Search this site

SAME MODEL, DIFFERENT OPTIONS When it comes to buying a car, you’re already familiar with the concept of different option levels. A car with base trim might have the basic stereo system. Go up to the next trim level, and you get the upgraded stereo. Go up to the highest level, and you get the upgraded stereo, along with the fancy navigation system and all kinds of internet and bluetooth connectivity. LEVEL UP (OR DOWN) TO THE SERIES THAT FITS YOU When it comes to sheds, we know that not everyone needs or wants the highest series. The base series is perfect for lots of our customers who will primarily use their building for storage. On the other hand, when you’re creating a fancy she shed or art studio, our highest series is a real head turner. Select: Everything you need, nothing you don’t. This budget-friendly series is carefully designed to dependably get the job done, without the extra bells and whistles. Comes with our solid 10 year warranty. Signature: Step up to the most popular choice for customers who love a terrific quality building, while multiplying performance and value. Comes with our excellent 15 year warranty. Limited: Max out your shed with a ton of high end features and head turning beauty. Our topline series easily out-classes all the sheds in your neighborhood. Comes with our elite 20 year warranty. MIX AND MATCH LEVELS With most cars, trim levels come in packages. For instance, if you choose the highest trim level, you’re getting the navigation system and the leather seats. Even if you would prefer cloth seats over leather, you’re out of luck. If you want the navigation system, you’re going to have to pay for the leather seats as well. At Ulrich, we do it differently. We allow you to choose different series levels for different parts of your shed, so that you have an amazing ability to customize your structure to your needs. For instance, let’s say that for your motorcycle hobby, you’ve got massively heavy tool chests. You can upgrade your shed to include our top of the line framing which includes our heavy duty floor system, but you can keep the rest of the shed at a lower exterior trim package, in order to stay within your budget. Foundation and Framing: Choose how the “bones” of your shed are constructed. Higher series levels have tighter stud and joist spacing, perfect when you want that really heavy duty construction. Security and Climate: Customize the ventilation system and security package for your building. Higher series levels allow increased ventilation and feature more theft resistant door hardware. Exterior Trim: Choose how fancy your shed looks on the outside. Higher series levels feature steeper roof pitches, wider eaves, and wider trim along the edge of your roof. WARRANTY The overall warranty of your shed is determined by the component with the shortest warranty. For instance, if your Foundation/Framing and Security/Climate components are the Limited Series (20 year), but your Exterior Trim is the Signature Series (15 year), the overall warranty on your building will be 15 years. Bottom line, it allows you to get a shed that precisely matches your needs and your budget. Rather than being locked into a certain trim package, you can choose individual trim levels in order to get the perfect shed.

Patrick McGreevy bought a house and land knowing they would need more garage space. With their college-age daughter commuting from home, they needed garage space for her car. This left no room for the zero turn mower and a workshop for Patrick. Patrick turned to Ulrich for a new detached garage. The garage would be part of the backyard poolscape. Patrick wanted it to match his house and look like it was part of the original build. For Patrick, working with the design team at Ulrich was a very smooth process. To the 20×30 One-story Garage, he added some extra windows and a porch to face the pool and take advantage of the view of the lake and hills behind their house. The two-car garage door in front accommodates his truck, while the single garage door in back provides access for lawn equipment. The Ulrich construction supervisor, made sure the building site stayed neat, and kept the project and crew on schedule. Patrick was pleased with how well Ulrich communicated about each upcoming stage as the garage was built. Patrick’s neighbors have commented about how well the new Ulrich garage matches the house. Ulrich matched the roof pitch and the shingles of the McGreevys’ house, adding matching stone and painted brick accents to the garage. Now the McGreevys have the space they need. Patrick has his workshop, and their brand-new garage truly looks like an extension of their home and poolscape. #customgarage #Poolhouse #PatrickMcGreevy #garageworkshop

