putting a shed on 4 jacks to raise and lower it..

[CraigW]

Odd question i know.

In short, I live on an island which occasionally floods. The house is on stilts.

We've just built a garden shed and planning regs state has to be under 2.5m high. However, we have (purposely) raised it up 50cm because if the island floods (which happens quickly and without a great degree of warning) then it and everything in it will be wrecked.

Now, everyone else has done the same without issue, but helpfully, the day mine was being finished the planners happened to be visiting someone else and saw it.

So I'm probably going to be forced to lower it.

I'm thinking.. I wonder if I can keep 4 jacks under it and if river comes up, jack it up and put blocks under it, then lower it again afterwards.

Sounds insane I know but trying to think around the problem. (also will the jacks work if underwater)

I can also apply for planning which I will be doing.

Any other ideas gratefully recieved.

[Petrolhead_Rich]

Screw out feet (with a longer, thicker screw out bar)



or caravan jacks!

[Mattt]

Is the shed flat bottomed? You'd need something to spread the load I guess.

Most sheds aren't designed for point loading.

[CraigW]

yes its flat bottomed, currently on concrete blocks, one on each corner and another 3 through thr middle. Its 3m x 4m

[Iain328]

Don't think want to lift something that size on 4 jacks - especially not if it has any weight in it.

Suggest place large mound of earth beside shed & place small flag on top for effect. Then explain that top of said mound is "ground level" - & therefore your shed is actually below same and entirely compliant with planning regs

[5lab]

2.50 lower than *what*?

one easy solution might just be to raise the ground level around the shed? thus making it less than 2.5m above the ground level (and not compromising anything)

[CraigW]

yeah i did think that but I'm pretty sure its 2.5 lower than surrounding ground and its very obvious of the height of surroundings so dont think thats an option unfortunately.

[Silent1]

Where do you live!!

[CraigW]

an island in the thames, yes, its odd, but a lot of fun

[RizzoTheRat]

Work out how heavy the shed and it's contents are likely to be
Build the shed foundations from polystyrene blocks to get the required boyancy.
Fot some sort of runners to the side of the shed to allow it to float vertically upwards without drifting off.

[krusty]

Build a 500mm bund around it?

[CraigW]

oh one slight issue btw all, shed is already build, doh!

[Deva Link]

Turn it into a boat so it just floats!

[P924]

Surely if you raise the ground around the shed, then when it floods your making the issue worse?!?

Could you not dig a moat around the shed, enabling flood water to fill the moat and runoff somewhere else?

[The Nur]

the englishman who went up a hill and came down a mountain

Step 1, watch the above film
Step 2, formulate sneaky plan
Step 3, rejoice in newly raised ground level

[V8mate]

CraigW said:

an island in the thames, yes, its odd, but a lot of fun

Canvey? Certainly is a bit odd there, yes.

[CraigW]

no, near Hampton court.

[wombat172a]

Could you not just waterproof the shed? Doors would be a bit trickier to seal, but if you can manage that it would surely be easier and it would put less strain on the shed.

I'm thinking some of this applied to the outside for the main panels. http://www.screwfix.com/prods/36010/Building/Build...

And some sort of car-door or marine style rubber seals. http://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/bbCMS/shopping.asp?in...

(of course this would mean you couldn't access the shed during a flood, but at least everything would be safe)

Edited by wombat172a on Monday 22 November 11:06

Edited by wombat172a on Monday 22 November 11:14

[jeff m]

Argue it's a temp structure and outside the scope of the planning dept (and lose)
Argue that is built less than 2.5m above the Spring tide flood line (and lose)
Buy an endangered eagle and let it nest in the shed.
Or chop a foot out at the top of the walls. Thus lowering the roof to within limits.
UDI, yup UDI is your best bet. Start with a few rolls of barbed wire and keep us updated.

[CraigW]

udi?