Shed Ready, Shed Set, Go! What to Expect when you're Getting a Shed.

I mentioned to a customer a few months ago that if his driveway was too steep for the truck, the hauler could park down by the road, get out his mule, and drag the shed to its final resting place on top of the hill. It wasn't until our next conversation that it dawned on me. He understood that the "mule" would be a four-legged one! I think he was relieved he didn't have to buy hay for it.

If you've never seen a shed moved or set before, I can understand why there's some mystery involved. After all, a shed is a large and bulky object. Read on, and I'll walk you through some of the aspects of a shed set.

Heading your way!

The lag between ordering and receiving a building can be a test of patience, partly because you may not get frequent progress reports from the builder. But rest assured, every day your shed is getting nearer to the top of the build schedule. One day, you'll get a call: "Will it work to deliver your building day after tomorrow?" So you call your boss, you cancel your dentist appointment, and watch the road for your...own...shed. Finally, here it comes!

This is what it looks like on our end.

4x6 stringers allow a shed to be "sledded" without damaging it.

Sheds are built on treated 4x6 runners to enable hauling and moving. 2x6 floor joists are nestled into notches in the stringer for a solid floor. This enables us to lift one end of the shed and drag it. The stringers act as runners on a sled, and the shed is not damaged.

A shed hauler's trailer is a specialized machine in itself, able to extend, contract, and shift sideways with a special set of wheels, all operated by a hand-held joystick. Special chains with upright studs catch the floor joists and pull it onto the trailer.

The specialized trailer can lengthen, shorten, and side-shift for more accurate placement.

After arriving at your driveway, the driver will chat with you about the site and check the access. Then he'll position the truck, unstrap the building, and begin to work it toward the ground. You'll be impressed with what that trailer can do!

When the shed is on the ground, he'll unload his "mule;" a small machine with tracks and a pair of forks. He'll lift one end of the building and begin towing it toward your site. He may leave some tracks in the gravel or cuts in the sod as he squares your building on your chosen location.

The "mule" lifts and maneuvers a shed.

With the building in place, he'll begin leveling it. If you have the right size blocks on hand, he'll use them. He will likely need to use some block of specific sizes from his truck to finesse the shed to a perfect level. This process can take up to an hour, and when he's finished, your shed should be level, solid, and ready to use. The doors should operate without sticking and there should be no "bounce" in the floor. If you purchased a ramp, he will install it last thing.

At this point, you can make final payment for the building and pay the driver for any block that were used off the truck. He will rush off to his next delivery. You will walk into your new shed, explore your new space, and imagine all the possibilities. Enjoy!

Set, solid, and ready to use!