Kristi Collard has been a beauty professional for over 35 years. Having worked at a salon for many years, Kristi decided several years ago to start her own nail salon. The 12×28 ft Ulrich cabin shell used to be her husband Arthur’s shop. After the couple moved to their current home, Arthur no longer needed the building for his shop. So Kristi decided to fix it up as her nail salon. Kristi spent lots of time on Pinterest, getting ideas for interior design. She had a contractor finish out the interior of the building. One of her favorite parts is the ceiling, a foam tile that looks like the old fashioned stamped metal ceilings. She re-finished old furniture herself and bought the equipment she needed for high quality pedicures and manicures. Her cabin turned salon features a bathroom, a coffee bar, and lots of little touches to make it beautiful and relaxing for her clients. She outfitted the little porch with seating for two, where customers can sip a glass of wine before their appointment. The business venture has been a great success. Kristi has all the business she wants, with 80 clients on the books and more on the waiting list. #cabinshell #KristiCollard #nailsalon

The Hennessees wanted a weekend getaway in the Kiamichi Wilderness of Oklahoma. They considered a mobile home, but then they visited the Ulrich Cabins display at the Fort Worth Stock Show. They saw these cabins were much higher quality buildings, retaining their value. The Hennessees liked the rugged look of the cabins, especially the tin ceiling and wood interiors. They fell in love and began planning and saving for their own Ulrich cabin. Terry and Wendy needed a road built and electricity brought to their land. The concrete pad had to settle for a year before they could put any structure on it. When Wendy asked Ulrich cabin designer Brian Winkle about any cabins already built, he told her about a 16×48 Rocky Ridge. They liked everything about it, including its energy efficiency. Because of the remote area, the Ulrich driver said the Hennessees’ cabin was his hardest move. Although some exterior damage occurred, the interior arrived in great shape, and the Ulrich crew repaired the damage quickly. Terry was impressed with how Ulrich honored their warranty. After delivery, the Ulrich team built an L-shaped porch onto the cabin for Wendy’s porch swing. Now the Hennessees enjoy hiking and watching the birds and wildlife on their weekend getaway. They love playing games with their son without distractions. Spending time at the cabin in nature relaxes them and keeps their family close. After 17 years of planning and hard work, the Hennessees have the cabin of their dreams. #TerryandWendyHennessee #RockyRidgeCabin #DreamCabin #WeekendGetaway

Durable and detailed, your Ulrich cabin is sure to become your next designated gathering place for loved ones and family to create beautiful, lasting memories. Before making the leap of purchasing a cabin, there are a few things you should take into consideration first, such as your budget, location for the cabin, how you’d like to use it, and a time frame for your purchase. Budget Before you purchase your cabin, you’ll want to create a budget for it. This will not only save you time, but it allows you to narrow down the design, features, and type of Ulrich cabin that are the best match for you. While you want to work within your budget, keep in mind that this is a once-in-a-lifetime purchase. Be sure to leave room for the features that really matter to you. Once you have your budget planned, the friendly and knowledgeable team at Ulrich will help you evaluate financing options that will allow you to purchase the cabin of your dreams. Location Location, location, location! Before you buy your cabin, you need to plan out the land you’re going to put it on. Some people already have land on their property designated for their cabins, but some may need help finding that special piece to place it on. If you’re one of the people who still needs to find land for their cabin, you’re in luck! Here at Ulrich, we have a network of talented land specialists who specialize in helping you find the perfect property. In fact, partnering with one of our land specialists may give you an advantage, as they may have exclusive knowledge of properties that aren’t yet on the market. Use Before you can choose the perfect design, location, or even your budget, you need to think about how you would like to use the cabin. Put some thought into the end result that you want. What do you want it to feel like when you’re on your property? What are particular things on the land that you want to enjoy? Do you want to live in the cabin and raise your family there? Is this going to be a hideaway spot for family vacations? Do you want to use this as a workspace? Do you want to be able to rent it when you aren’t using it? Answering these questions will help you drill down on the specific design that will fit your lifestyle. Time Frame Now that you know how much you want to spend, where you want to place your Ulrich cabin, and how you will use it, it’s time to decide when you want to purchase your cabin. As you think through these factors, speak with your land specialist or a representative at Ulrich to get personalized advice. #UlrichCabins #Cabinplanning #WhatdoIneedbeforeIbuyacabin #UlrichCabinsLive #Findingtheperfectcabinproperty

