When Local Removals Company got a call to move a fully built garden office, we expected it to be like any large furniture job — awkward, but manageable. However, this job wasn’t about shifting a desk or sofa. We had to relocate the entire building. While we’re used to moving home and office contents, the office itself is a different matter.
To do it properly, we reached out to industry experts, including the team behind some of the UK’s finest garden shed and summerhouse designs. Their guidance helped us plan and execute the move without damage to the building, or injury to our crew. Here’s how we tackled the job — and what you need to know if you ever plan to move a heavy-duty summerhouse or garden office.
1. Start with a Full Assessment
Before touching a single screw, we carried out a full inspection of the garden office. We looked at:
- Structural integrity
- Type of fixings and fasteners used
- Access to the site (including clearance and paths)
- Roof structure and materials
- Electrical or plumbing installations
We also took high-resolution photos of every angle. This made reassembly much easier later on. Measurements were double-checked against the destination space too, ensuring the new site was suitable for the office size and base requirements.
2. Disconnect Utilities and Interior Fixtures
Garden offices often come with lights, sockets, heaters, and sometimes even internet cabling. We safely disconnected all electrical wiring and sealed off any exposed ends with terminal blocks. Light fittings, skirting boards, and shelves were unscrewed and labelled clearly in sealed bags.
Removing these fixtures before structural dismantling helped protect them and reduced internal strain during the move.
3. Remove Doors and Windows First
With a heavy-duty structure, glazed elements are usually the most fragile. We removed all doors and windows with care, using suction grips for the glass panels. Hinges and fixings were bagged and labelled.
This step reduced weight, prevented cracking, and made the walls much easier to handle during dismantling.
4. Take Off the Roof in Sections
Most summerhouses and garden offices have modular roofing, either with panels or felted boards. In our case, the roof was built in three panels, covered with a single roll of felt.
We scored the felt along the seams, carefully peeled it back, and stored it safely. Each roof panel was unscrewed in sequence and lifted down by at least three crew members using scaffold towers to ensure a controlled descent.
Some roof types also include a central ridge beam or frame, which should be the last part removed from the roof section.
5. Dismantle the Wall Panels
With the roof off, we unscrewed each wall panel, starting with the front elevation. It’s critical to support each panel from both sides as it comes loose — these panels are often top-heavy or awkward due to window and door cut-outs.
We used flat dollies and padded skates to move each wall section to the transport van, wrapping edges with blankets and stretch wrap.
6. Lift and Load the Floor Section
Once the structure was down to floor level, we assessed the base. This particular office had a solid wooden floor built onto bearers, which meant it could be moved in a single piece.
We used lifting straps and six crew members to lift it clear of the ground, and then slid it onto heavy-duty ramps into the van.
If the base had been concrete or laid brick, we would have had to reframe the structure at the new site instead.
7. Pack Smart and Protect Everything
Every panel was packed in reverse order, with protective layers between each section. Fragile panels and windows were marked and loaded last, ready to be unloaded first.
We stored fasteners, hinges, and fixings by panel name in separate bags, all labelled with corresponding photos taken during disassembly.
8. Reassembly at the Destination
The rebuild process followed the original reverse order:
- Floor section positioned and levelled
- Wall panels installed and braced
- Roof panels fixed and felt reapplied
- Doors and windows reinstalled
- Electrical components reconnected by a qualified electrician
The whole process took one long day with a team of six. While it was far more complex than a standard removals job, the result was a perfect reconstruction of the garden office — just in a new home.
Summary: Key Tips for Moving a Garden Building
- Document everything: Photos and measurements are your best friends.
- Label everything: From screws to panels, proper labelling saves hours.
- Use the right gear: Trolleys, straps, towers, and protective wrap are vital.
- Get expert advice: Whether from a builder or a specialist in garden buildings, good guidance will save costly mistakes.
If you’re planning to move your own outbuilding, or if you’re just curious about what’s involved, we recommend checking out garden shed and summerhouse suppliers like Midlands Sheds and Summerhouses. Their insight made this job possible, and their knowledge of construction techniques was invaluable.
