Build a garden shed

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Whether you want a simple steel kit you can put together yourself or a grand timber barn, get the lowdown on funding your garden shed.

Beware of hidden costs

Council DA approval. Some manufacturers and installers can help you through this process.

Extras such as windows, door locks and skylight panels. None of these will be included in the base price for a shed. Make sure the price you’re quoted is for all the options you require.

Sealing and flashing. Factor in the costs of weather-sealing around the base of your shed where it meets the slab or floor. Plywood or chipboard floors will need to be protected by a course of flashing.

Foundations and flooring. If pouring the slab yourself factor in the cost of a pre-mix truck; and you may need to hire two or three wheelbarrows to shift the concrete. Alternatively, the cost of hiring a cement mixer and a couple of barrows for the day.

Keeping costs downttttttyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Like most things, you get what you pay for. A good quality steel shed will come with at least a ten year guarantee. A good quality timber shed will return more than its own cost to the value of your house.

Beware of buying a cheap ugly shed and then using the money you saved initially in order to hide it with landscaping.

By using a preferred installer, you will be cutting down on labour time to erect your shed, and minimising the risk of any mistakes being made during assembly.

The more work you can do yourself, the less the exercise will cost in the end, but know when to call on someone qualified.
You can save money by leveling the site yourself, even if you get a tradesman to assemble the shed. Site leveling and foundations aren’t included in manufacturers’ quotes.

If your site is easy enough to work with, pour the concrete slab yourself. If you’re going to use anywhere near a cubic meter of concrete, pre-mix trucks are the cheapest way to get the concrete on site. If access is difficult, consider hiring a cement mixer and mixing your own cement, sand and aggregate. This is much cheaper than buying concrete in premixed 40kg sacks. Ask at your local hardware store for the correct ratios.