You’ve made up your mind—you’ve decided to purchase an Ulrich cabin. Congratulations, and welcome to the Ulrich family!  The next step in this exciting journey is to secure and develop the land where you’ll be placing your cabin. When making this decision there are some things that you’ll want to consider during this process to ensure your cabin experience is the best one possible. Now let’s cover some major factors that you’ll want to iron out in the process of developing your raw piece of land. Site Plan The first step you’ll want to do is to establish a site plan. In your site plan you will lay out your cabin placement, access to your property, plans for water supply, septic system layout, and the placement of other amenities. Cabin Placement Where you place your cabin on your piece of land is highly personal. People choose different areas for many different reasons. Some are interested in placing their cabin at the highest point on the land so that they can enjoy a great view, or some people prefer to be secluded, so they opt for a spot on the land that is far back from the road or nestled among trees. Another factor of cabin placement could also be based on whether you are a fishing fan or love to watch the sunset. At the end of the day, your cabin will be a reflection of your lifestyle. Before making a final decision, you’ll want to consider several other factors, such as electrical access. The further away from the main electric supply that you place your cabin, the more it will cost for you to get electricity to your home. If running electricity to your cabin would cost about $30,000, a solar power system may be a wiser investment for you. Access to Property/Cabin Something you’ll want to make sure you give careful consideration to is the accessibility of your property. In order to make way for your cabin, lane, and other amenities, you may need to clear trees. Usually, the cost for clearing trees will vary based on the slope, size of your land, and trees. Although the cost can be as low as $400 per day, if you use the services of a bulldozer, you could pay about $1,500 to $2,000 per day. Even though using a bulldozer to clear your land is one of the fastest ways to get the job done, it may be more suitable to get the job done slower using alternative services depending on your budget. Another important thing to look for is a property with a lot of road frontage. When you have a property with a road front, it gives you a way out if you were to face a financial or medical challenge. You could easily divide your property into individual plots, selling or leasing these to ease some of your financial burden. Water Supply The water supply to your cabin is another area that needs your careful attention. If you can, access to public water is always a bonus. With this option available to you, all you would need to work out is what would be necessary to have it channeled to your cabin. If there is no access to public water, you might consider drilling a well. Typically, the cost to do this in Texas is approximately $40 per foot — this price includes drilling, a submersible pump, and a pressure tank. Lastly, an alternative option  could also be to install a storage tank and have the water delivered. While both options are suitable solutions, the best choice for you will come down to what is most available to you and what suits your budget. Sewer The sewer system is a major aspect of your property that you don’t want to overlook. Wherever you decide to place your dream cabin, you’ll have to comply with the county’s regulations in establishing your septic system. Some options you have are choosing between an aerobic septic system or a leach field system. An aerobic septic system can cost as much as $8,000 to $10,000 or more. In comparison, the cost of a traditional leach field system ranges from $3,000 to $5,000 (these prices are usually influenced by the geology of your land). Keep in mind that all pricing is an estimate, and will tend to increase over time. Additional Amenities Beyond the above important factors, you should also make early arrangements for your preferred amenities. Maybe it’s important to you to feature a fire pit, outdoor cooking and grilling area, a pond, clearings for food plots to attract wildlife, a duck habitat, fencing, or a storage or hobby shed. Whichever features you choose to create your dream cabin, if you plan for these from the beginning you’ll be able to leave space for them (saving you money in the long-run). #UlrichCabinsLive #Developrawland #Cabinplacement #Utilitiestorawland

