When thinking about building a garden or storage shed, most homeowners have several options to consider. Depending upon your financial resources, size and purpose of shed and other resources, such as: time and personal mechanical skills, these options are confusing, complex or very simple. Let's look at a few of the options available for homeowners.
One option is to hire a local contractor. The contractor can design and build your shed. This is usually the simplest and easiest, but it also the costliest, especially if it is a small shed. While it may save you time, communication, between the contractor and you, is critical to getting the shed you want and where you want it built. My wife and I decided to go with a local garage specialist to build our two-car garage, 20 'x 30', five years ago.
The contractor's crew dug out the foundation, poured the concrete and put up the garage in two days. This also included digging the trench for the electrical and complete wiring of the garage and installing the garage doors. However, it did come with a higher price tag than if we had done it ourselves. At the time, it was the best decision for us. (More on this project in another article.)
Buying a pre-made shed can also be simple and easy. They are cost-effective and may fit better into your budget. It also may save you the headaches and hassles of designing and building your own shed. They are available in wood, metal and plastic. Plastic and metal sheds are a real economic choice. Their assembly is similar to are large erection set. The plastic units are mostly preformed flat pack units. Plastic is immune to putrefaction. They do not rust and are virtually maintenance free. Since plastic sheds are made of PVC, they do not need painting.
Metal sheds, in my opinion, are a little harder to erect. The instructions are confusing. Taking the time to layout the different pieces and metal screws is well worth the investment. Metal sheds should be put together quickly, usually within a two-day time period. While metal sheds may not come in all sizes or offer a lot of variety, they do provide for better security if you have a lot of tools and garden equipment. From my personal experience, being patient and paying attention to details is paramount with metal sheds. However, when purchasing a pre-made shed either wood, plastic or metal, they are limited in design and functionality options.
In the case of metal and plastic sheds, the color is also predetermined. When you purchase a shed someone else has built or designed, you'll end up compromising on a number of things or paying additional money to have their standard model customized for your needs. Also most metal and plastic sheds do not come with options for attached shelving. If there is an option for shelving, there will be additional cost involved. Most of these sheds come without a floor or foundation so some prep work is required. While the units are less expensive initially, beware of the additional costs and tradeoffs with these types of sheds.
If you have specific needs and design concerns, constructing your own wooden shed is the best answer for you, especially, if you have carpentry skills and are mechanically inclined. The shed can be build to your specific lifestyle and requirements. The shed's exterior can also be predetermined to complement your home and garden. Building a garden shed from wood provides a lot of options for current and future projects and accessories. Whether you need to store lots of tools or you want a spare area where you can have space to work on outdoor project or hobby, you can create and build the solution just for your needs.