Top 3 Considerations Before Purchasing a Shed

This is part two in a series of articles with tips for purchasing a shed. Part one can be found here.

Now that you’ve decided you need a shed, and you know what route you want to take for getting it, its easy to get overexcited and jump the gun on making a purchase. However, before you make the purchase there are a few things to consider. Below, we have listed the top 3 things that most people pass over when making a portable shed purchase.

1. Shed Covenants and Permits

Before shopping for the shed of your dreams, you need to check any restrictions the neighborhood where the building will be located has on building sheds. For example, often times, cities and neighborhoods specify exactly how far from a property line or fence line a shed must be placed. This could have an effect on what size building you’re able to purchase. Additionally, there are often restrictions on the type of siding or roofing allowed, especially if you’re part of an HOA (Homeowner’s Association). Before even beginning to shop for sheds, check with your local city or neighborhood authorities to determine any restrictions that would affect your purchase.

2. Shed Purpose

The second thing that needs to be considered is the shed purpose. Putting a lot of thought into what you will be using the shed for is vital in determining what size and style shed will work best for you.

Will you be using it for gardening or for a workshop? If so, you’ll want to get a shed that has higher walls for extra height and you’ll want to consider ventilation and lighting options such as vents, windows, and/or skylights as well as insulation and wiring possibilities. Here at Watson Buildings & Carports, we offer several different options depending on your budget and your needs.

If you’ll be using your shed for storage, what kind of items are you storing? Is it mainly totes and boxes? Is it a lot of random items you’ve collected over the years? In order to maximize your storage space, you’ll probably want to go with a Highwall style building and add some loft storage for extra space. With the Highwall style design, you’ll sacrifice a little bit in wall height but gain a lot of potential storage in loft space due to the roof design. You’ll also want to consider shelving options in order to maximize the use of vertical space in the shed.

You’ll also need to consider whether you need to control the climate in your shed. We offer either a bubble wrap insulation on our metal buildings, or a foil radiant barrier/foil backed siding option on our wood and vinyl buildings. We can also add A/C frameouts in the walls as well as insulated windows. For a heavier-duty option, you might consider installing fiberglass batt insulation after the building has been delivered.

3. Location Accessibility

The final thing to consider before shopping for your building is the accessibility of the location where you’d like to place the shed. Can we access the location through your property? Will we need to go over the neighbor’s property to put the shed in? If so, we’ll need written permission from the neighbor to drive on his land to deliver your shed. Will the building be placed behind a fence? If so, how wide is the gate? Are you able to take part of the fence down temporarily so we can place the shed? If there is easy access through the gate and the fence is only 3-4 ft. high, we may be able to go up and over the fence with the building. Will trees need to be cut or branches trimmed? If so, all this will need to be taken care of before delivery. You’ll also want to be sure that the path to the location does not contain any water or sewer lines that could potentially be damaged on delivery.

Now you’re ready!

Once you’ve considered these things you’re ready to start looking for a shed! If you have any more questions about anything, simply stop by one of our sales lots and talk to us or give us a call at (931) 635-2244. We’re always happy to answer any questions!

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Next: So, You Want A Shed
Previous: How to Choose Your Shed Size