Beautiful scenery and the soothing sounds of nature make owning a cabin a dream come true. Often, the main barrier you face to achieving this dream is a lack of information on how to finance your project. If you have ever wondered how to finance the purchase of your dream cabin as well as the perfect land on which you place it, this article is for you. Does Ulrich do in-house financing? Financing is important and can cover office buildings, ranches, and even mother-in-law suites on a property. However, at Ulrich we do not currently offer in-house financing for cabins. Having been in this business for a long time, however, we do have a network of lenders. Please reach out to one of our friendly team members who are dedicated to working with you to find the best available financing option. Is now a good time to use my 401(k)? Every great crisis comes with great opportunities. As a result of the current coronavirus pandemic, the 401(k) program has become very flexible. As of this writing, using your 401(k) to invest in your dream home is a great idea if done strategically. You can now take a loan from your 401(k) without facing major penalties or interest. The money you use will be taxed as normal income for a three-year period. This is a huge opportunity to use this money to finance your dream cabin. It is a great time for people who have been contributing to their 401(k) for years. What does the typical monthly payment look like? The calculator at this website can help you calculate your loan payments.  A good rule of thumb is to figure 1% of the amount financed will be the monthly payment. For example, if the amount financed is $100,000, your monthly payment will be approximately $1,000. How much money is needed for a down payment? The amount you will be required to give the financial institution as a down payment varies. A normal mortgage product for a normal home requires about 5-10% down.  These products typically cover land purchases of 10 acres or fewer. When you are seeking to buy more than 10 acres of land, you will move into the federal land system. There are different loans that you will need to tap into at this level. The bulk of our customers at Ulrich pay about 20% down. If you’re a veteran, you’re in a good position to secure your dream cabin. VA loans are available, requiring a 0% down payment. For a veteran construction loan, you need to get in touch with your local agency and ask them to give you a recommendation for an interim loan or construction loan. How many years do I get to cover these loans? You will have from 15 to 20 years to pay off land that falls into the federal land system. If you are using a normal financing option, such as a traditional mortgage, you can expect to have anywhere from 25 to 30 years to pay it back. You start by approaching the financier of your choice, requesting a land loan. When your loan closes, you buy your land. Once you’ve done that, the financial institution will then issue a construction loan. These construction loans are usually 6- to 12-month-term loans with interest only. After you finish preparing your property and dream cabin, the loans will be merged, and you will clear both over a period of time. What interest rates should I expect? Several factors contribute to your interest rate. One factor is your debt-to-income ratio. Your credit score will also have an impact on the interest fee that you can get. Currently, we are in a time where the cost of loans are incredibly low. This is a perfect time to get in touch with your bank or an institution that you have a great relationship with and negotiate for your dream project. How can I save money on closing costs? There’s no secret about it — everybody loves to save money. To save money on closing costs, you can try to do a one-time close. If you’re doing a land purchase and a construction loan combination or a construction loan to a permanent loan, you can actually do a one-time close on all of the financing steps. At Ulrich, our hope for you is that you get to acquire your lifestyle structure with the best experience possible. Once you nail down your financing, you’re one step closer to your dream cabin. When you’re ready to get the ball rolling, reach out to Brian Pokrifcsak and our design team here at Ulrich and we’ll be happy to guide you through the process of finding the best financing option for you. #UlrichCabinsLive #Financingformycabin #Howtopayformycabin

