You’re going to build a shed – Don’t do anything until you have read this.

Get professionally designed plans. It’ll save you time and money!

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.

Building A Shed – Start With Foundations

Building your shed will require having a flat level site to work from. Depending in the size and function of your shed, you may want to bring in professional help with the clearing and leveling of your building site. If you shed is just for basic use, then you can easily just build on ground that seems level to the naked eye.

Basic Shed Foundations

Spending a little more time on your site preparation will often result in a much better, easier to maintain shed. Also remember that if you are going to be building a large shed, you will also want to check with your local building office that you comply with any and all local building codes.

Building Underside

If you are building on ground that is often saturated, you will want to ensure that you shed remains dry. One of the more popular methods of ensuring that this happens is by building with a skid underside which is recessed from the edge of the exterior wall and that rests on your foundation.

In the event that you are building a larger shed which needs to adhere to local building codes, then you will easily be able to include steel angel brackets to secure your building to a gravel or concrete foundation with tie-down brackets.

Type of Foundation

Choice of foundation is primarily decided by:-

1. Budget
2. Size of Shed
3. Ground Conditions

Gravel and crushed stone are an ideal base as they are excellent for drainage and are also are relatively inexpensive. It is particularly good for both rain and snow expecially if you are not going to be including guttering in your shed build.

1. Crushed Stone Foundation

If you are going to prepare a gravel base, you will want to clear an area slightly larger than the foundations of your shed. Making a wooden frame to hold your gravel in place. The best wood to use for this is pressure treated wood and as your foundations are the most important part of your construction it is worthwhile spending money on this wood, alternatively you could use paver, brick or blocks.

2. Concrete Pillars

You may or may not be required to include cement pillars in your build. Always check with your local regulations for how many may be required, if you are required to use tie-downs and where they are meant to be placed.

3. Concrete Slab

If you plan to install a concrete slap, you will probably need professional help. Laying of concrete should not be considered if you have not done it before as it is expensive and can lead to many problems.

4. Simple Wood Structure Base

By far the easiest and most inexpensive method is building your shed on a basic wood structure. This is ideal for small sheds and garden storage areas. Most of the shed structures build for backyard storage do not require extensive foundations and although this system may result in water damage in very damp areas, it is still very popular due to it’s cost effectiveness.