At Sequoia Sheds, we are in the business of installing sheds right where our customers want them. Sometimes that means getting a shed into a back yard with a fence all around it. Maybe that is your situation, and you are looking to buy a shed from us. Or maybe you are just trying to figure out, “How can I get a shed in my fenced in back yard?” Here is what we know about it, and what we can do for you.
Getting the Shed in Already Built
Sometimes getting a shed in already built just flat won’t work. But let’s first examine what options you might want to try. If it’s just the fence in the way that is the problem, you can take down a section or two of fence to make an entrance. The opening through your fence will need to be a bit wider than the narrowest dimension of your shed. So if you are purchasing an 8’x10′ shed, you’ll need a hole in your fence that is a bit wider than 8 feet. Be sure to check with the shed seller to find out what the actual corner to corner measurements are on the shed you are purchasing.
Many shed sellers, including Sequoia Sheds, use a specialized little machine called a Mule to roll sheds into their final locations. A Mule has tremendous maneuverability, and can steer your shed through a gap in the fence and then turn it inside the yard if necessary. So you won’t actually need a truck and trailer to drive into your yard, if your shed seller has a Mule.
One thing a Mule cannot do, though, is lift a shed up over a fence and then set it down inside. The shed always needs to come in on the ground, rolling on wheels. Curbs and other bumps can usually be maneuvered, but hopping over any obstruction that is more than about a foot tall is not going to happen.
Actually taking down a section of your fence can be challenging, especially if the posts are concreted into the ground. But if they aren’t, often all you need to do is pull up one post, and the section of fence fastening onto either side of the post. Then the shed can roll right through the gap.
Do you have alley access to your back yard? Sometimes an alley gate is wide enough to get a shed in through the back fence.
Some of our customers ask about using a crane to get a shed in. Believe it or not, that is an option that has been successful at times. But the situation is pretty rare where a crane is your best option. Usually it is more practical to have the shed built right in your back yard. And that is the next option we’ll discuss.
Building the Shed in Your Back Yard
Many shed builders offer on-site builds. That means a crew will come out and build your shed from a kit right in the spot where it goes. At Sequoia Sheds, we offer on-site builds. The first thing to know about on-site builds is that they often cost more than having a shed delivered already built. There is more labor involved. Sequoia Sheds will charge from 10% to 20% of the cost of your shed to do an on-site build for most situations. Sheds with a lot of custom features may incur higher on-site fees.
So if you purchase a $4500 shed, and need to pay a 10% onsite fee, that works out to $450. That number might help you decide if it’s worth the extra work to make a hole in the fence to get the shed in through.
Secondly, even though you won’t need a large opening in your fence, you will need an accessible man gate that is wide enough for a builder to carry bulky items through. A 3′ wide gate is usually a minimum. At Sequoia Sheds, we often pre-build the walls for the shed when doing an on-site build. Then we carry in the walls vertically through the gate. So you will need enough height clearance for the walls to come in vertically. That works out to between 7 and 8 feet in most cases.
An on-site build can be a great option. A crew of from 2 to 4 men, in one work day, can have the shed fully assembled, roofed, and painted.
We Can Help!
If you are within our service area, we can help you with your shed! Sequoia Sheds services an area roughly 120 miles in any direction from Red Bluff, California. We will usually not do an on-site build farther away from our shop than that. Sometimes a pre-fab delivery is an option for areas that are farther away.
Ready to get a quote for a shed? Head over to our Quote Request page to get a quote. You will be asked to specify whether your shed will be Pre-fab or On-site. Pre-fab is for having a shed delivered that is already assembled. On-site is for when your shed will need to be built on your site. Either way, we can help!
Do you already have a shed purchased from a private party, and need a professional mover to come and move it into your back yard? Call or text Virgil, our delivery driver. His number is (530) 737-8780. He covers most of Northern California from Sacramento on north.
