Moving a garden room

[oldkettle]

We have a garden room which was ordered by the previous owners. I don't think it was installed too well so now the bottom is too close to the ground and I can't find an easy way to remove this ground - see the pictures. No idea why it was not installed much higher from the beginning - it is on a slope and the neighbours' outbuilding is back to it. 

 

I wonder whether there is a safe way to lift or slightly move the whole thing to give me a chance to dig around it and maybe add something to keep it slightly elevated. Otherwise I should probably remove these white "border" planks and do the digging. Not sure how long it will buy me though as putting a deep trench around would probably mean it would fill with water. 

 

It’s about 14 by 12 feet overall, the room itself is 10 by 12.

[joe90]

Is there any way of digging a French drain round the outside and letting that drain somewhere downhill? That would keep any water level below the timbers, if not you could jack it up but not sure if floor timbers were man enough?. Can you dig a test hole to see what’s underneath?

[ProDave]

The main issue is that timber (looks like softwood loglap planks) is desperately crying out to be sanded back to bare wood and re coated with a good outdoor wood preservative.  That would be my No 1 priority job.

 

It is always going to suffer from rain bounce wetting the bottom planks unless you raised the whole thing on a brick dwarf wall.  fitting some guttering to the roof would reduce that a lot and would be my No 2 job. Notice the back, where there is no run off from the roof, is looking a lot better.

 

It's difficult to see what base it is on. I think it might just be gravel?

 

Digging around the outside and filling with stones to make a French drain would help keep the ground dry and there looks to be plenty of room to do that with the building in place.

[oldkettle]

Thank you, @joe90, @ProDave

 

The size of floor timbers is unlikely to be sufficient, they seem 50 by 50 at best. Unless I dig a massive hole under one side, put a big timber under the slabs and then try to lift the whole thing - not sure what timber would take this load and I don't think it's worth it. 

 

Digging the drain is possible, just have to remove the borders and likely create a retaining wall at the higher side. 

 

I think the rear only looks better because it does not get any sun. The bottom planks are partially rotten on all 3 sides.

 

The whole thing is standing on paving slabs set in two rows. Yes, don't know why people spent several thousands on the wood but didn't install it on a better base. I suspect this was just recommended by the installers. 

 

What tool would be reasonable for sanding without destroying the wood completely due to inexperience? Staying at home means we save a bit on petrol and children clubs, might as well buy some tools. 

[joe90]

I find a belt sander removes more than an orbital sander, mind it looks a bit flaky so might not take a lot of sanding. Give it a go by hand and see how “sound” it is. Try https://www.toolstation.com/aluminium-oxide-sanding-roll-115mm/p59877

[DavidFrancis]

Isn't the whole thing just a collection of panels bolted together?

 

If so, you should be able to dismantle it, put down some more slabs or blocks and then bolt it back together again at a higher level.

 

This might require replacing the piece of felt going over the ridge, though.

[Mike]

1 hour ago, DavidFrancis said:

Isn't the whole thing just a collection of panels bolted together?

 

If so, you should be able to dismantle it, put down some more slabs or blocks and then bolt it back together again at a higher level.

 

This might require replacing the piece of felt going over the ridge, though.

Did that successfully a couple of years ago. And put a 38x150 sub-floor underneath it.

 

On the other hand I know of another which had been nailed together with so many nails that it was impossible to prise the panels apart - but you'd be very unlucky to find that.

Edited April 6, 2020 by Mike