Search this site

Felicia Strother had a lot of collectibles, and she needed a place to keep them. But she didn’t just want a storage shed, she wanted a place to read, enjoy a glass of wine, and listen to classical music — a she shed. She drives past our retail store on the way home from work every day, and finally one day she decided to stop in after closing time. “So I just walked around and looked at all the buildings,” says Felicia.  “And I happened to find this building and I walked inside.” “And just looked around and I was like, ‘This will be perfect for what I want to do!’” The next time Felicia stopped in, she talked with an Ulrich sales consultant. “He showed me all around and this is the one that I chose, that I fell in love with. It seems to be big enough to fit everything that I needed to fit in here and all my extra furniture and all my stuff. She settled on a 14×24 Ulrich Retreat. She likes the porch, which makes it feel more “homey.” So far, she’s added flooring and electricity. Later she hopes to insulate and finish the walls. “I would recommend Ulrich to anyone who’s looking for an outer building,” she says. “They were awesome. They were professional. They work with you the whole way from picking out the size of the building, to the trim, to the paint color on the outside, to the roof, and the whole nine yards. #FeliciaStrother

With her grandkids living in Missouri and Alaska, Kathy Thomas doesn’t get to have them at their home Texas very often. On those rare occasions when they do come, she wanted them to have a really cute playhouse. Her husband David, on the hand, wanted a shed. They decided to purchase a playhouse that would double as a backyard storage space. With an adult door on the side and the upgrade to extra tall walls, an Ulrich playhouse would let them store lawn chairs and power cords most of the year. Once or twice a year when the grandkids showed up, they could easily convert it into a play space. Since much of the Thomas’ yard space is taken up by the pool, they decided to keep their playhouse quite small. They settled on the 8×8 ft Victorian. The adult door faces their house, and the kid’s door faces the pool. Playhouses look much cuter with some skirting around the bottom to give them a finished, built-in-place look. David proved you can achieve this look very inexpensively. Rather than installing actual skirting, he simply planted dense, vigorous lantana plants around the edge. At the door, he used pavers to form steps and a small patio. It looks great and it was really cost effective. The grandkids think it’s great — they think it’s their playhouse. And it’s true, it is their playhouse to use when they visit. But in reality, it’s Grandpa and Grandma that are getting the most use from this Ulrich playhouse. #KathyThomas

Whether it’s a warehouse going up in flames, or a fast-moving prairie fire, there’s always the question — how did it start? David Sneed can tell you. David is a fire investigator. After a loss due to fire, insurance companies call on David’s firm DRS Consultants to help them find the original cause. The job requires a lot of technical know-how and persistence in order to successfully decode the information left in a pile of ashes. After David has cracked the case, he has to compile the information in a logical and detailed way that can withstand the pressure of hotly contested court cases. David used to have office and warehouse space in the city, but his clients rarely visit him in person. He decided to save money (and commute time) but installing an office on his property. He has an advantage when it comes to shopping for cabin shells. David has a lot of background in construction codes, so he knows a solid building when he sees one. In the end, he settled on a 10×20 ft Ulrich Retreat for his new office. “What I saw was a product that was superior to everything else I was seeing,” he says. The cabin shell features a corner porch, three windows, and a cutout for his A/C unit. After delivery, David insulated the shell and installed paneling on the walls and ceiling. He then added track lighting, his office furniture, and plaques showcasing his certifications. David often has to spend long hours under the hot sun when he’s out on the scene. When he comes back to his office, however, it’s cool, quiet, and comfortable. #DavidSneed

