The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: CarolineJ on January 11, 2016, 11:11:41 am

Title: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: CarolineJ on January 11, 2016, 11:11:41 am
Our best idea so far is a land anchor and ratchet strap and let it down onto the ground below the wall, which is pretty solid, then dismantle and lift over the fence by hand.  If anyone has any better ideas, please shout!

I can't get any machinery down to it on my side because of the angle of hill and deep mud - it simply won't get back up again.  I can't get any machinery down on the neighbour's side because she doesn't want me to make a mess of her field (the house is up for sale, they don't live there any more).  It's gone over two fences about 2.5ft apart with a dry stone wall in the middle, so dismantling it isn't really an option either (and I don't think I'd get permission to take their fence down, though I'll have to re-do the one it landed on).

From our side:
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll302/cazmanian_minx/field%20shelter%202_zps0ycddwbn.jpg)

From neighbour's middle field:
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll302/cazmanian_minx/IMAG1261_zpsi3rvizew.jpg)

From neighbour's bottom field:
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll302/cazmanian_minx/IMAG1262_zpsuxxawu3p.jpg)

Closer up.  There's about 6/7ft between the point of the shed roof and the ground:
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll302/cazmanian_minx/IMAG1263_zpshejqgjuc.jpg)

Plus it's nicely wedged on the wall and some broken trees and a sheep netting fence:
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll302/cazmanian_minx/IMAG1264_zpsjgt4ft3l.jpg)
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: waddy on January 11, 2016, 11:23:30 am
Oh wow! Was anything hurt? Sorry no better ideas than yours. Be careful!


Helen
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: CarolineJ on January 11, 2016, 11:33:31 am
No, thankfully - the horses are never shut in and next door is empty (good thing, that used to be their tup field, I would not have been popular if I'd killed one...).  A friend has just offered to come and take a look and see if they could get their tractor down our side, fingers crossed, but it's an enormous one and I think it'll just sink!
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: Fleecewife on January 11, 2016, 12:21:14 pm


I would go for your first option of pulling it down to the lower side to stabilise its position, then dismantling it and carrying it over to your side.  Whatever happens you are going to have to dismantle it, and yours seems to be the safest option.

If it's not going onto concrete, then lay a concrete base with vertical metal bars into this - these straps then run up the corners of the new shed and are well bolted in, so next time there's a wind, the shed will stay in place.
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: Hellybee on January 11, 2016, 12:34:12 pm
I agree, good luck chick  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: CarolineJ on January 11, 2016, 12:35:14 pm
Thanks :)  The odd thing is that it's not shifted in winds of over 100mph, yet about 60-65 got it.  Must have been exactly the wrong angle!
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: kelly58 on January 11, 2016, 12:40:12 pm
We stay near John O Groats Caroline. l have field shelters for all my animals , they have no base and have stabs at each corner hammered into the  ground with special big bolt screws my hubby found. We can undo them when they need moving which we do with a digger bucket and chains as we have put rings on the top of the shelters for that purpose. They have endured the storms we have had so maybe its an idea for you ?
Think the idea of dismantling yours is the safest option given were it landed.
Good Luck  :thumbsup: Glad none of your animals were hurt
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: Penninehillbilly on January 11, 2016, 01:34:29 pm
Sorry can't offer advice, but glad nobody/nothing was injured and good luck with moving it,
I find wind only has to be strong at a slightly different direction and moves things I presumed safe.
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: CarolineJ on January 11, 2016, 02:25:19 pm
No go with the tractor, but with Billy's help the three of us managed to tip it off the wall.  Unfortunately, rather than momentum carrying it over and it ending the right way up, it plonked itself down on one end, upright, so we slung a rope over one of the internal roof trusses, attached that to the ratchet winch thing, hammered in a fence post to take the strain and now it's the right way up again, mostly in one piece  :excited:  Taking it to pieces is a job for another day, I think, as husband's back is about to give out!
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: Castle Farm on January 11, 2016, 05:28:56 pm
Your going to have to take it apart.Moved like it is it will split.
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: stufe35 on January 11, 2016, 05:52:32 pm
Get your electric screwdriver drill out and start taking it to bits
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: CarolineJ on January 11, 2016, 06:10:22 pm
Now it's the right way up again, we will  :)  Husband climbed inside it when it was still upside down (rather him than me!) to try and take it apart and then remembered that the roof trusses could only be separated from the walls after the roof was off, so we had to bite the bullet.

Off the wall and ready for pulling:
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll302/cazmanian_minx/IMAG1269_zpswpiuieit.jpg)

TIMBERRRRRR!
https://youtu.be/n-4wvowcbOo (https://youtu.be/n-4wvowcbOo)

It survived remarkably well:
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll302/cazmanian_minx/IMAG1270_zpsedqoqjkg.jpg)

Though the front's a bit banjaxed:
(http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll302/cazmanian_minx/IMAG1271_zpsbazlkmsd.jpg)

Nothing that can't be fixed though  ;D
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: verdifish on January 11, 2016, 07:29:09 pm
Insurered? 
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: ladyK on January 11, 2016, 09:49:01 pm
Gosh, what an operation! Lucky escape for the beasties! Good luck with the dismantling.
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: Lesley Silvester on January 11, 2016, 11:28:57 pm
Sorry I can't help but just wanted to say what a lovely view.
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: CarolineJ on January 12, 2016, 07:22:02 am
Insurered?
Oh gosh no, husband banged it together from planks :)
Thank you, Mad Goatwoman, we're very lucky to be able to live here :)
Title: Re: How do I move this without machinery?
Post by: Anke on January 12, 2016, 12:52:28 pm
I never heard the word "banjaxed" before, but it does sound right for the situation!

Hope it all goes ok now - my OH always screws our home-built wooden structures together, so he can take it apart and fix again. It has worked well so far, although winds here are probably tame by comparison...