How to Build Your Own Shed

So you want to build your own shed?  You are most likely doing this for a couple of reasons, you want the challenge and enjoy working with your hands, and you want to save money as opposed to hiring a builder and paying thousands of dollars for them to do the same work you could do one your own. 

Where Do I Start?

There are many things to consider before building your own shed.  The first and most important one being, do I need a permit?  This is something that will depend on where you live and it is best to check with the city or municipality that you live in before you go ahead and stick the first shovel in the ground.  There is a misconception that buildings under a certain size do not need permits. Again, every municipality is different so please check with the one you live in.  The permit will give you the security of knowing that you abided by all municipality guidelines in regards to the shed quality as it must be built to code, the location must be approved to be sure it isn’t encroaching on other people’s property,  park land or sitting on top of your septic system.  Lastly, the town may make you move the shed or tear it down if a permit was not acquired when needed.

Where Do I Build My Shed?

You will want to choose a good site that is easily accessible to you. This will seem easier than it is as there are many factors to consider. You will want to know what is going to be below the shed as you will not want it on top your septic system or any other important utility that you may need access to in the future.  You will want to avoid building the shed at the base of a slope or low-lying area that collects water.  Also, make sure to keep the shed within the property line setbacks, having a permit will help determine these.

What Type of Foundation Do I Build?

There are many different styles of Sheds out there to choose from. There are also different foundations to choose from as well. Permanent and On Grade Foundations. On Grade is the easiest as they are built with pre-fabricated concrete pads or pressure treated timbers, they are built right on top of the ground and do not require digging holes and pouring concrete. On Grade is best suited for the smaller style shed. The other style is a Permanent foundation and they are best for larger sheds and provide a “frost proof” foundation. These are built by digging down to the frost line and pouring concrete footings or slabs as they give a much more stable foundation.  This will offer more support for the larger structure also protecting the building from any movement caused by seasonal freeze and thaws of the ground.

What Style of Shed Do I Choose?

There are many more shed styles than there are foundation styles ranging from Garden Shed to Storage Shed and even Brick Sheds and Concrete Sheds can be built. It all depends on what you want and how comfortable you feel building your own shed based upon your own shed style.

For more information on How to Build Your Own Shed you can check out my website for more in depth instruction and reviews at www.my12000shedplans.blogspot.com