Professional plans don’t have to cost you a lot of money an in fact will save you a lot of money as you’ll know exactly what you need before you even start your build.  If you decide to build without a plan, you can expect to have to make adjustments along the way.  Anyone who has built anything will tell you that making adjustments often means spending more money.

Pro plans for building sheds are easy to follow, give you all the information up front and you get an illustration of exactly how to put it all together.

So Simple – Don’t build castles.

With huge quantities of shed plans available, it’s easy to want to complicate your project with shutters and siding and such things.  Remember that this is just a shed, a storage space and if that’s all it is, then don’t waste money on things that won’t make it more functional.

Don’t do anything until you’ve thought the process through.

When you are planning your project, you’ll want to mentally go through the entire process before you get started.  What tools you are going to need to complete the job and what do you have available right now.  At the end of your project, what is going to be inside your shed and how big are the items and do they match the size of your shed.

The best plans will also include a cut chart and if you take this to the lumber yard, they’ll cut your wood for your ensuring that you don’t have to worry about cutting it yourself.

Planning permission granted or not?

Your final task before you start is to find out if you can build your shed.  Most small sheds don’t need building permits, but check before you start.  There is nothing worse than building a shed only to discover that you weren’t allowed to and now you have to take it down and pay a fine.

The first decision you have to make is what kind of shed you want to build.  Do you want your shed to blend into a particular style of home or are you happy with something really simple in your garden.  Another aspect of your build to consider is if you want to paint your wood or not.  Painting means that you don’t have to use the very best quality wood and can cover any blemishes in the lumber.

If this is your very first shed building project, it is a good idea to follow the instructions carefully.  Not that it is difficult to build, but by following the instructions carefully, you will land up with the best looking shed with the least amount of mistakes.  After a while you’ll be able to work with plans more loosely and use your own imagination when it comes to how you want it all to work together

Finding the right spot for your shed is also really important.  If you are building near a wall or a fence, it might be a good idea to try and match it in colour so that it looks good.  Another really important reason for knowing where you are going to put your shed is that locating any doors and windows can only be done when you know where it will fit.

Fitting your shed in your garden will also make a big difference to the size you choose.  You really want to get a shed as big as possible, but that won’t look cramped in the space you have allocated for it.  No point in building a shed that is so big and you can’t get into it easily because you haven’t left any room for a path to the door.

What type of shed do I need?

Depending on what you are going to be putting in your shed, you will have a few choices of what type of shed to build.  If you are only storing garden equipment such as lawn mowers and such items, then you’ll need quite a bit of floor space.  If you are going to be storing boxes and containers, then you’ll be looking at something with some shelving.

Garden growing sheds usually need both a planting table as well as space for your shoves, rakes and other garden tools.

What plans do I choose?

Plans come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges.  If this is just a once off project and you know exactly what type of shed you want, then you could just buy a single shed plans (although much more expensive in per plan costs).  If you think that you might want to see a few different types before you decide for sure which one is right for you, then a collection of plans is suitable.  Although the collection might be more expensive, the cost per plan will be much reduced.

Find shed plans that include step-by-step instruction and if you can find some with online support, this will help if you run into some problems and need a little helping hand without having to spend any more money.

What is the best location for my shed?

Before you start building your shed, make sure that you don’t need to have planning permission to build.  The size of the shed is the primary deciding factor.  Although you want to build as big a shed as you possibly can, at some point the size will mean having to get a building permit which will cost more money.

If you don’t need a permit, then you can build it anywhere you like.  The best locations are on flat ground with good water drainage.

What kind of foundation will my shed need?

The length of time your shed remains functional is directly proportionate to the quality of it’s foundations.  Dry and level are the best and although there are a lot of different foundation systems, the simplest are often the best.  Keeping the base wood elevated off the soil will prevent damp from rising and damaging the wood.

What kind of finish should I give my shed?

Painting you shed is a personal choice.   Depending on where it is located and whether you think your shed needs to blend in or not, you can make that decision.  Often just a little varnish or treatment will do just fine, but weather conditions will also play a vital role in your decision making.

Most people use their garage to store all their extra stuff and that’s fine if you have enough space, but often it’s the car that is left out in the cold, the rain and the sun while the garage becomes a storage grotto.

Building your own shed means…?

• No more storing in the garage
• Having a dedicated area so you can actually find things again
• Doing something that adds value to your home and will add credits to your marriage.

So how do you build a shed…?

The best sheds are portable, meaning you can lift and move them to where you need them.  Portable sheds also don’t need any planning permission and you can take them with you if you ever sell your home.  The other option is to go bigger and build a garden shed that has foundations.  This is really easy and as long as your shed is not massive, you won’t need planning permission for it either.  The bigger the shed – the more space you have and it’s always a good idea to go for the biggest you can afford.

Before you begin you project – decide on what you want your shed to be made of.  You could use plastic, fibreglass, wood, glass or metal.  The easiest to work with is wood, but depending on your weather conditions, you may want to use something else.

Find a great set of plans – we are offering a free plan here.  If you need something different, there is a huge collection of different plans to choose from in the link below.

Click here for the plan download page.

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Once you have your plans, you’ll want to get going on building your shed.  Follow the instructions and you could have a shed up in less than a few hours.  It’s easy and is a project that the whole family could get involved in.