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Choosing and purchasing the perfect shed can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time! The last thing you want to do with such a large purchase is buy a shed that is a ‘lemon.’ There is a lot to consider before making a final decision. This short guide will help ensure that you pick the best shed to suit all your needs.

Tips To Avoid A Lemon When Buying A Shed:

• Do your research! Don’t rush into anything without first determining what shed is best for you.
• Ensure that the company is reputable, especially if you buy online. Shopping online is the easiest way to buy a shed, but you should be careful. Thoroughly research the company, looking at shed reviews and even contact them ahead of time in order to avoid disappointment. Click here for shed reviews.
• Ask questions. If you buy online or in store, make sure you ask important questions before you purchase. Find out their return policy, warranty or any additional assistance they provide.
• Consider the shed’s door and doorway. Make sure the opening is big enough for your needs. Also make sure the doors have the ability to stay open by themselves. This will help you avoid do-it-yourself (DIY) modifications later on.
• Consider the roof. Sheds without an overhanging roof tend to leak when it rains. A shed with a “drip edge” will save you from a potential flood.

Table Of Contents To This Guide

How To Buy A Shed That Will Last Longer

How To Choose The Right Material

How To Save Money On Your Shed

How Much Should You Budget For A New Shed

How To Choose The Right Size Shed

Are Prebuilt Sheds, Shed Kits Or Building Your Own Shed Best?

How To Ensure You Buy From A Reputable Company

What Shed Style Should You Choose

The Most Important Thing To Do Before Buying Your Shed:

How To Buy A Shed That Will Last Longer

Buying your shed is just the beginning. It is important to invest in a shed that will last! These tips will help you pick a shed built to last.

• • A strong foundation – Like a house or any other building, a shed needs a strong and sturdy foundation. If you choose to buy an already built shed, some companies will come to your backyard and build the foundation for you! Click here to see what Classic Buildings has to offer.
  • Correct siding installation – Foundations are important, but so are walls! Ensure your shed’s siding has been properly installed. If it has, it will last much longer.
  • Thickness of the material – A flimsy shed won’t survive a windy, rainy storm. Ensure that your shed is built with a thicker material so it stands up against the elements.
  • Pay attention to the little things – You may not think door hinges, nails, or even caulking are important, but you should keep all those things in mind if you want your shed to last. Trim made with caulking will prevent leaks and rot. Heavy duty door hinges will last after multiple uses and many years. Certain nails are stronger than others. Check out every little detail to ensure you buy a shed that will last long!

How To Choose The Right Material

Sheds come in many different materials. The three main options are wood, metal, and plastic. It is important to note all the pros and cons of each shed type before purchasing.

Wooden Sheds

Wooden sheds are often the most visually appealing, and can be a beautiful addition to your backyard. These sheds are easy to customize. You can even choose the paint and shingle colour! Wooden sheds don’t rust and are very strong and durable. However, they are not insect resistant and some wooden sheds (such as those made from pine or spruce) may rot. Sheds made from cedar are the most rot-resistant, but tend to be more expensive.

Metal Sheds

Metal sheds are durable and unlike wooden sheds, are insect-resistant. They do not rot and often cost less than wood. However, they are usually not aesthetically pleasing and are difficult to customize. Metal sheds may rust and are prone to leaking or dripping water from the roof. This often limits what owners put inside.

Plastic Sheds

Plastic sheds are rot, insect, and rust resistant. They are low maintenance and easy to move. However, they are not usually customizable and, like metal sheds, are not typically aesthetically pleasing.

To read more about Plastic Sheds vs Metal Sheds vs Wooden Sheds.

How To Save Money On Your Shed

Shed buying can easily become overwhelming when you begin looking at prices! Here are some tips to help you save money on this big purchase.

