Racing the weather for a <$600 "garage"

[gstrom99]

Looks pretty good, and cheap enough. Lets see some pics and updates next spring...

 

[deezler]

Looks pretty good, and cheap enough. Lets see some pics and updates next spring...

For sure, i will try to remember to revisit this thread periodically over time with updates.

I honestly think this structure might stand just fine for 10+ years.

If you notice in some of the early pics, i do have one of the far less robust 10x17’ tent sheds from harbor freight also. Its the yellow shed located directly behind my metal carport. I bought two of them USED from a guy, back in 2015. After one year of using two, i combined them into one shed with extra poles and double cover.

 

[Mtsoxfan]

I have a 6x12 Shelter Logic, which construction wise looks identical.
I used for snowmobile, and I barley fit riding in. Been up for 2 years and we get some very windy days. Snow does accumulate, but it holds until i can bump it off.
I may steal your idea of foundation when I eventually move it.
Great looking job there.

 

[TractorTYMe]

Dang, that's the most thorough "temporary" carport install I've seen!

 

[jyoutz]

Looks good. I could never use one of those in my area. The spring winds would destroy it.

 

[bmaverick]

So, to tally things up:

12x20 portable garage: $349 (with MI 6% tax and 25% coupon)
Some treated 2x6s: $38 (half new, half were old scraps on hand)
~55 6x8x16 concrete blocks: $90 (had a few on hand already)
Part of a pile of gravel: $140 (I got kinda ripped off on this gravel load)

Not counting spare/re-used screws, chunks of wood, old rebar, etc. I love scrounging together a project with minimal purchases.

Grand total: $627 Dangit! Over-budget! haha, I had not actually totaled anything up until right now.

In any case, this is 12x20 of covered storage (ok more like 11x20' on the inside) for $630, as compared to the 20x21x9' metal carport next to it that was a whopping $3400. BUT, the carport was the price fully installed, and assembled in just 2 hours by the fastest working mexican crew I've ever watched. I'm glad to have both structures.

For under $300, I made this from 3 coral panels, 3 cattle panels, zip-ties and 1 huge tarp. It's going on 6 years now.

Then came the add-ons later. oh boy.

 

[Alan W.]

Put one up for my daughter in law over Christmas.
I used gravel to level the pad area.
Counting the rock and all Ive got about $250 in it. Purchased the carport on sale.

 

[thepumpguysc]

bmaverick.. u got the makins of a good size meth lab.!! Lol

 

[garry1p]

When my 2nd cover wore out I decided to upgrade to a metal roof.
I purchased the material from a local metal fabricator for less than a big box store. Total for all material was around $350. The blue tarp area is now a 20ftX8X7 attached covered area for lawn mower and other stuff.

 

[shooterdon]

You did a great job in the time you had. Really like how you addressed the height issue.

I see a lot of the smaller sheds up here in northern MI and most do not last long. You seem to have corrected the weak points and I hope it lasts a few years.

BTW, I came close to buying something similar in size to yours this fall and was put off by how the smaller units seem to destruct in 2-3 years. I decided to sell the stuff I was not using that much and netted about $7000.

again, nice job,