Buy or Build a Storage Shed? 5 Questions You Should Ask

Buy or Build a Storage Shed? 5 Questions to Ask Before You Decide

Should you buy or build a shed? Lots of folks enjoy the DIY project, and the fun of building something on their own.

Others think it’s going to be too much hassle. They just want to get a good shed in their backyard, done by people who know what they are doing.

6 questions will help you decide which is best for you.

Buy or Build? Start with 5 Questions.

1. Which is more valuable to you, time or money?
   • Build. If you are short on money and long on time, building your shed may be perfect for you. Expect to make a few extra trips to Lowes, and to pay a little extra for some wrong cuts. And remember that for most of us, any DIY project takes longer than we estimate! But, if you don’t count your time you can save around 10-50% over the cost of a pre-built shed.
   • Buy. If you have cash, or you don’t mind RTO or financing, you may decide that your time is worth more to you than your money.
2. Who is going to build a better shed–the shed company, or you? This is pretty obvious, but a high-quality shed requires a high-quality builder. Make no mistake–putting together a fine-looking shed is fairly complex.
   • Build. If you are an experienced builder, you may decide to build because you enjoy creating your own quality structures.
   • Buy. If you’re not an experienced builder, and misaligned doors or crooked shingles will drive you crazy, you’ll want to go with an experienced shed company. Obviously, quality varies from one builder to another. Look around at different models, and you will soon see the difference.
3. How will you get the design you want?
   • Build. If you have background in construction design, you can design what you want. No one is going to say, “Sorry, that design just isn’t in the catalog.”
   • Buy. If your best option for a shed company is a box store, you will have a limited selection of buildings, window and door layouts, and accessories. Box stores typically do not have design consultants who are trained to help you custom-design your shed. If you have access to dedicated shed companies, they can build you pretty much anything you can dream of.
4. How soon do you need your shed? 
   • Build. If you have experienced building skills and some willing help, you may be able to get a shed up and ready to go next weekend.
   • Buy. In busy times, a shed company may have a backlog of 4-6 weeks for a custom-designed shed. Other times, they may be able to get you a shed off a retail lot within a week. If your schedule is tight, be sure to ask the shed company about theirs.
5. Do you enjoy doing building projects? You really ought to ask yourself about what you enjoy. Life is short. It’s worth thinking about what will be least painful, and most pleasurable.
   • Build. If you just love this sort of project — you might have your answer right there. Some people get great satisfaction out of researching and designing, buying and building. They enjoy the pleasure of looking at what they built with their own hands.
   • Buy. If you’d prefer a trip to the dentist, you need to start looking for pre-fab sheds.

Decision: Will you Buy or Build your Storage Shed?

If they idea of building gets you excited, you’ve probably found a way forward. You have two options. You can either build entirely from scratch, or you can buy a shed kit that requires primarily assembly.

If you decide that you are a buyer, you have an immediate decision to make. Who will build your shed for you? Be sure you choose a reputable builder, who has been in the business for a while. Check out their reviews.

If you decide you’d like to check out a pre-fab shed, we’d love to help you! Wave your hand to us, and 40 years of experience will be at your service.

Good luck with your decision about whether you should build or buy a shed! If you are ready to buy, get in touch with us. We’d love to talk to you about the perfect shed for your backyard.

Shoot, yeah. I’d be glad for a little help.