Topic: Woohoo - I've been offered a greenhouse - now how do I move it???

[beckydore]

I've been offered an 8ft by 4ft greenhouse from someone who backs onto our allotments. However, rather than moving it over 2 fences onto the allotment, I'm planning on bringing it back ot my back garden as I think it will be more handy there / there is a patio that it can sit on which is about the right size.

Has anyone got any tips for moving it?
Obviously I know I need to take out all the bits of glass and put all the little clips into a bag so that I don't lose them.
Do I need a special tool to undo the bolts - they look like they have a square edge?

I only have a corsa. I've put a message on our freecycle cafe site asking if anyone has access to a roofrack or trailer. In the worst scenario I am going to need to take it completely apart.

Most of the pieces look to be a standard length, except the ends. Would it be really silly of me to think that they are the same or do I need to put stickers on every joint to know how it goes back together??

And finally any idea how long it will take to dismantle it? I will try and get a few helpers together. In the worse case scenario, I will get it out of the garden and onto the plot and finish dismantling there.

I live about 1.5 miles from the person who has the greenhouse.

Becky

[Old bird]

Hi Becky!

I did take my one apart piece by piece and it all went into my boot obviously glass first (very important to wear good gloves!!) the greenhouse is probably just put together with nuts and bolts and it is a case of just undoing these taking out piece by piece.

I would not try and move it in chunks - I was going to do that but a couple of times the structure twisted and it is very easy to twist aluminium and put it out of shape or worse still to break it!

Mine came apart very easily and I laid it on the lawn at home and it basically then comes together you obviously have 4 corner uprights, then roof bits!

I started by marking each pane of glass - but again most are the same size and it was a waste of time!  You will need to buy a few glass clips and probably a few bolts & nuts as some do snap and break.

Wow - what fun you are going to have!

Best of luck with it anyway!

Old Bird

 :D

[carrot-cruncher]

I rehomed a greenhouse which meant transporting nearly 70 miles.   Apart from the tips from the other people I would also recommend you take photos of the greenhouse before dismantling it.   Then, before dismantling the frame Dad & I labelled up each section of the frame i.e. left back, left middle, left front etc. 

We inter-layered the glass panels with newspapers before wrapping an old curtain around them.   My greenhouse is 6' square & also came with all the staging and, at the time, I drove a Renault Megane Scenic.   Somehow Dad & I managed to get all the greenhouse into the back of the car & not have to use the roof rack.   Had we not managed this my other option was to possibly hire/borrow a trailer.

Only one glass panel got broken & that was only because I dropped the blasted thing whilst handing to Dad whilst re-assembling the greenhouse.

CC

[saddad]

I moved one on our site... we took the glass out and carried it, not an option for 1.5 miles, getting it over the 6' fence was fun....  ;D

[Carls3168]

If possible try to find someone with a trailer, or a flatbed that you could stap the greenhouse to fully assembled - this will save you ALOT of hassle!
Maybe try the 'man with a van' ads - for the £20 quid it might cost would be money well spent?  ;)

Generally depending on the age of the greenhouse if you try to disassemble it most bolts and nuts will snap, so I would treat yourself to some new ones, also some new clips and new 'z' peices for hanging the glass.
Dismantling WEAR THICK GLOVES, remove the glass from the walls, then the front and back, then the roof last, if it has a window in the roof you will prob be able to get this out once all the glass is gone by bending it right up and sliding it of the end.

Good luck.... greenhouses are great!!!  ;D

[beckydore]

thanks for the tips.. although we've got the leave it in sections vs take it apart debate. I think I might have to take it apart anyway to get it in the car.
Any idea on time to dismantle?

[Old bird]

Took me a couple of hours on my own to do it.  Probably if you have help and it is not very old - so joints bolts immovable - a couple of hours or so?!

Reminder take a stepladder to get glass and roof bits sorted!

O B
 ;D

[Kendy]

Watching this thread with interest as am after a greenhouse.

Not having bought one before, I presume greenhouses from new come in bits rather than sections otherwise you may not got it through most garden gates ?

I am thinking that if I get one (and thinking about the twisting warning above), I will fully label, dismantle and put the pieces in my Zafira rather than trying to find someone with a trailer.  Like the idea of the man with a van though - at least he might have a transit box van and so could secure the structure to the van side.  Might still have the problem of getting it out of the seller's garden - will depend on the individual situation.