Taking a factory tour at Ulrich can be an amazing experience. When you watch the process and development of the cabins first-hand, it produces an awe-inspiring feeling when you see it all coming together. And, if you’re someone who hasn’t quite figured out the exact style and type of cabin you are wanting, this experience can definitely help you with selecting your dream cabin. If you are considering turning your dream cabin into reality, you can schedule an appointment for one of our informative, engaging tours Monday through Saturday. Now, you might be wondering if you are qualified for a factory tour. We’re going to discuss information on: What you should have in place before a factory tour, What makes the tour so important, What others have said about Ulrich’s factory tours, How can you qualify for the factory tour? Anyone is welcome to tour the Ulrich factory. However, to get the most out of your guided tour, consider these issues before your visit. What type of use do you have in mind? Are you looking for a vacation home or a mother-in-law suite? Are you dreaming of a hunting lodge or a rustic camp? Do you want a modern look or a farmhouse theme? Do you need a little hideaway for you and your spouse, or do you hope to host your extended family? Whatever structure fits your lifestyle, the Ulrich design team will help you make that dream a reality. If you take the time to do some research and consideration before your tour, it ensures that you can discuss any questions or concerns in-person with one of our friendly representatives. Here’s a few suggestions we have of steps to do before you schedule your tour: You should begin searching for land where you will place your custom cabin. Consider how you will finance your cabin. On your tour, ask our team about suitable financing options. You should also have a time frame in mind for how soon you want your cabin to be completed. What do you experience on the factory tour? While viewing various cabins through our website and brochures can be impactful, the real magic happens when you actually walk through our model cabins. When you see the warmth of the wood, the size and layout of different models, smell the cedar, and see the workmanship involved in crafting every cabin, we’re confident you’ll fall in love with our cabins. Upon arrival at our facility, you’ll be greeted by a concierge who is able to answer all of your questions and will guide you through the factory. They will explain every step of the process, from building the floor system to framing out and finishing the rooms to putting on the roof. You can expect the tour to last around four hours. While this may sound long, it actually goes by fairly quickly because the tour is both engaging and fascinating. After you’ve seen the building process and walked through various model cabins, a designer will sit down with you to design a cabin that fits your lifestyle, your budget, and your needs. Why is the factory tour so important? Seeing is believing. Let’s say you’ve browsed our website and are set on a certain model of one of our cabins. Although seeing the dimensions and floor plan presets online can give you a pretty good idea of what you need and want, nothing matches seeing the cabin first-hand. Maybe you’ll walk inside the model you thought you wanted, but on the tour you fell in love with a different model and realized you actually need bigger dimensions and other features you hadn’t thought of before. Another plus of a factory tour is it provides you the opportunity to work on a custom floor plan with one of our dedicated cabin designers. Perhaps you walked through two different models of our cabins and wanted to combine unique features from both into one perfectly crafted cabin — this can be made possible by one of our cabin designers. What do our clients say about the factory tour? Our customers have repeatedly expressed how much they enjoyed our tour. They have talked about how drawn they were to a certain model, how walking into a particular cabin felt like coming home, and the amazement they felt seeing the craftsmanship and high-quality materials that goes into each cabin. Want to know the most famous feedback we hear from our customers after their tours? The instantly gratifying feeling they experience when they hear, “We can do that” from our cabin designers when they’re designing their dream cabin. Conclusion We are confident that you’ll enjoy your visit at Ulrich, and we look forward to hosting you for a special factory tour. Call today to schedule an appointment! #UlrichFactoryTour #Cabindesigner #Cabinmodels

Russ Sikes’ older home lacked closets and work space, but he didn’t want a workshop cluttered with storage. He didn’t want a larger building that would crowd his yard. What he wanted was matching backyard buildings to complement his home exterior. He wanted a clean, well-lighted, flexible workspace, and he wanted a shed only for storage. Looking online, he found an Ulrich workshop shed which matched his vision. Right away, he called Ulrich Barns. After a two-hour phone call with Weston Ulrich, Russ realized the two 14×16 Elite Craftsman sheds they’d discussed in detail were exactly what he wanted. When his first building was delivered, Russ says, “I was immediately smitten and thoroughly impressed.” The other backyard shed was built onsite. Situating the two matching Ulrich sheds with a patio between them uses Russ’s backyard area well and creates another room outside his house. For the storage shed, he added sturdy metal shelving. For the workshop shed, Russ finished the interior with white walls and good lighting, using pine beadboard for the ceiling. His workshop shed is truly a flexible space. He uses it as a workshop, office, art space for grandkids, workout space, and a place for hospitality. Ulrich Barns “was great to deal with in every respect” and was focused on “actually meeting my needs,” Russ says. “It’s not just about creating some square footage,” Russ says. “The Ulrich sheds are such nice, airy, open spaces to be in that they’re a pleasure to spend time in.” #EliteCraftsman #Shedtomatchhouse #Workshopshed #RussSikes #storageshed

