With more than 660,000 barns across the United States, these unique structures are still used today for many reasons — and sometimes, they need to be moved. You may be using your barn for farming purposes, as an events venue, for storage, or it could be falling into an unfortunate state of decay.
4.5
One month of free storage included with your move
Provides moves in all 50 states
Offers air & ocean freighting
4.0
Flat rate pricing for all moves
Offers price matching
Expedited moves between big cities
4.2
Top-notch packing services
Nationwide partner network
Comprehensive moving calculator
Either way, if you’re planning a move, these historic structures don’t need to be left behind. But they also can’t be transported as easily as your boxes or a piece of furniture. Even outdoor garden sheds need extra care and expertise during a move.
If you do want to move your barn, it’s important it stays properly preserved, which is why certain companies can actually disassemble and move even a barn the right way. Whether you’re hoping to move your massive 18th-century barn, small storage shed, or anything in between, this guide covers the best barn movers in the country, what you might expect to pay when moving with each company, and beyond.
The 5 Best Barn Movers
Our top recommended barn movers for 2023:
Compare The Best Barn Movers
The table below outlines data for the best moving companies for barns and other needs. We constantly update these ratings and price estimates to reflect industry changes. Continue reading in-depth reviews of several top providers.
Company | Best For | Our Rating | BBB Rating | Local Cost | Long-distance Cost |
 | Best Full-Service | B | $650–$1350 | $2,100–$5,400 | |
 | Most Transparent Pricing | B- | $550–$1,100 | $2,550–$5,700 | |
 | Best Cost Estimation Tools | B | $700 - $1,250 | $1,800 - $4980 | |
 | Best Flat-Rate | Not Rated | Not available for local moves | $2,200–$5,500 | |
 | Most Moving | B | Call for a quote | $2,750–$5,200 | |
 | Most Customizable | A+ | Call for a quote | $2,750–$6,000 | |
 | Best Vehicle | A+ | $800–$1,500 | $2,000–$5,000 | |
 | Best Pricing | A+ | $800–$1,500 | $2,000–$5,000 | |
 | Best Technology | A+ | Call for quote | $2,000–$5,000 | |
 | Best Container Service | A+ | Not available for local moves | $1,350–$2,400 | |
 | Best Valuation Coverage Options | A+ | $1,200-$2,750 | $3,100-$8,400 |
International Van Lines
4.5
Our Rating
International Van Lines (IVL) is a full-service moving company that continually receives Forbes’ Best National Moving Company Award thanks to its range of process options and stellar customer service. The company has twenty years of experience in the moving industry, and IVL completes an average of 20,000 moves each year. From residential moves to commercial relocations, IVL does it all, serving all fifty states and even doing international moves to over 150 countries.
If you need help moving your Tuff Shed, playhouse, or even small barn, International Van Lines can supply you with the logistics and trained staff to do so. If it’s a smaller barn, the IVL team can most likely load it into the moving vehicle they’re using. If it’s a medium-sized or larger storage shed/barn, IVL will first disassemble it at the origin and then load the pieces onto a moving truck. The team will then reassemble the small storage building at your destination, allowing you to focus on moving your family to your new home.
IVL is a full-service moving company, which means that it allows its customers to schedule more services to make their move as easy as possible. You can currently schedule the following extra services through IVL when you move your home or barn.
- Packing services
- Unpacking services
- Loading and unloading
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Crating
- Specialized packing services for fragile items
- Short-term and long-term storage services
- Packing supplies
- Auto transportation services
- Military moving services
- Corporate relocation services
State Availability: 50 states
Like most moving companies, IVL charges a premium to help you move your barn. This means that you’ll need a custom estimate to get a truly accurate idea of how much you can expect to pay when you move. Retrieve a free estimate to learn more about what you’ll pay to move your barn with IVL.
American Van Lines
4.0
Our Rating
American Van Lines serves the contiguous United States with full-service moves, fragile-only moves, packing services, and any other moving services you might need. American Van Lines has staff on standby with specialized training to move fine arts and pianos, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t handle moving your barn. AVL’s well-maintained moving vehicles and competent staff ensures they can relocate your portable storage building, no matter its size.
