Updated Jan 12, 2023
Updated Jan 12, 2023
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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.
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.
Our top recommended barn movers for 2023:
Company | Website | Our Take | Our Rating | BBB Rating | Cost |
International Van Lines | Click here | Best Full-Service Mover | 9.8 | B | $600 to $4,900 |
Allied Van Lines | Click here | Most Vehicle Shipping Options | 9.4 | A+ | $750 to $4,500 |
American Van Lines | Click here | Most Transparent Pricing | 9.7 | N/A | $500 to $5,300 |
JK Moving Services | Click here | Most Customizable Moving Experience | 9.5 | A+ | $2,500 to $5,500 |
North American Van Lines | Click here | Best Pricing Options | 9.2 | A+ | $750 to $4,500 |
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.
Pros
Cons
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.
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. Click on the link below to learn more about what you’ll pay to move your barn with IVL.
State Availability: All 50 states
Get a quote from IVL here.
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.
Pros | Cons |
Last-minute moves at no extra chargeAll employees are background-checked and drug-tested30 years of experience within the moving industryShort-term and long-term climate-controlled storage available | No instant quotes available onlinePricier than other companies |
American Van Lines currently allows its customers to schedule the following processes in addition to their standard moving services.
American Van Lines offers barn moving services in 48 states, and the company’s price matching policy and custom crating options can be ideal for your barn relocation. Click on the link below to get your custom pricing.
State Availability: 48 States
Get a quote from American Van Lines here.
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 of your move, from choosing the best methods to move your barn as well as 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.
Pros
Cons
JK Moving Services currently allows its customers to schedule the following processes in addition to their standard moving services.
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. Click on the link below to get started and unlock personalized pricing.
State Availability: All lower-48 states.
Get a quote from JK Moving Services here.
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.
Pros
Cons
Allied Van Lines currently allows its customers to schedule the following processes in addition to standard moving services.
Though Allied Van Lines specializes in residential moving process and vehicle transportation, the company can also handle barn relocation services. Click on the link below to learn more about custom pricing for your barn move.
State Availability: All 50 states
Get a quote from Allied Van Lines here.
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.
Pros
Cons
North American Van Lines currently allows its customers to schedule the following processes in addition to their standard moving services.
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. Click on the link below to learn more about what you’ll pay when you move your barn with North American.
State Availability: All 50 States
Get a quote from North American Van Lines here.
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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.
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.
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.
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 companies before you choose which one you want to work with. At House Method, 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.
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.
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.
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.
At House Method, 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.
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