Ken Neans owns a long-term-stay RV park near Georgetown, Texas. He needed a commercial cabin for guests to use for family gatherings, and he needed a bath house. He chose a custom cabin shell from Ulrich Cabins. Though he could have purchased cheaper buildings, he wanted the RV park cabin to fit the park’s rustic wood theme. In construction all his life, he had never been so impressed with building quality. “To go through the factory,” Ken says, “and see how they’re built and see the fasteners they use, see the material they used, it just really amazed me.” Guests use the RV park cabin for birthday parties and barbecues and movie nights. They love the cozy ambience, with pine-paneled walls, vaulted ceilings with rustic rafters, and cedar porch posts. The flooring is water-resistant with a wood look, a good choice for heavy use. After building delivery, another Ulrich crew built on a 60×16 porch, stained and sealed it, and finished the tin roof. “It was a really painless deal to get it done, to get it designed, to get it built,” Ken says. Ken loved the community building so much, he wanted a bath house to match. He bought an Ulrich cabin shell and finished the bath house interior himself. The Ulrich cabins have been a great investment for Ken’s business. “If you’re not going to build it on-site, this is the only way to do it,” he says. “They bring it in, set it down, it’s finished. You hook up your plumbing, your water, and your power in an hour—and you’re done.” #Bathhouse #KenNeans #RVPark #Communitycenter #CentralTexasRVParks

Dave Reilly from Midlothian, Virginia had a pool and wanted a pool shed. Since he didn’t want to build it, Dave researched shed companies far and wide. He only found cookie-cutter sheds, until he saw a two-story shed with a long dormer on Ulrich Lifestyles’s website. When he met with the design team at Ulrich, “they obliged every little change that I wanted,” Dave says. He added a large porch and bigger, insulated windows. The cedar-lined interior gives the pool shed a woodsy feel. The Ulrich team asked, “What else do you want?” and to each of Dave’s requests, they answered, “We can do it. We can do it!” They also matched the exterior siding, color, and trim details of the backyard pool shed to his house. There were no delays with Ulrich’s construction team in the building process. “They were always here when they said they would be,” Dave says. He was really happy with the completed pool shed. “It was easier for me doing the finish work because everything was square and properly done like it would be in a house.” The Reilly family has built so many memories in their backyard pool and pool shed, swimming and watching games with friends and family. Instead of his children being away a lot, Dave wants to build memories with his children and their friends at his place and be part of their fun. His advice about getting a beautiful Ulrich Barns shed for your backyard? He says, “Do it if you can because it adds value to memories, to your life.” #poolshed

These days, working from home has become increasingly popular and sometimes necessary. Both Michael and Tina Daron work from their home in Plano, Texas.. When they began the adoption process for three children, they needed Tina’s office space in the house for the children. Tina needed a backyard shed for a new office. She talked Michael into going to the Dallas Home and Garden Show with her—and there it was at the Ulrich Barns display, “my perfect office, the color I wanted, the cupola on top, the double doors, the loft. It was all there,” Tina smiles. At the show, shed designer Weston Ulrich patiently worked through the details of a creamy white 10×14 Elite Gardener with them. With many calls and emails, “he was responsive every time,” Michael says. Because a finished building couldn’t be brought into their yard, the Ulrich team built the shed on-site in two days, nestled in the perfect spot among trees in the Darons’ backyard. Michael and Tina added air conditioning, insulation, shiplap on all the walls, and stained beams overhead. With the big windows and the white interior warmed by wood accents, Tina loves her backyard shed office. “It’s inviting and warm,” she says, “just a really nice work environment. It feels like home.” But she says an outside work space “gives me the separation I need. It makes it more exciting to get up and go to my office every day.” “Ulrich made this pain free,” Tina says. “They did exactly what they promised us they would do.” #homeoffice #MichaelandTinaDaron #backyardshedoffice