Clove Hill School is the first official Waldorf school in the area. The Waldorf philosophy is more focused on the child’s personal connection to the teacher, and less obsessed with tests and scores. Lisa Ann Grubbs, Clove Hill’s founder, used to work in the corporate world. About 20 years ago she made the shift to embrace her true passion, which is education. While much of the learning takes place outdoors, having a comfortable indoor area is essential for Clove Hill’s program. Lisa Ann Grubbs, the founder of Clove Hill, needed a way to build a school building on a moderate budget. They settled on a 16 x 44 ft Retreat from Ulrich. Its high roofline allows for a more spacious feel inside and a makes for a great looking exterior as well. Its sturdy construction came in handy this year when Clove Hill changed locations, allowing them to move the building to its new home intact. They finished out the interior of the cabin shell with a cathedral ceiling. It has a front room, a bathroom, full kitchen, and a large main room for group activities. The Scotts have now purchased several buildings from us. “We’ve been very pleased with our experience with Ulrich, very pleased. We would highly recommend them,” says Lisa. In addition to the school’s normal schedule, Clove Hill also hosts several community events, such as the fall Lantern Walk, pictured above. #LisaAnnGrubbs

Michael enjoys tackling all sorts of projects in his shed workshop, whether it’s transforming a lowly gourd into a fanciful fairy house for his granddaughters or building a chicken coop for his wife. Michael Natcher was an HVAC contractor. After he retired, he and his wife Becky moved to be closer to the grandkids. Michael is really handy when it comes to building things out of wood, and has a large selection of woodworking tools. Michael had already shed shopped at the big box stores when he noticed an Ulrich store. He liked that our sales consultant was knowledgeable and patient, walking him through the different sizes and styles. In the end, Michael decided to purchase the 12×20 ft Garden Cottage. He lined the walls and ceiling with insulation and sheetrock and had an electrician connect power from his electric meter to his shed. With a heating and cooling unit, Michael can work in comfort in any weather. He wants the center of the shed to be as open as possible, so he stores his tools around the perimeter. He mounted most of his power tools and workbenches on wheels, allowing him to wheel them into the center of the shed when he needs them, and keep them out of the way when he doesn’t. “Most men have man caves,” says Michael. “I have my shed to retreat to.” “So I spend a lot of time out here. I listen to music while I work, and it’s my place of solitude.” #MichaelNatcher

Robert Mertz is an entrepreneur with a group of six commercial buildings. He wanted to add a building for storage, but he had two special requirements. First, it needed to be a very large storage shed. Secondly, he wanted it to fit in aesthetically with the other buildings on his campus. His office buildings all showcase a seaside resort theme, and he wanted a storage building that blend in well with the theme (and not look like a storage shed). After doing some online research, he found Ulrich and spoke with sales consultant Steven Lockwood about his needs. Steven immediately began drawing up the plans for Robert’s building: The Rancher, 12 ft wide and 60 ft long, with two lofts, and four large windows. Robert placed his order immediately. A few weeks later, our construction crew arrived at Robert’s business park. In three days, the 720 square foot custom storage shed was complete. Later, Robert added shutters and painted the door green to finish the look. The cabin shell now provides space for the storage items from Robert’s construction and cabinetry businesses. He loves the way it fits in with his other buildings. Robert was very impressed with sales consultant Steven Lockwood: “I couldn’t have asked for more. He was competent beyond belief. Considerate, friendly, but capable. I mean, he was just so capable.” I would recommend Ulrich to anybody,” says Robert. “It’s rare that you have such a seamless, flawless execution in such a timely manner and of the quality that’s promised.” #RobertMertz

Kay Northup is a professional landscape artist. After moving to her current home, she attempted to paint in one of the bedrooms, but found that she was not happy, and not getting any work done. So, she started looking for a solution online. She liked what she saw on our website, and decided to give us a call. She loved working with Ulrich sales consultant Everett Ulrich. “It was so easy, it really was,” says Kay. “I used a measuring tape in my house, deciding what size and proportions I wanted. He was very helpful in every single bit of it and he sent me a walkthrough video with a lot of close-ups of their building.” “We figured out exactly the size and how many windows and everything about it, all the details. It was so easy.” Kay settled on a 12×28 ft Ulrich Garden Cottage shed with extra tall walls. “I made a deposit and made the order, and the next thing I knew three weeks later, here came the building on a double axle trailer in parts and [Bob] put it up in two days!” After we completed the shell, Kay had the interior finished out with insulation, electrical, sheetrock, flooring, and lighting. While the high-efficiency heat/cool unit was a bit pricey, Kay loves the mini-split system. It keeps her studio very comfortable. One end of the building is for storage, the other end is where Kay will paint and study. For now, Kay has more room than she needs. As she gets more things out of storage, space may eventually fill up. Kay enjoys showing her studio to her friends and recommends Ulrich to anyone who asks. In the pictures above, Kay is painting a scene from Jackson Hole, WY. See more examples of her work at https://www.northupfineart.com. #KayNorthup