• • • Consider buying a smaller shed – Your shed should be big enough to hold all of your items. However, you can add cheap shelves or shelving units to create more space. Organizing your shed can save you money.
    • Customize the shed yourself – Many companies will paint the shed for you. Instead, paint it yourself. Though it takes a bit more effort on your part, it’ll save you money.
    • Stick to the basics – You can add all types of extras to your shed, but the costs will add up. To save money, skip the fancy roof or extra window. It may look nicer, but it is not necessary.
    • Figure out what already comes with the shed – Some sheds come with hooks, shelves, and other important accessories. Buying a shed that comes prepackaged with what you need will help you save money in the future.
    • Consider buying a discounted display model – They are often significantly cheaper if you are okay without getting to select your own color/options

How Much Should You Budget For A New Shed

Determining how much you should budget for a shed depends on a number of factors, size, features and quality. For a small shed, we would suggest you budget around $5,000-$8,000 unless you are looking at buying a used shed or a discounted display model. For larger projects, it varies widely. We are happy to help anyone estimate how much they should budget for. Give us a call at 1-800-944-3118 and we can advise on what you should budget based on your needs.

How To Choose The Right Shed Size

After determining the shed’s purpose, you should think about what size best suits your needs. Do you want to install a worktable? Do you want to add in a couch? Do you want space to walk around inside the shed? Think about how long you plan to spend inside the shed. Five minutes? Twenty minutes? Hours? If you plan on spending a lot of time inside, you probably want one with room to sit down and move around.

Also consider how many items and what items you want to keep in your shed. Before purchasing your shed, gather all the items you want to include inside and lay them out. If you think your items will fill the shed up to its limit, consider buying one size up. You don’t want to run out of space within the first few weeks!It’s also a good idea to measure the largest item that you intend to store in your shed and make sure that the door is wide enough to accommodate it.

Are Prebuilt Sheds, Shed Kits Or Building Your Own Shed Best?

There are advantages and disadvantages to everything, including prebuilt sheds, shed kits, and do-it-yourself sheds.

Prebuilt Sheds

Purchasing a shed is the easiest way to go, especially if you do not enjoy or have time for manual labour. Buying a shed ensures that your new shed will be built properly. Assuming you purchase from a reputable place with a warranty, it also allows you to return or replace the shed if anything is wrong with it.

However, buying a shed is no doubt the most expensive option. Not only do you pay for the materials itself, but sometimes for labor, delivery, and any other additional costs. Though customizable, you do not have full control over what the end product looks like.

Building your own shed allows you to have full control over the end product. You can create the most elaborate shed on your block, or you can create the simplest. Building your shed is also cheaper, and you can take as long as you want to finish it. There are many online DIY manuals and videos to guide you as you build your shed.

DIY Shed

Unlike buying a shed, building your shed requires much more time, energy, and effort. You have to determine all the tools and materials needed yourself. Depending on your skill level and time restrictions, the project could take weeks, or longer. If something goes wrong, you may not know how to fix it. This can be frustrating and may even end up costing you more money than you planned on spending. Although manuals and videos are helpful, it is not the same as having a trained professional right there with you.

Shed Kits

Shed kits also allow you to build the shed yourself, but come with instructions and all the pieces you’ll need to build your new shed. It is hands-on, but you don’t have to figure out what materials you’ll need and how much of it is required. Shed kits only require basic tools and you do not have to be an expert to build one. Because a company designed them, they should be sturdy and structurally sound.

Still, shed kits require more effort than buying a prebuilt shed. Though less complicated and time consuming than a true DIY shed, you do not have full control over the design or customization. Those building from a shed kit can still run into problems, especially if the instructions are unclear. Not all shed kits include the foundation. This means you will have to map out and built your shed’s foundation from scratch.

Whether you choose to buy, build your shed from scratch, or build your shed using a shed skit, you will run into things you like and dislike. Do your research now before selecting the option that is best for you, your budget, and your schedule.

“We absolutely love our building and I can’t say enough about the craftsmanship and customer experience.”

Read more Classic Building testimonials

How To Ensure You Buy From A Reputable Company

One of the most important parts about buying a shed is where you buy it. The following list will help you determine if the company you buy your shed from is reputable.

