Can a metal carport be moved?
Let’s say you’ve purchased a carport for your driveway, but you relocate in a few years. Once you purchase a carport or storage building, can you move it to a different location? Can a metal carport be moved? Can I move a wood building?
The answer is Yes…and No.
This article describes the process of moving both carports and storage buildings, so you can decide if moving or installing a new carport or building on your new property makes sense in your unique situation.
How Can a Metal Carport Be Moved?
The ease of moving a carport depends on how far you’re moving and how similar the landscape will be.
The big-picture steps of moving a carport are:
- Remove the most accessible anchors.
- Remove the harder-to-access anchors.
- Disassemble the carport.
- Make notes of how the carport went together.
- Transport the parts.
- Reassemble at the new location.
Of course, this is easier said than done! Usually, the greatest limit to moving a carport that we see is cost. Often, it is more economical to simply install a new carport in your new location. Some customers opt to sell their current carport for parts and scrap metal, to offset that investment. Disassembling the carport, moving those hefty pieces, and knowing how it goes back together to reassemble takes skill in logistics and construction.
A second factor to consider is what modifications your current carport may need to fit your new space. For example, the driveway at your current house might be perfectly level, but if your new home rests on a hill, then the carport won’t fit without some adjustment. Drilled holes for screws and anchors don’t often match up, meaning the carport won’t jigsaw back together as nicely as you might like. We think that’s one reason most people simply sell their existing carport for parts or leave in place and build new.
Moving a Storage Building
Moving storage buildings are a bit more straightforward, as they’re designed to be portable, depending on the construction of your particular model.
In a perfect world, every wood portable building could be loaded onto a truck and situated on a new foundation. However, the floor systems of some buildings are not strong enough to withstand a move. We’ve found that some building walls are too old, weak, or rotten to withstand the ordeal.
Also, we have encountered accessibility issues with moving. If the twin oak trees in your yard have grown around your building…you can imagine it’s going to be impossible to get your portable storage building onto a truck.
Another factor we consider is state lines. North Carolina, where we are based, has different zoning laws than South Carolina. A legal structure in one state might be illegal in another.
What should you do?
So, in summary, moving your carport or wood portable building can be done in theory, it just takes different amounts of work – and in some clear cases, the work of moving isn’t worth the effort.
For custom recommendations for your project, give us a call: 704-482-7880
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