If you drove past Don Longo’s suburban home you probably wouldn’t note anything particularly out of the ordinary, compared to the other homes on the street. But go through the backyard gate, past the house, and into the backyard, and it’s as if you’ve stepped into a different world. A shaded stone walkway curves through landscaped beds with tropical looking plants. Following the walkway to the left takes you to Don’s house, but if you follow it to the right, it takes you to the shed. It almost feels unfair to call it a storage shed. The shed, in this case, would be better described as a studio. With all the bells and whistles that come standard with a Limited Series Ulrich shed, it strikes an elegant and regal pose in the small backyard. You can tell from his backyard that Don obviously has an appreciation for visual beauty. It’s no wonder — he’s an artist! His Ulrich shed is now his studio. Don is a retired school teacher, having taught for 38 years. He retired recently and is really enjoying his first school year, not in the classroom. Instead, he’s spending a lot of time in his shed-turned-art studio. Don had wanted a shed/studio for quite some time. He had shopped the big box stores but wasn’t impressed with their build quality. He found us when he started looking online. When he saw an Ulrich ad featuring one of our garden style sheds, he was immediately interested. Working with sales consultant Steven Lockwood, he selected a 10×16 Heritage Limited with extra tall walls, dormer windows, and a cutout for his A/C. Inside, he outfitted the shed with a desk and storage for his art supplies. The shed also features an area with comfortable seating. The C style wrap around loft up above will allow Don to store household items up out of the way. Don has a few more improvements he hopes to make, including insulating and lining the interior walls and adding a small deck in front of the studio. Aside from the beauty and quality of the shed, Don was impressed with the financing he was able to get on his shed. He also enjoyed working with Steven Lockwood. “He was excellent,” says Don. “he was real personable with me.” Don was also amazed by the on-site construction crew’s ability to build the shed by hand, in only two days. All in all, Don is very pleased with how the project has turned out. “I use it every day… I love going in there… Nothing bothers you outside. It’s just a nice place to be.” #DonLongo

John and Charlotte Wood didn’t want an enormous shed filling up their backyard. All they wanted was a small space, just big enough for both of them to have a few tools, some shelving, and a work surface for their hobbies. Charlotte’s hobby is creating art with gourds. John’s hobby? Cars. Now that he’s finished restoring his award winning Ford Galaxie 500, he enjoys working with model cars. So just how can small can you go, and still have enough space for two people to work? John and Charlotte settled on an 8×12 ft Ulrich Heritage. With the Premier series shed only costing a little bit more than our base version, it was an easy decision to upgrade. The Woods have no intention of transforming the inside into an elaborate “she shed.” Their vision is all about function and utility. In addition to two windows for cross ventilation, the Wood’s shed features eave and ridge vents. Charlotte was originally skeptical about the effectiveness of the vents. “That [venting] helps too,” she says. “I didn’t think it would, but it does.” The couple enjoyed working with the sales staff at one of our retail locations. They were also pleased with the crew that came to build the shed in their backyard. “The people that came out to build it were very nice, very cordial,” says John,  “They did everything just exactly to my specifications.” While we’re always happy to provide big sheds for our customers, John and Charlotte’s story goes to prove that bigger isn’t always better. Sometimes small and simple is perfect. #JohnandCharlotteWood

