Raising a large shed (20 x 24)

I need to raise a large 20 x 24 foot shed about 2 feet. I was built using 5-4x4 beams (should have been 6x6), 2x8 floor joists, and sits on 25 pads about 16" off the ground. There is no electric or plumbing going to/from the shed. just a large shed I want to make into a workshop, but need to raise as in normal very heavy rains, flood water comes up to the bottom of the joists. Any ideas on raising this thing myself? -- thanks

Reply to
pinky22
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Reply to
jloomis

This is just big enough to be difficult... You can do it probably with a series of bottle jacks, shoring timbers, and a lot of sweat.

Be very careful not to get under the building while raising it, an accident would flatten your entire day.

A lot of the problme will be determined by how rigid the floor structure really is. You'll want to empty the building as much as you can (everythign out. Are there any load bearing columns in the building? They may complicate lifting some. With luck, and a realy rigit floor you may get away with using four jacks, one at each corner. If not rigid enough, then perhaps eight will be needed. If there are columns and the floor is 'soft' it gets much more difficult: you'll need to put in temporary supporting members to transfer the weight to the outside parameter.

Reply to
PeterD

Andy comments: Have you considered digging a ditch around the perimeter and providing a drainage path for those rains?. It seems to me that

16 inches is a nice height above the ground, and if your water builds up that much, the soft ground could be a bad thing for any supports you put under the building after raising it.

Also, digging a shallow ditch and drain path could be a lot easier, IF your terrain will allow it......

Just a suggestion, but I would consider the drainage problem before going to the trouble to put the shed any higher.

Andy in Eureka, Texas

Reply to
AndyS

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Reply to
RicodJour

Interesting... Probably a bit more than the OP has to do with his shed, but I did like the way you documented it well.

Reply to
PeterD

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