–8 hours) for a team of two.
• Large Workshops or Summerhouses: Often requires 2 days, allowing time for roof shingle installation or minor repairs.
• Base Preparation: If a new base is being laid, allow an extra 1–2 days for groundworks and concrete curing.

DIY or Professional?

Dismantling a small, modern flat-pack shed is a manageable DIY task for two people with basic tools. However, larger timber buildings or heavy metal sheds are physically demanding and carry a high risk of injury from falling panels or breaking glass.

Professionals bring the advantage of knowing how to "persuade" old, swollen timber apart without snapping it. Furthermore, if your shed roof contains older fibre-cement sheets, these may contain asbestos, which requires professional identification and specialist disposal under UK health and safety laws.

Choosing the Right Tradesperson

• Check Specialisms: Look for landscapers or garden building specialists rather than general labourers.
• Insurance: Ensure they hold Public Liability Insurance to cover any damage to your property or your neighbour's.
• Waste Handling: If they are taking away old materials, they must have an Environment Agency Waste Carrier Licence.
• Ask: "Do you include new roofing felt in the quote, or is that an extra cost?"
• Ask: "How do you handle panels that are found to be rotten once the shed is dismantled?"

UK Regulations

• Planning Permission: Most sheds fall under "Permitted Development," but if you are moving it closer to a boundary, it must be under 2.5m tall.
• Building Regulations: Generally not required unless the shed is very large (over 30sqm) or you intend to install a wood burner or sleeping accommodation.
• Asbestos: The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 applies if your shed has older corrugated roofing sheets; these must be tested before removal.

Common Problems

• Hidden Rot: The floor joists are often the first to go; you may find the shed is unsalvageable once lifted.
• Warped Panels: If a shed has been sitting on an uneven base for years, the panels may have warped, making reassembly difficult.
• Seized Fixings: Rusted screws and bolts often need to be cut out, which can damage the surrounding timber if not done carefully.
• Inadequate Base: Reassembling a shed on soft ground or an uneven surface will cause the doors to drop and the roof to leak within weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions