Choosing Storage Shed Plans

You’ve acquired a number of tools to make your yard or garden look great.  Now you need a place to put them all to keep them secure and out of the weather.  What you need is a Garden Storage Shed, or an out-building as it is sometimes called in my neck of the woods.  However, you need to decide on what you can spend and what kind of stuff that you will be putting in this shed.  So, you need to put some thought into exactly what you’ll put in your ideal shed. This will help you in selecting the right shed plans.

Of course, there are all the tools, lawn mowers, future purchases for the garden, maybe a snow blower if you live in cold climates, and certainly some things that you need to get out of your garage and out of your way.  This new shed will be their new home if you make it big enough.

Next question… where are you going to place this shed.  Think about accessing the garden shed, where is convenient, where will it fit into your landscaping, where will it be more secure.  Deciding on the placement will also determine how much effort you need to place into making the shed look good.  If it’s going behind your house where you’re the only one who will really spend any time looking at it, then maybe it can be designed more basic.  However, if it’s going in a more visible location, and the rest of your property already looks nice, then you’ll want to pay more attention to how this garden shed will look.  A beautiful garden shed can add value to your property and create a new focal point.  Keep this in mind when you pick your shed plans.

You’ll need to think about how much you can spend on this project.  Your shed can be more or less expensive because of materials that you choose.  Decorative cedar shake shingles will be more expensive than exterior-grade plywood.  But the enhanced beauty of the cedar shakes may be worth it for you as it portrays a very classic look.  Also, whether you are building the shed yourself or hiring a carpenter to complete the job will make a lot of difference in your final costs.

You’ll have a wide selection of plans to choose from.  The key is to be practical in making your decision if your budget is limited.  The plans will often give you a view of the finished project.  You should see several that appeal to you.  If one matches your needs for space, but doesn’t look quite the way you want it to, then changing up the exterior is not a huge problem.  Pick a few shed plans you like, and look at the pros and cons and narrow your selection to the best overall fit.  It’s helpful to consider these questions:

1. What size shed will be ideal for your needs?
2. Will the size you need fit well into the space you have available?
3. If your township requires you to get a building permit, will the plans you select meet their criteria for approval?
4. If you are building your shed yourself, can you understand the plans well enough?
5. Do the shed plans that you like have a materials list?  If so, are these materials available where you live?

If your shed plans “pass mustard” then you’ve chosen the right plans.  You’re ready to get to work!