Steps in Building a Shed

The design and location of your new shed will depend on how it will be used - a shed for storing tools will be much simpler than one you intend to use as a small shop. For example, a large shed for housing wheeled equipment will need a ramp leading up to a double barn-style door or an overhead garage door and perhaps a concrete floor. A shed that doubles as a workshop may have plywood floors, insulated walls, windows for light and ventilation, overhead lights, and a few GFCI electrical outlets.

Although no rule says a shed must match the style of the house, using elements of roof design, siding treatment, or paint color can help unify the property and make the shed an attractive feature of your yard rather than an obvious add-on.

Put your shed in a convenient location, but also take into account such things as terrain and soil drainage, easy access to utilities, sun exposure, and view.

Building codes and permits
The building codes you must follow for a shed differ depending on whether it will just be for storage or will have plumbing, heating, wiring, and interior walls. Another set of rules could apply if you want to house livestock. Contact your local building department before you begin. In some localities, you may not need to get a building permit if the shed is under a certain size and is not built on a permanent foundation. There may also be rules about location (setbacks from property lines or existing structures on your property), size, and roof design that will affect your plan. After determining what codes apply, choose a plan that fulfills your overall requirements and can be built within your budget.

Plans, kits and prefabs
Plans
Building a shed from a plan with stock materials is well within the range of most do-it-yourselfers. A good set of plans will provide detailed materials and cutting lists, clear diagrams, and step-by-step instructions that people with basic carpentry skills should be able to handle. Typically, when starting with a level site, building a small shed from scratch will take at least two or three weekends.

The Kit Advantage
Easy-to-build kits for the do-it-yourselfer are available in wood, vinyl, or metal. Prices often are comparable to the retail cost of the materials alone. Most retailers also offer professional installation or can refer you to a local contractor. The assembled kit can range from a barely acceptable and not the least bit attractive utility shed to a fine-looking, durable building that rivals house construction.

The pieces are all precut; some elements, such as roof trusses or wall sections, may be preassembled. Depending on the shed size, design, and the degree to which the kit comes preassembled, you and a helper may be able to erect the shed in as little as a few hours with only a hammer, drill/driver or screwdriver, measuring tape, and level. A weekend of work is probably more typical. Kits may or may not come with materials for a floor, but you must always provide the foundation.

Prefabs
If you want a nearly instant outbuilding, you can buy a prefab (Fig. 1). Some of these units are delivered and set up by trained installers or subcontractors. Others come in kit form for you to erect on site. Before you buy, compare construction details, options, services, prices, warranties, and the company's reputation. You probably will be responsible for some or all of the site preparation. You may be able to support a small shed on pressure-treated landscape timbers or a bed of gravel. Larger shed will need piers or a foundation matched to the structure.

A larger shed will generally require a traditional foundation - pier-and-girder, concrete or block wall, or concrete slab - with footings that extend below the local frost line.

One of the most economical and easiest ways to support a heavy shed is with a combination of concrete piers and posts. Even on a sloping site, you can pour piers into preformed tubes that extend a few inches above ground, and insert a post anchor in each one before the mix hardens. Then you can mount posts and cut them all off at the same level to support the shed floor frame. (Fig. 2)