• • • • • Ensure they have good reviews – Of course, no company can make everyone happy. However, you should be able to find out their ratings on a public forum (such as a Facebook page or Google Reviews). A reputable company will have good ratings from a variety of different people. Also be sure to ask any friends or family who have already purchased from the company what their experience was like.
        • Ensure they are easy to reach – Reputable companies make their contact information easy to find and are eager to talk to prospective customers. If their contact information is hard to find, consider that a warning. A reputable company will take the time to talk to you when you contact them. Call them to ask some questions and see how they treat you.
        • Ensure they have a privacy policy – Reputable companies ensure the safety of your private information. A privacy policy should be easy to access and readily available to anyone who asks or visits the company’s website. If you don’t see it on their website simply email them to ask for a copy of it.
        • Ensure they have a return policy – A reputable company won’t try to scam you out of your money, or have an unclear return policy. A clear, concise return policy should be available right on a company’s website or in store. Simply ask for the return policy from the company as one of the first things you do.
        • Ensure they have realistic prices – Everyone wants to find the best deal out there. However, if a company ‘s product pricing is way too good to be true, it probably is. Compare their pricing to other options. If they are significantly lower than all other companies’ prices, that should be a warning sign and probably indicates that it is made with much lower quality materials.

What Shed Style Should You Choose?

Sheds come in many different styles. Once you’ve determined the size and material of your perfect shed, it’s time to choose a style. Sometimes, styles only come in certain sizes or materials. For example, a lean-to shed is almost always smaller than the average shed.

Though some prebuilt sheds allow little customization, others allow room for personal touches. When selecting your shed style, you will have to think about windows (how many, if any?), doors (how big is the door and what style best suits my needs?), and the general look of the shed (does it match my house? Does it need to?)

Thinking about the size, materials, and usage will all help you determine what shed style is best for you.

The Most Important Thing To Do Before Buying Your Shed:

Determine Exactly What Your Shed Will Be Used For

From workshops to storage to “man caves,” people buy sheds for a variety of reasons. Before purchasing your shed, consider what the shed will be used for.

Do you need a relaxing, quite retreat after a long day? Do you need a place to keep your outdoor equipment and gardening tools? Did you run out of space in your house or garage, and now need extra storage? Considering the shed’s purpose is the first step to finding and buying your ideal shed and ensuring the shed you purchase will match what you are looking for.

Buy A Shed Today!

After all your research, are you ready to start looking for a shed today? Classic Buildings offers high quality, prebuilt sheds in a wide variety of sizes (“‘We build all sizes,’ we like to tell our customers. Don’t ask us what we have…tell us what you need!”) Classic Buildings also offers many different types of siding, door styles, and two built-to-last roof types.

Are you worried about the cost of your new shed, but need storage now? Classic Buildings offers a Rent-to-Own plan! We do not require a credit check; you will be instantly approved. We offer many different payment options to best suit your needs. Click here to find out more about Rent-to-Own.

Classic Buildings promises a lifetime warranty, and warranties on paint, roofing, and workmanship! Click here for more information about our promise to you.

Setting up your shed from Classic Buildings is easy – approximately 70% of our sheds are delivered as a complete unit right to your backyard.

Check out our Classic Buildings brochure here or contact us here

“I couldn’t have been more pleased with everything! I know it took a long time from mine and my husband’s initial conversation with you to get to this point, but sometimes life takes us down a road we hadn’t intended. I never would have expected to be widowed at this time in my life and having to handle things that Don normally did, but it’s ok. I truly believe that God has lead me to good honest people to do the things I’ve needed to get done. As bad as we think the world has become, there’s still a lot of good people out there. . .you and the people you have working with you included!”

Read more testimonials

Sources:

The Spruce – 10 Considerations When Buying Outdoor Storage Sheds  – https://www.thespruce.com/considerations-when-buying-outdoor-storage-sheds-2130776
Lifetime – 5 Things To Know Before Buying A Shed – https://www.lifetime.com/customerservice/tipsandsolutionsdetail/192/5-things-to-know-before-buying-a-shed
Classic Buildings (2016). Brochure. Retrieved from https://www.classicbuildingsales.com/files/2016- brochure.pdf
Homebase (2016). Shed buying guide. Retrieved from http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/static/your-guide-to-buying-sheds
Home Depot (2016). Outdoor storage. Retrieved from https://www.homedepot.ca/content/homedepot_ca/en_ca/home/ideas-how-to/buying- guides/storage-and-organization/outdoor-storage.html/
Lowe’s (2016). Storage shed buying guide. Retrieved from https://www.lowes.ca/articles/shed-buying-guide_a1368.html
This Old House (2016). Buying guide for garden tool sheds. Retrieved from http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20285169_last,00.html
Which? (2016). Top five shed buying tips. Retrieved from http://www.which.co.uk/reviews/sheds/article/how-to-buy-the-best-shed/top-five- shed-buying-tips