A flat-rate pricing system makes American Van Lines a great choice for special services like moving a barn. Your price will be determined during the quoting process based on the size and weight of the barn in question. Your quoted price is the price that you’ll pay, with no extra fees and no last-minute surprises. If you happen to find a more affordable quote with a competing moving company, American Van Lines will even match it at no additional cost to you.
American Van Lines currently allows its customers to schedule the following processes in addition to their standard moving services.
- Packing and unpacking services
- Storage unit arrangement
- Specialty packing services for items like pianos and antiques
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Crating for large items (like pianos)
- Moving supplies
- Corporate moves
- Military moves
- Commercial moves
State Availability: 48 states
American Van Lines’ price-matching policy and custom crating options can be ideal for your barn relocation. Retrieve a free estimate from American Van Lines to budget for your barn move.
JK Moving Services
4.2
Our Rating
For barn moving services and any other moving services done right, you can look to JK Moving Services. Although the company is a full-service mover, the team can provide you with trained storage shed movers so you can move your shed or barn to its new location. Throughout the moving process, your JK personal moving coordinator will help you with each step, from choosing the best methods to move your barn to selecting the most qualified staff members for the job. JK will make sure the movers are provided with the proper equipment to complete the move, too.
If you’ve ever moved a barn in the past, you likely know how expensive the process can be. This is especially true if you’re moving a barn with multiple pieces that must be disassembled before you begin the moving process. If you’re searching for a method to move your barn now without waiting to save up, know that JK Moving Services offers financing options on all of its moving processes. Depending on approval, you could even qualify for 0% APR financing.
JK Moving Services currently allows its customers to schedule the following processes in addition to their standard moving services.
- Packing and unpacking services
- Loading and unloading services
- Long-term and short-term storage unit arrangement
- Transportation and delivery
- Freighting
- Crating
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly services
- Specialty services for items like antiques and pianos
- Specialized moving services for law firms, hospitals, and other specialized workplaces
- Corporate relocation services
- Government moving services
- Archive services
- Auto relocation services
State Availability: All lower-48 states.
Unfortunately, unlike other moving companies on our list, JK Moving Services doesn’t offer sample pricing online. In order to get a quote for your upcoming barn move, you must consult with a representative and claim a free, custom quote.
Allied Van Lines
4.2
Our Rating
Allied Van Lines offers a wide variety of options, including shed moving services. Besides offering full-service moves, Allied can provide you with specialized, a la carte services. If you simply need relocation services for your portable building, whether that be a shed or a small barn, Allied can set it up and execute it on your behalf.
Getting started with Allied Van Lines is simple. Just communicate your needs to your move coordinator that’s assigned to you after the quoting process. The coordinator will then plan and organize your barn move — all you have to do is sign the moving paperwork.
If all you’re moving is a small portable building, you also have the option to use Allied Express, which is Allied Van Lines’ new moving container service. This is specifically designed for small moves rather than entire household relocations. This is a more affordable option because you don’t have to drive a moving vehicle or load the pieces of your barn into the trailer — Allied does all that for you, as well as the unloading. Allied Express can be an affordable and convenient option if you know you can take your barn apart on your own time.
To make your move even more affordable consider a DIY move with one of these cheap moving truck rentals.
Allied Van Lines currently allows its customers to schedule the following processes in addition to standard moving services.
- Packing services and unpacking services
- Fragile-only packing
- Storage for in-transit items
- Arrangement of long-term storage units
- Shipment tracking
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Auto and boat transport
- Basic liability coverage
- Full-value coverage
- Online moving resources
State Availability: All 50 states
Though Allied Van Lines specializes in residential moving process and vehicle transportation, the company can also handle barn relocation services. Getting a personalized quote is the best way to assess pricing for your barn move with Allied.
