Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Non-Petro Discussions Non-petro Discussion and Showcase Moving a sign pole with the footing attached .

I know some may wonder why would you ,but has anyone ever moved a sign post and left the existing concrete footing (concrete root ball) attached and reset the pole successfully ? When I poured my existing footings for both my signs ,my footings roughly are 4ft x4ft cubes , little over a yard each with a post hole dug in the middle for a tap root . I am relocating the signs and I am thinking about digging around them with skid steer and lifting them out , digging new holes and resetting them . Anyone ever tried this? With the cost of materials etc, seems it would be a waist to not reuse them if possible. If put back in a hardpan soil enviorment and tamped in real good and covered with 1/2" minus rock looks like it would be just as good . Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks .

Might be worth a try. Worse that could happen is it would get blown over. As long as it didn't fall on anything.

I agree Pat . Thanks , It sounds goofy . Lifting out will be the biggest challenge I think . I am making a plate out of 3/4 steel to bolt to the 7/8 studs to try to lift them . I poured both of them myself and they are flat on the bottom minus the carrot root. I will be sure and take pics of the process .

This could be interesting! I bet there are several people that would like to relocate a pole, and don't because of the problems involved? Be fun to see how it works out! Good luck!

I will be sure to share the task Kevin . I googled last night until I was blue in the face but no info was found . I think if I can get them lifted out , I will borrow a backhoe or rent a mini excavator to cut the sides of the new holes nice and straight. Both posts are double nutted to adjust the sign poles if its off slightly .

I can share my experience but I'm not sure if you get frost in the ground in Missouri. I relocated a 10'x 12'x 8" concrete surface pad and wish I have never done it. Every year when the frost is beginning or leaving the pad drops in one corner and the water runs into the building. I think because of disturbing the ground bigger than the pad and then compacting to fit it's not the same as leaving the dirt alone that has been compacted for centuries. Just a thought.

Thanks that's good info. If they were pads I sure would not try to move them . I bet it would be very difficult to level a pad like that , and I can see were it would move with the freeze and thaw also .

What is worth more; Your time or a new footing?
You'll never get the disturbed ground packed as tight around the old concrete footing.

This is not a footing but part of a walkway we cut into 3 sections. This one section is about 3 feet by 5 feet. I needed to take it from the front yard to the back yard, Hillbilly style.
May our lives glorify God,
Michael

IMO No way is it worth it. To save 200.00 your going to try to go through that? What kind of a skid steer do you have that could lift that , anyways?

If your "cubes" are 4ft X4ft then I assume you have a substantial sign post, so I wouldn't try the moving of them but just start over again. Ground is funny stuff and you'll never get it tamped enough to keep it from eventually moving. A few yards of concrete aren't gonna cost what renting machinery is that will lift those heavy existing footings. And in the end will probably take less time and effort!

Jim , my skidsteer sure wont , neighbor has a high lift if needed and loed fork truck that I will most likely use .After reading all the suggestions I think I need to just lift the poles , remove the footings and haul off to the ditch rather than try to relocate it sounds .Sure is a waste but i need to do whats practical I guess . Getting out wont be the problem I don't think it will be trying to do the other part it sounds like . Pretty sad when you have to get on a forum to ask for opinions and suggestions ,but its helped me make my decision . It's tough being hard headed like me ! Thanks everyone for the input and opinions you shared .

. I like the hillbilly style ! Glad to see you share the same idea.

I watched our carpenter superintendent slide a interior column spread footer for a column a few feet in a large public arena in Cleveland that I will leave nameless here. It was a little controversial, but did work. That was just going to receive downward pressure. Yours will get side to side with the wind. It could be done, but I'd say you'd have to take the pole off anyways to avoid risk of damage , no? Then bolt some sort of eyehook onto the anchor bolts? Probably destroy the bolts. Maybe straps in two corners-continuing around bottom. Its going to be a lot of weight to lift all at once. Hey-anything can be done . Look at the Great Pyramids! If your going to have to dig them out anyways, maybe it may be worth it. I figured maybe you could leave the old one. That taproot you put in there may be a game stopper for salvage, though.

Jim , I share your exact thoughts . Sometimes I get a little ram -my and need to slow down and stop and just think . I think I better stick with a few yards concrete and new studs , like most mentioned for sure. Last night I got to thinking of where could I get a jack hammer and compressor to recover the fixtures with the nice hd 7/8 studs I built and how they already fit the signs .........there again I had to stop and think .... like I mentioned its tuff being bullheaded ! Lol ....thanks again. Travis .