When you think of a “Snake Farm” you may think of the Ray Wylie Hubbard Song that says “it just sounds nasty,” but the Lone Star Reptile House is anything but.  Earl Jones has over 300 pets, and most of those pets, many people wouldn’t go near, yes Earl has over 300 snakes and reptiles in his 400 sq ft cabin shell in his backyard.  When he first started collecting at his house in town, he was confined to a small storage room off his back porch, while his collection grew and grew, he needed more and more room, so he called Ulrich to build him a space where he could continue to grow his passion. In his 14×32 bright red cabin shell, he has the space he needs to grow his collection from 300 to about 2,000.  While this may not seem like something any “normal” person may want to collect or do, Earl is passionate about each and every snake in his house; he handles each one daily and interacts with them every morning at 2 am, when he cleans their cages and gives them fresh water.  Earl even takes his friends on the road, and does shows for kids and parents alike, educating them on all the misconceptions about his scaly friends. The outside of his cabin shell is adorned with many plants, while aesthetically pleasing these plants serve a purpose, food for his and his wife’s tortoise collection.  His wife Ren prefers the reptiles with legs, so in the storage room they grew out of previously, she keeps three tortoises and one very large lizard.  Now, this doesn’t mean she doesn’t like Earl’s collection, she fully supports all of his endeavors, and even has a few snakes of her own, however; she prefers the reptiles she keeps that move at a bit slower pace.  If you ever wanted to know anything about snakes, Earl Jones is happy to answer any question you would ever have about snakes, and then he will tell you more, you have never met a man more passionate about his hobby than him.  If you would like to know more about Earl and the animals he raises, please visit his website at www.lonestarreptiles.com.

Three Ulrich Cabin Shells, painted white with black trim, look so elegant sitting on a lush green lakeside property.  Two small buildings set on either side of one large building.  Each one with a porch to sit on and gaze across the lake.  This picture perfect venue belongs to 2 Chicks Weddings and Events. As serene as they sit during the week, on the weekends they are buzzing with the excitement of upcoming weddings. Sitting to the left is the bridal suite.  Inside the quaint building is a mirror and a comfortable couch perfect for any blushing bride, and her attendants to prepare.  There is even a special back door so she can slip out unseen by her expectant groom.  To the left is the groom’s parlor, while this cabin also has mirror and couch it also boasts a television and video games to cool the nerves of any groom. Nestled between the two smaller cabins is the reception hall.  With enough seating inside for nearly 75 people, rustic charm runs throughout the space.  The two chicks, Kay Menzies and Debye Case, who run the beautiful venue spend hours decorating from top to bottom to incorporate the colors and theme of each couple.  Debye and Kay both work hard to bring the dreams of each bride and groom to reality; they certainly have a knack for making the ordinary look so elegant as they have done with their three Ulrich Cabin Shells. #KayMenzies

Many couples dream of tiny homes, but not many people actually make that dream a reality. Chris and Deborah Williams will be one of those rare couples. Chris and Debra have lived in the city for a long time, and now that they are empty-nesters, they are moving onto a rural property. Chris has been planning this transition for 5 years, and so it was exciting when the Ulrich truck rolled up with his brand new Ulrich Rancher. The Williams started the process of finding their tiny house by doing a Google search. They found Ulrich online and then went to take a look at the buildings in person. Ulrich Consultant Aaron Jordan was helpful and likable, showing Chris and Debra the different styles of cabin shells and explaining their options. The Williams settled on a 14 x 32 lofted style cabin shell. This gives them roughly 448 sq ft on the main floor. They have two lofts, one at each end of the building. The larger loft will be their bedroom and the smaller one will be a closet. Chris plans to build a walkway that will connect the two lofts. The bathroom and washer/dryer will be downstairs, as well as the open kitchen, dining and living area. Chris is very much a DIY kind of guy, so he’ll be finishing out the interior himself, as well as building both a screened-in porch at the back of the cabin and a deck out front. Chris expects they will be able to move in during the spring of 2018, and he expects the house to be completely finished in about a year. Chris is very pleased with his new cabin and is looking forward to transforming it from a cabin shell into a real home. #ChrisandDeborahWilliams