North American Van Lines
4.0
Our Rating
North American Van Lines has been in business for almost 90 years. NAVL knows how to move both locally and long distances with safety and accuracy. In fact, the company has even developed its own driver simulator so that drivers can train to drive wide loads and heavy moving vehicles on different types of terrain and in inclement weather conditions.
North American Van Lines can take apart your barn and load the pieces carefully onto their moving vehicle after wrapping each piece so that it doesn’t get damaged. The team will then easily reassemble your barn at your new location. North American was the first moving company to move loads over the Alaska Highway, so they’re no strangers to the challenges and hard work that come with complex moves like transporting barns.
North American Van Lines currently allows its customers to schedule the following processes in addition to their standard moving services.
- Full-service packing
- Fragile-only packing
- Boxes and moving supplies
- Appliance disconnection and reconnection
- Furniture disassembly and reassembly
- Custom crates
- Loading and unloading
- Crane vans for large items
- Storage services (short-term and long-term)
- Satellite tracking
- Auto transport
- Full-valuation coverage
State Availability: All 50 States
North American Van Lines’ custom pricing options may also apply to your barn relocation, which is key when moving something as expensive as a barn. Get a free quote from NAVL to assess your potential pricing.
What To Look for In Barn Movers
There are several factors you should be on the lookout for when it comes to selecting the company that is going to move your barn. These factors are mainly about customer interactions as well as safety, but you should carefully look for each feature in each company that you’re considering.
- Proper equipment: Make sure that the company you’re considering has all the proper equipment to move a large structure like a barn. They should have dollies, skids, wheeled dollies, and even a hydraulic lift on hand in case they should run into weight or size challenges with your barn. If you’re moving a large barn that can’t be disassembled and your moving company needs to use a forklift or crane, they should also have special licensing on hand to provide you with reassurance that only trained professionals will be lifting and moving your barn.
- Customer reviews: When it comes to a barn move, look for accessibility, timeliness, and an enhanced sense of professionalism. Take a look at a few customer testimonials before booking your move date to learn more about the type of service that other movers experienced. For example, do past customers say that your movers are punctual? Do they respond promptly and thoroughly to your inquiries? What have other customers said about the service? Of course, it’s always best to take customer reviews with a grain of salt — especially the more extreme ones. Third-party websites will give you the most unbiased reviews, so start there.
- Versatility: A barn mover should be able to move a range of sizes of small buildings. They should have ample experience with small garden sheds as well as larger storage sheds, all the way up to small backyard barns. They should also have experience with all of these different buildings. A diverse portfolio indicates that your moving team has the experience needed to safely move a bulky item like a barn.
How Much Does it Cost to Move a Barn?
The cost that you’ll pay to move a barn will vary widely depending on the size of your barn, how it’s anchored to the ground, any accessories that need to be moved alongside the barn. If your barn is small, able to be easily disassembled, and doesn’t require any special permits to move and place, you could pay as little as $15,000 for your relocation. On the other hand, if your movers need to excavate the foundation of your barn or they need to transport the barn without taking it apart, you could pay hundreds of thousands for a nationwide relocation. Be sure to get multiple quotes from competing barn movers before choosing the company you’d like to work with to ensure that you’re not overpaying for this costly moving process.
What Costs Are Involved with Barn Movers?
While moving a barn will almost always cost more than moving another awkwardly shaped item like a tool shed, it’s important to understand which factors moving companies take into consideration when pricing your move. The following are a few of the most important factors that determine the price you’ll pay to move your barn.
- Shape and size: The smaller your barn is, the cheaper it will be to move. Wide loads require special permits and flatbed trailers, so if your barn or shed can be moved within a regular enclosed moving trailer, it won’t cost as much as a wide load. If the barn can be taken apart and moved piece by piece, that will make the individual pieces manageable and lighter — therefore, cheaper — to move than a barn that doesn’t come apart.
- Material and weight: Different techniques are implemented to move different things; it takes different skills and strategies to move concrete and steel, for instance. The heavier the material, the more work it takes to move the building and the more dangerous it could be for the movers. This increases the price you’ll pay for your moving process.
