Prefab shed kits

Does anyone know a good place to buy prefab shed kits?

I've been pricing out the sheds at the shed places and box stores and they seem way too expensive.

I'm not the most experienced guy when it comes construction/carpentry but I've heard the prefab kits are't too difficult to assemble.

 

Just the opposite here, I'd probably build it myself.
Are you talking about a steel shed that comes pre built and all you need to do is assemble?
or a wood shed, where most thing are pre-cut and partially assembled?

 

I was referring to a wood shed. To be honest, building it myself is probably beyond my ability.

 

What about one of these?

http://firewoodhoardersclub.com/forums/index.php?threads/think-i-can-call-it-a-wood-shed-now.5216/

 

Well I'll be putting mowers, generator, backpack blower etc etc etc in it so I need something locking and that doesn't look like it would fit the bill. I was thinking of a very basic 10x10 or 12x12 wood shed that i can easily assemble in an afternoon.

 

I'm not sure if there is a critter like that out there. They make side/door kits for those metal carports and you can usually get them installed for cheap.

 

My 2 cents into your thought process Dana... first, I get that you don't really want to get into something way too involved or too time consuming when coming up with a shed. You sound as tho you haven't done a lot of this kinda stuff. But... my first thought was, if you ever wanted to learn how to build a structure, you couldn't find a better project to do that with. A small shed is a relatively simple thing to build, yet it'll have you doing almost all of the cuts and assembling of pieces that you'd have to make with a much bigger project. You'll save a little $ by buying the components at the lumber yard, and the project will go faster as you learn more going along, too. Maybe you have a friend who has more experience, who could give you a hand? All I know is it's surprising what we can pick up as we do stuff. In 1978, the only building experience I had was plywood speaker boxes. With a baby on the way, my wife and I bought a piece of land... I bought Readers Digest's How To Build a House book... and I built my first (our first) house in 5 months. It was a tar paper shack... and we loved it. It's still there today and doing fine. Good luck.

 

Poke around www.youtube.com. You can get a lot of ideas. Being in NH you will need it strong enough for a snow load. Something a lot of kits don 't have. Many prefab kits don't come with a base or floor. You'll need to select space and will need a ramp to access it with those tools you mentioned.

 

I threw together one of those plastic sheds at the campground we have a permanent site at. I put down some pavers and built a platform out of 2x's and plywood and set it on that. I'm guessing it took 4 hours with the help of my twelve year old. Looks good, was easy install and maintenance free. my 2 cents...

 

I work at a vocational school and the construction class builds sheds. They just charge for the materials, no labor. They even get a great deal on the materials so the sheds are reasonable and they are very well built. They even deliver them. Are there any vocational schools in your area?

 

I had a 12 X 16 built on site by pros for a few hundred over what the materials would have cost me. They get material cheaper than u or I and have the proper tools and tricks. Start to finish in 7 hours. I split wood, drank beer, and watched. Best $ I spent last year.

 

I've built 2 sheds (see my avatar for one.) They take time and some skill (I'm a jack of all trades, master of none.)

While I save a ton of money, my time isn't really free, so I understand the buy a kit/ buy it whole approach and advocate that to anyone not interested in the labor of love.

I see great deals during the off season (late fall/ early winter.) There are several shed builder outfits around here and they will put up their deals on CL. The prices aren't much different than the HD junk, but the build looks far superior.

 

Another option:

Around here people give them away if you will move them. You can pay for a mover, or do it your self and save the material cost.

 

My friend and I built my shed from scratch. I dug 2 foot holes under each paver and filled the holes with 3/4 " stone. The floor was built with 2x8s and the walls are 2x4. The roof has an lvl supported on each end with 2x4s in each wall and pavers over 2 foot deep stone. This way we used a 48" wide metal door that easily opens and closes because the shed is level and does not settle. A nice 2 circuit 60 amp fuse box provides power for inside and outside lights. There is 2" foam board under the floor and r15 fb batts under the wood paneling in the walls and r19 in the 2x6 roof with ridge vent and strip soffit vents. The outside #1 primed grooved cedar shakes are painted to match the house and the shed is heated with a wood pellet stove on a bag per week right under the cable TV on a raised hearth with rope lights. The loft can sleep 2 and it only took 3 months to build!
Click pic to enlarge

 

This is a timely discussion... Im at the point I need to get stuff out of the garage. I was looking at plans to build a small shed but the thing that amazes me is that doing a small one in the 6x10 range, just pricing out the materials at the local lumberyard it will cost me more than it would to hire an outfit like Reeds Ferry to build one!!!

Are others seeing this? or is it just materials are outrageous up here in New England? I'm talking about $35 a sheet for basic T1-11 siding, etc. the prices for treated trim boards or azek are off the wall.



The other challenge I have is that I'm on a small lot, but located in a part of town that's zoned for residential and Ag, and that requires 30ft setbacks from the road and lot lines. Any reasonable spot I could build would mean going to the zoning board for a variance and that will cost a few hundred more and take a couple months. My town has no minimum square footage exclusion for permits, Id need one to build a freakin outhouse


So in the meantime I'm gonna just stick one of those $300 plastic storage boxes out back while I look at more permanent options.

 

MA here as well, no crazy setbacks like you! I built my big shed (12'x15' with 8'x15' lean-to) for $4k material cost. It's built like a house and meant to last. I hate T1-11 but it makes for quick work. I went local milled pine for the board & batten siding, but price in all that stain for the 6 raw sides, and I'm probably at same price as T1-11.

I don't think I could buy the equivalent shed for that money, but my time and labor isn't free. After doing this twice over (smaller shed too), I fully advocate having someone else build it unless you will enjoy the build yourself. If not, no brainer - buy from a good outfit. Wait a few more months and they'll move inventory at reduced costs close to winter.