To many householders a shed is an essential part of your home. It can be the place to keep your gardening equipment, a workshop for future projects or even a glorified man-cave. The list of uses for a garden shed is virtually unlimited.
But, deciding to build one is only the first step. There are several things you need to consider before you get stuck in to the build:
Size
The first thing is to decide the size of the shed you need. This means working out what you are going to use it for and how you are going to store the items in it. Once you’ve worked this out you’ll be able to approximate the size of the shed you need. You should then add half the size on again; this will ensure it is big enough for what you need now and in the future.
It’s easier to build it once properly than it is to keep modifying it. The last thing you would want is to redo it all over again. To achieve the exact shed size, consider using this ultimate shed design guide that will save time, money, and stress when building your shed project.
Utilities
The next step is to decide if you need power to your shed. The answer is probably yes. This means you’ll have to run cables from the shed location to your main fuse board.
Ideally these cables should be run underground with protection.
However, before you do this you’ll need to have a survey completed by One Search Locators. This will tell you if there are any utilities running under your land. If there are then you may need to retain access to them for the utility board and maybe even your neighbors!
Using an underground service locator to know where any utilities are means you can make sure your shed is not built over them.
A survey can also confirm the exact boundaries of your land; helping you to position the shed correctly.
Materials
The traditional approach is to build you shed from wood but this is not the only option. You can choose metal, vinyl or several other common shed building materials. The choice is yours but it is worth considering which material is most practical and the cost of the different options.
Building Codes
Before you start building anything you should check with your local planning office and building codes. You may need permission to build a shed. If this is the case you’ll have to apply before you build and you’ll need to ensure your build complies with all the current regulations.
Location
You may want to have the shed right next to the house for ease of access however this may not be the best location; particularly depending on what you intend to use the shed for.
Think carefully about the location before you create your foundations. You don’t want to be moving or rebuilding the shed in the future.
Extras
The final step in building your shed is to consider the small extra details which can make a huge difference. This may be the shutters on the outside for look and security or it may be the garden path you’ll need to create in order to get to the shed.
Consider all the small things before you build to ensure there are no unpleasant surprises.