[tonybloke]

two sack barrows, both with a 7ft scaffold board across them, or four people, one to a corner. the latter is how we moved two of 8 x 6  greenhouses ( minus glass) about a mile and a half, one to my back garden, (over 2 6ft fences) and the other to the allotment, (no fences, wide gates)
 Do the move earlyish on a sunday, not much traffic, all you get is waves and smiles from everyone who sees you!! ;) ;D ;D

[Gobby]

Take some lube with you (RS penetrating fluid), something that will penetrate through the bolts, when you arrive spray every bolt you see, then by the time you've taken the glass out it should have worked it's magic on the bolts.

Took a 8 x 6 down at the weekend,lost 2 panes so wasnt too bad, but that lube saved ALOT of hassle with the bolts. Took 2.5 hours for a 26 year old greenhouse.  ;D

[beckydore]

Ok my kitlist is:
- WD40
- Pliers, screwdrivers, spanners
- camera
- bags for bits
- strong gloves (his and hers)
- old jeans and fleece
- mini step ladder.

and before Saturday i need to gain the brownie points with Dan so he doesn't moan too much on the day.
Becky

[gardentg44]

iv moved dozens in my time,

once the glass is out and the door off,

you can carry them very easily.

the last one we moved we left the glass in the roof.

then 4 of us carried it 300mtrs

[beckydore]

Well, it took 3 1/2 hours for 3 of us to dismantle it then it was easily moved in 2 cars. (We took 2 because we weren't sure of the weight of the glass). It was definitely better to have Dan's laguna as well as my Corsa as I wouldn't have fit 5 pieces in (8ft lengths). 2 panes of glass cracked on the way back but the guy has said he has loads of glass at home - apparantly he buys houses for renting out.. a  lot end up having greenhouses in them and he has been giving them away / some he has got rid of but he has loads of glass at home that I can also have if I let him know how many pieces / what size! so I will be emailing all my local friends with greenhouses asking what sizes they need as a few have a couple of broken panes in theirs.

For some reason, I thought that I would be able to put it on my patio and didn't realise that the base needed bricks or something to go to sit over an edge... so I need to think about what to put it on.. on top of the patio.
It's also turned out to be 8ft by 6ft.. so will only just go into the space I'd planned for it and we need to paint the shed wall first.

Becky

[saddad]

Most greenhouses use standard 2'x2' panes...

[tonybloke]

you can make a frame from tanalised fence posts for the base ;)

[genlistlass]

Reading all this with interest cos my greenhouse needs moving. Only about 12 feet but really needs to move! My neighbour leaves his conifers so tall that my greenhouse hardly gets any sun  now, ditto my veggie patch. He isnt going to cut it shorter as the fella on the other sides security lights flash on and off all night!

Can I move it 12 feet without dismantling it? Flat ground no obstacles except little bay hedge about a foot tall.

At the mo, the base is weed fabric then gravel, can I do the same again?

Gen in NBL

[PurpleHeather]

We are always shifting greenhouses on site so have now got it down to an art.

Spray the nuts on the joints with WD40.

Label everything.

The glass first (it may be standard sizes but may not) and then put the pieces into the boot of the car, flat, not too many at a time and put something between each layer, bubble wrap is good.

When the glass is safely stashed take down the greenhouse frame, again label. If it is aluminium it is very light and if you do not have far to walk two people can carry it in pieces, two halves of the roof, back, sides and front.

To make a new base, use breeze blocks for the frame to rest on. They do not rot like timber and are easy to cut and screw into.

Wash the panes of glass before you put them in, especially round the edges because once fitted that is hard to get to. Take care to leave the labels on.

[zaz283]

Hi beckydore... in addition to all the good advice above, make sure you fit the front sill at the front & the back at the back. I didn't and you can see the result here

http://allotmentheaven.blogspot.com/2009/01/how-not-to-put-up-greenhouse.html

In my defence fitting the sills is one of the first things you do... conversely it's one of the last things you'll realise you got wrong when you come to fit the door & find there's no runner at the bottom ('cause it's at the back).

Good luck! John