Shed - Buy, buy a kit, make?

[s219]

I had a summer job building storage sheds in a factory when I was young, and it was a learning experience to see the way prefab buildings were done in a controlled environment with engineered design. The same company also "imported" Amish-built sheds from PA as another product line, and they were excellent.

One thing I remember was that a fully assembled 8'x16' was around $1600 delivered, and they sold like hotcakes. That was in the late 1980s though.

Those pre-fab sheds were built smartly in terms of materials and structural considerations, as compared to most home-built sheds which are either ridiculously overbuilt or so poorly made that they fail in a couple years. Shed-kits from Lowes/HD are complete junk from what I have seen, and a waste of money.

So here's what I remember the construction of a typical average duty pre-fab factory shed consisted of:

2x4 framing for floor joists with 16" spacing, and 2x4 runners going across joists about every 3' for blocking. Runners were inset 1' from edges. 3/4" plywood decking. Walls were framed with 2x4, 24" on center with T-111 (or similar) siding. Roof had simple 2x4 rafters, 24" spacing, with gusset at ridge and 3/8" sheathing, with drip edge and standard shingles on top.

The company sold thousands of those and they were completely adequate for most uses. Never heard complaints. The company did a very good job delivering and installing the sheds, with concrete blocks every 4' (at joist/runner intersections) and shims used to get the level perfect and make sure all doors were square. Free adjustments if anything settled or got out of whack for a year. It's a smart way to support a shed if done right, and can have advantages over permanent footings in many cases.

I'd have no problem with a shed like that for what you describe. In fact, when I built one at my previous house, I closely mimicked that design, except I went with 12" spacing on the floor joists and 4x4s for the runners (mainly for extra height). The floor was more than stiff enough for my Deere riding mower and it's towed attachments as well as all my other equipment. That shed was an 8'x12' and cost me $1200 to build in 2001.

Those same sheds could be upgraded to 2x6 floor framing with 12" spacing and double plywood on the floor (second course running 90 degrees to the first) and were rated to hold cars and similar heavy loads.

Hope all that info is helpful in terms of materials and costs, albeit maybe outdated a little on the dollar amounts. We built a smaller 4'x8' version for my generator at our new house in 2013, and that ran about $900 for materials. But that's a small odd size and I think the $/sq.ft ends up skewing high for small stuff, especially since we added features to mimic our home's architecture.

 

[LD1]

It's a smart way to support a shed if done right, and can have advantages over permanent footings in many cases.

One of the biggest benefits (at least in my area) is the structure isnt subjected to zoning or codes, since it is not a permanent structure

 

[EddieWalker]

$6,000 to $12,000 is a pretty big range. First question is how comfortable are you building one yourself? Do you understand headers, jack studs, racking and basic truss design to handle the weather in your area? DO you get snow?

The square footage and prices you posted put you at $30 a square foot. That's extremely high in my opinion. I figure I can build a barn or shed from $5 to $10 a square foot here in Texas where I don't get any snow.

In my area, there are quite a few shed companies out there that sell them either already built, or they come to your location with a trailer full of materials and they assemble it in a day or two. I've looked at them with clients and some are pure junk with studs 2 feet apart or more, no top plates, no headers and 2x4's for the trusses. And I've seen them built to code for a residential home. Cost was just over $15 a square foot for the good one, which included a ramp, shelving and window boxes for flowers. Good quality double pain windows and Hardie siding all set on concrete blocks.

Eddie

 

[Garandman]

Stop by the NH prison in Concord, across the street from the Pen they have a rehab shop/yard where the inmates learn skills and build sheds. They delivered and set up a complete (and totally overbuilt) 12x16 to our old place in NWoodstock for $3500 IIRC. Came with two windows, doors, ramp, fully sidied with vynyl and shingled with asphalt 3tabs. They can make it to your specs and you'll get a pretty great product at very low cost. Kept 2 road bikes, mower, and yard stuff in it.

This sounds good and we are less than an hour from Concord. Found this reference:

I bought my shed from the Concord prison store facility across the street from the prison. My wife and I purchased furniture from the store and have always been pleased with the price and quality. All hard wood and built to last.

Last year we bought the shed from the same location. They will build it to your specs. We decided on a 10 X 16 shed with shiplap siding, two windows with screens, ridge vent, pressure treated floor joists, plywood roof, and double doors with lights over the doors as seen on many barns in the area. I provided the roofing shingles. They are very easy to work with. The shed was stained with a natural finish. Its is beautiful. Built with the same specs as you would build a house. The price .......... 10% over the cost of material. The 10% goes toward maintenance of tools and such. The inmates don't get paid but learn a trade. A win win situation.

The cost to delivery the shed was $50 bucks to Meredith. They will also set up the shed on your site. They do expect the site to be fairly level. They will put the shed on concrete blocks and provide a pressure treated ramp for easy entry. They were here for about and hour and took pains to make sure it was level and that I was satisfied. And no, they are not dressed in prison garb but I expect at least one of the three men was a prisoner.

 

[Garandman]

To answer your question --- "Yes."

I Googled shed plans 16x24 and came up with 58,200 results, some of them free.

Steve

You forgot Youtube, which has 64,000 videos mentioning shed plans: seemingly none of which have a Bill of Materials, either.

If you check out the Family Handyman website, they have a section on sheds that include schematics, framing diagrams and materials lists.

Shed Plans: Storage Shed Plans: The Family Handyman

I'm thinking about using a slightly modified version of their 2011 model for my next shed project, but without the elaborate paint scheme.

View attachment 417220

Here is the shed diagram and materials listing:

Building Plans and Schematics

Materials List

Excellent, thanks!

 

[roadhunter]

Menards will have material packages for many types of barn/shed packages. Might check their website.
like this. Breaks down every piece.
http://www.menards.com/main/p-2705468-c-9907.htm

 

[Garandman]

One of the biggest benefits (at least in my area) is the structure isnt subjected to zoning or codes, since it is not a permanent structure

Have to look it up in NH: in MA a shed under 200sf does not require a building permit.

We had a 10x12 shed installed in Boston by New England Barn & Shed. They cut their own logs, mill their own lumber, and assemble the sheds on site. We needed a $50 zoning permit from the city and it had to be 5' from the edge of the property. I used Sikkens Cetol Marine on it so I won't have to refinish it for a long time. I plan to go to a metal roof, in part because the house and garage already have that, in part because I like them.

$6,000 to $12,000 is a pretty big range. First question is how comfortable are you building one yourself? Do you understand headers, jack studs, racking and basic truss design to handle the weather in your area? DO you get snow?

Yes, 9-10 feet per season.

 

[GLyford]

Have to look it up in NH: in MA a shed under 200sf does not require a building permit.

Varies by town. In mine it is 120SF, and must also follow the setbacks (30 feet in my zone, 10 feet downtown) and there is also limit on % of the lot covered. So oddly enough, I have two 120sf tool sheds, a 8x10 woodshed, and a 6x10 greenhouse...and a chicken coop. There is also a height limit...32'. I have so far not built anything much over half that... :laughing:

 

[GLyford]

duplicate

 

[GLyford]

Oh, and in some towns if you're zoned agricultural, pole buildings don't count, regardless of size. BiL built himself a 24x24 pole shed with a nice loft. Telephone poles, steel roof, board-and-batten siding.

One that size was what I really wanted when I started, but didn't have the money. Probably should have figured out a way to make it happen anyway.