Shed Advice

[Tam Lin]

Not strictly boating I know but I am sure there are forumites with experience and opinions. I am looking to replace a couple of smaller sheds with a bigger one, say 14 by 8 ft. to use as storage and working in. A shed place near me sells decent looking sheds but I can find the same size for several hundred pounds cheaper on the Internet. Is it a case of you get what you pay for. Can anyone recommend a supplier? Any thoughts?

 

[pvb]

Ask your local place to look at price-matching (or at least reducing their price).

 

[Jcorstorphine]

Check the floor and the roof, cheaper sheds use buillding board rather than tounge and groove. Check the cladding, shiplap tounge and groove better than simple overlap. Last, check the cladding wood with pine as cheapest and cedar being the best with larch almost as good. Also find if wood has been pressure treated.

 

[Capt. Clueless]

You have two sheds eh? https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com/s...faa9e6867b67698245859e05dfd015cc&action=click

 

[DrSpock]

Lots of companies will build you a shed to your requirements - have a look on eBay.

As mentioned all depends on quality - some don't include floors - others have shiplap / t&g / loglap etc.

In the end I bought mine from WorldStores:

http://www.worldstores.co.uk/c/TGB_Sheds_All_Garden_Buildings.htm

 

[cpedw]

I've had several years of fun in a plastic (polythene?) shed made by Ketos. Less romantic but it needs no maintenance and doesn't go rotten.

Derek

 

[pcatterall]

Check the floor and the roof, cheaper sheds use buillding board rather than tounge and groove. Check the cladding, shiplap tounge and groove better than simple overlap. Last, check the cladding wood with pine as cheapest and cedar being the best with larch almost as good. Also find if wood has been pressure treated.

+1 Cheapo thin overlap can be half price of shiplap.

 

[Tam Lin]

Lots of companies will build you a shed to your requirements - have a look on eBay.

As mentioned all depends on quality - some don't include floors - others have shiplap / t&g / loglap etc.

In the end I bought mine from WorldStores:

http://www.worldstores.co.uk/c/TGB_Sheds_All_Garden_Buildings.htm

Were you pleased with it?

 

[fisherman]

I looked at a readymade, about £500, then after examining the scantlings built from scratch: 12ft X 8ft, really solid 1.5in floor, properly supported, 3x2 framing and t&g clad with ornamental bead. Ply and felt roof. About£800 in the end, but worth it.

 

[Leighb]

From my experience if you think 12X8 is the right size add a couple each way! A shed is never big enough.

 

[Champagne Murphy]

I used this guy http://www.suffolksheds.com/
A nice solid 12' x 12', double door etc. Not too far from you either

 

[DrSpock]

Were you pleased with it?

I did a lot of research - I even designed my own in CAD before realising it wasn't worth the hassle building it myself.

I bought an Apex Superior 22mm 12 x 6 for £740 a few years ago. The thicker boards make a big difference to the structural strength - it's more like a mini-workshop. The only mild disappointment was the roof was a bit flimsy but I reinforced that myself.

 

[sarabande]

the DIY route is by far the best.

For that size, 6x3 inch uprights, 5x2 rafters and 4x2 battens. Insulalted corrugated steel roofing panels with a couple of GRP panels to let diffuse light in.


Use a very simple construction system and you have a shed that will last for ages. Shop built shed have tiny scantlings and creak and groan at the slightest opportunity. DIY means you can build in tables, power sockets windows exactly where you need them.

PIc is of a 30 x 12 ft firewood store. Cost <400 (trade price materials from Travis Perkins and local sawmill, with on farm labour of about 30 hours.

[/IMG]

You can line the wall with 3" rockwool, or sheepwool for a cosy man shed effect

Another advantage of building the shed first and not faffing around with foundations and slabs, is that you can do all that with a roof over your head. The tprights go into 2ft deep holes, the post base is soaked on old diesel/petrol for a couple of days to preserve it, then concreted in (not posh concrete but "quarry dust" (25mm to dust at £12 tonne delivered, also known as "scalpings") and cement.


You will always enjoy a shed you have built by your own efforts and it is very very simple, and you can make the outside look as "designed" as you wish.

 

[colind3782]

I bought one from www.shedstore.co.uk and the quality is carp. The overlaps don't in many places and I'm having to line it to keep it weatherproof.

Avoid

 

[chinita]

I used these people:

http://www.gardenbuildings.co/

Settled on a 12 X 10 pent workshop with four windows and a stable door. Used their recommended guy to lay a concrete base and, a week later two blokes erected it in about three hours.

http://www.gardenbuildings.co/superior-8-x-12-heavy-duty-workshop

Very pleased. A few 'snagging' jobs to do but after I had varnished the interior and laid Lino squares on the floor the place was transformed.

Cost was mid range (about £1600 + the base). I got cheesed off looking at cheaper offerings and had a reality check when I saw the ridiculous prices at Crane in Norfolk (about £10k for the same thing!).

Envious of Sarabande's effort - sadly I do not have the space or farm labourers to replicate!

Oh, and yes, buy the biggest you can sensibly accommodate. Mine is full to bursting after just a few months.

 

[robertj]

I built a workshop (shed) some years back, no cheaper doing it yourself but far better quality. Online sheds are usually small section frames, roof and floor which is suitable for storage but if using as a workshop the larger size materials are best.
One tip is, think of the size you want then double it and you end up with a shed half the size you need lol.

 

[oldharry]

From my experience if you think 12X8 is the right size add a couple each way! A shed is never big enough.

...and it still wont be big enough! Contents always expand to overfill the available space. :0

 

[robertj]

Sarabande
It's enviable someone with that much space.

 

[Len Ingalls]

Consider a gable roof rather than shed roof for workshop. Minimum 7 Ft wall height.
Gives you full size overhead storage for not much extra cost.

You may get some "Canadian" ideas from this site https://www.google.ca/search?q=Graves+Barns&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=qZDKV_22MMbbmQHn8LyoDw

I don't know material prices in UK. Most of these buildings are Nominal 2x4(1.5" x 3.5") or 2x3 stud wall framing & sheathed with 3/8" exterior "chip board" 4' x 8' sheets. Sheet material is more rigid than boards,but it must be covered with exterior siding-usually vinyl-which is inexpensive here.
The roof framing would be heavier of course & roof sheathing minimum 1/2" (preferably 5/8 T+ G ply) for our snow loads with rafters (trusses) @ 24" centers.
http://www.gravesbarns.com/faq/

Hope this helps.

Len

 

[colind3782]

Having downsized from a six bedroomed farmhouse with outbuildings and a hangar(!) to a two bedroomed bungalow, I know how crap will expand to fill the available volume! Go large as you can!