- Extra fees: If the movers have to face tight spaces or corners, then that means an extra cost for you. If there are stairs to navigate, then that’s another cost. It also depends on how far away the shed or barn is from the moving vehicle. If it’s far back in your yard, then the movers will charge an additional fee for the distance traveled.
Final Thoughts
Moving a barn is not a cheap process. From taking your building apart to wrapping individual pieces to hiring a trained team of experts to lift each piece of the barn and put it back together upon arrival, barn moves are a massive undertaking that comes at a cost. One way to make moving your barn more affordable is to get a quote from multiple moving and truck rental companies before you choose which one you want to work with. At Today’s Homeowner, we recommend getting a quote from each one of our trusted providers above before you book to be sure that you’re saving as much money as possible by the time you hit the road.
4.5
One month of free storage included with your move
Provides moves in all 50 states
Offers air & ocean freighting
4.0
Flat rate pricing for all moves
Offers price matching
Expedited moves between big cities
4.2
Top-notch packing services
Nationwide partner network
Comprehensive moving calculator
FAQs About Moving a Barn
How much does it cost to move a barn?
If it’s a small barn or shed, then it will cost between $200 to $500 to move it, depending on how far the trip is. If it’s a large barn that houses animals and farm equipment, you’re looking at a starting price of $20,000 to move such a structure — and much more if it’s a long-distance move. If it’s a middle-of-the-road wide load shed and you’re moving it further away, the average cost could be around $6,000.
What are the typical methods used when moving a barn?
There are two main methods for moving a barn. If your barn is a smaller model that does not come apart into sections (if it’s more like a shed), then the movers will opt to use skids and dollies to scoot the barn slowly and carefully from its current location towards the moving vehicle. In order to load the small building for shed delivery, the movers will typically use ramps in order to push the small barn onto the trailer. This will then be labeled a wide load.
The other method is best for larger barns that disassemble into pieces. Movers will take each piece apart and make sure each one is wrapped securely to prevent scratching and damage. They will then either use dollies or teamwork to place each piece into or onto a moving trailer. The barn will then be reassembled upon arrival.
Can you move a barn without dismantling it?
The short answer to this question is ‘sometimes.’ However, you need to have at least two helpers and the proper equipment, as well as a flatbed (not an enclosed) moving trailer in order to accomplish this. If your wide load barn or shed can be dismantled, it’s a safer bet to take it apart before you try to move it.
Today's Homeowner Rating Methodology
At Today's Homeowner, our primary goals are to be a reliable source of information and to be totally transparent to our readers. With that in mind, we’ve developed the following formula to render objective ratings – on a scale of 10 points – for the moving companies we review.
- Transparency (3.0): Communication and being fully straightforward regarding company policies and licensing are incredibly important. A given mover’s willingness to display these, to supply quick quotes, and to provide clearly-worded moving contracts all factor into the three points within this single rating criteria.
- Cost (2.5): A mover’s cost relative to industry averages, as well as accessibility to cost data play a role in the customer experience as much as anything else. We know that being sure of what you’re paying – and being confident that you’re not overpaying – will ultimately make for a positive move. We’ve weighted cost factors accordingly in our ratings.
- Customer Service (2.0): Establishing an easy line of contact with your movers during the booking process or during the move itself is a huge asset for any moving client. The stress of moving, in general, can be greatly eased by knowing you can talk to a licensed professional whenever you need to, which is why we’ve listed this as a key rating category. This is where customer reviews come into play; since the majority of complaints stem from poor customer service, feedback from BBB, Yelp, Google, and other review platforms factor into this criteria.
- Services Offered (1.5): This rates lower on our priority list than many would think, simply due to the fact that many movers provide a similar line of services. However, breadth of service offerings does still vary to a degree.
- Customization Options (1.0): Having the autonomy to fully customize your move should rate highly on any moving checklist. Here, we’ve taken moving package customization ability, as well as pricing for more involved add-ons. Steep pricing for such services can provide something of a soft barrier for clients looking to add to their move, and we’ve taken this into consideration.
