moving a greenhouse

[cacran]

my son has a greenhouse which he doesn't want. i would like it on my allotment. my husband and son say they will move it for me. there are lots of broken panes of glass. i was wondering if i could do the bottom half in wood. i am putting it onto soil and thought perhaps i could use breeze blocks for the perimeter base. apologise for no capital letters, i have a poorly hand. would just like to hear your thoughts.

[cacran]

[Deb P]

Moving greenhouses is divorce territory..........one of those things that looks easy, but takes three times as long as you thought it would and is five times as difficult! I would now rather pay someone to do it for me than do it again to be honest...

You will have to remove all the glass anyway to move it, so you might as well replace the broken stuff. If you use wood on the lower part it will reduce the amount of light and would affect crops growing at soil level. Find a local glazier, they usually stock greenhouse glass and hopefully it will be constructed of  standard size glass panels. If they have to take the frame apart to move it, label each bit so they can put it back together; putting it back up completely square is a nightmare, but if it isn't put up correctly you won't be able to fit the glass back in.  You will need to fix it to something on the ground or it will be vulnerable to wind damage and may fly away! Mine is bolted to a concrete base.

[johhnyco15]

yes i agree with deb another idea is to give the bolts some wd40 two or three times the week before you take it down  get the base level where you intend to put it first before the structure get to plot and yes mark everything with a  sharpie permant marker or the like with an arrow or line so they line up as you reassemble you could use different colour markers for each side  roof etc to make it easier if there can be an easier way lol good luck please let us know how you got on hope this helps

[InfraDig]

When I did this last year, I took lots and lots (and I mean lots!!) of photos particularly of the cross struts and boltings, from all sorts of angles. I then labelled each metal piece as I took it off using a permanent marker, I also labelled each piece of glass that I was keeping. There were several months between taking it down and putting it back up on a new concrete base with a breeze block edging, at which time I found out that "permanent" didn't quite mean that!! However, the photos saved the day. I am now the owner of a free 6'x6' GH. The glass size was a standard 2'x2' horticultural glass, just a few pounds each, (£4?). Luckily I only needed two! Good luck

[cacran]

by the sound of it i am going to need a lot of luck. i hope we don't come to blows over it.
i am taking in all your tips. thanks all.