Strategic Relocation for Timber Frame Barn

Services

Leola, PA / May 2025

Wolfe House Movers, LLC, relocated a large timber frame barn that sat just a few yards from the road in Lancaster County.  The barn, set on old block walls with an attached cow barn and silo, needed to be moved further back on the property for safety and functionality. The owner’s goal was to preserve the barn while moving it 27′ and placing it on new, poured concrete walls. To prepare for the relocation, the property owner demolished the attached cow barn and silo.

Wolfe’s crew constructed crib piles beneath the barn, inserted steel beams to carry the building’s weight, and installed skates in the crib piles. One of the project’s challenges was the limited access on the side of the barn closest to the road, which restricted the space available for equipment setup and maneuvering. When the steel, crib, and skates were in position, Wolfe used a unified jacking machine to lift the barn from the old foundation and installed push-pull rams to slide the beams—and the entire structure— across the skates. This precise slide method allowed for smooth horizontal movement with minimal disturbance to the surrounding area.

When the building was in position at the new location, Wolfe supported it on crib piles while the foundation walls were built, then lowered it the few inches to final elevation. Through expert planning, specialized equipment, and coordinated teamwork, the Wolfe team was able to preserve the structure’s integrity while meeting the owner’s goal of repositioning it for long-term use and stability.