Portable buildings come in a wide variety of styles, sizes, price points, materials, and levels of quality. To help you make sure you are getting the right shed for the best value, we’ve put together a complete guide to purchasing your perfect portable building. For the highest quality portable shed, at a price you can afford, contact Classic Buildings today.
Portable Buildings: The Complete 2019 Buyers Guide – Index
Click on the links below to go immediately to the section of the guide that you want or start at the beginning and work your way through to the end.
1. What Are the Key Features to Look for in Portable Building?
2. Most Common Uses for Portable Buildings
3. Benefits of Custom Built Portable Buildings over Prefab Buildings or Building Kits
4. How Much Portable Buildings Typically Cost
5. Tactics to Reduce the Cost of Your Portable Building
6. Tips for How to Find the Best Portable Buildings Supplier in Your City
7. Portable Building Style/Look Ideas
1. What Are The Key Features To Look For In A Portable Building?
Check Out Their Quality of Construction:
Even though your portable building is smaller than your home, it will still be exposed to the same elements. You want to make sure that your portable building is going to last. A lower quality shed that is a few hundred dollars less than a quality built one may very well need to be replaced after a few years, meaning that your overall cost of investment is more than if you had purchased the higher quality shed in the first place. Look for a company that constructs their portable buildings using the same processes used in building a home.
Look For Highly Durable Paint:
If you are purchasing a wooden shed that is painted, make sure that the paint used the is manufactured for extreme durability. The top companies that make portable buildings will use paint that was originally designed for outside barn walls, meaning that it is one of the most durable paints that you can get. Ask if the paint has a warranty; higher quality paint will come with a 25-year warranty against chipping and peeling.
Find Out What Type Of Flooring Is Used:
The floor of your shed gets a lot of wear and tear and therefore needs to be very durable, especially if you are storing heavier items. Look for a high-quality flooring such as AdvanTech. AdvanTech is a flooring that is a high-density engineered wood for superior strength, moisture resistance, and quality; it comes with a 500-day no-sanding guarantee.
Make Sure It Has A Diamond Treadplate:
A diamond treadplate is an important and often overlooked feature when buying a shed. The raised diamond pattern of this aluminum treadplate is not only decorative but, more importantly, it can keep you from slipping as you enter and it will make this high-traffic part of your shed much more durable.
Find Out What The Entrance Ramps Are Like:
It is a good idea to have an entrance ramp that isn’t permanent and is lightweight enough that you can easily pick it up and store it in your shed when you are not using it.
Choose A Building With Anti-Warping Doors:
Check to see that the doors on your portable shed are anti-warping. You don’t want your doors to warp over time, or else they may not close properly. If they do warp, then you will either have to replace them or risk having what you stored inside your shed being damaged or stolen.
Check Out The Door Handles:
The quality of a portable building’s door handles may seem like an insignificant thing to be concerned about, however, this can be a very good indicator of how much better built a shed actually is. A building that has heavy duty door handles will probably have also been constructed better all around.
2. Most Common Uses For Portable Buildings
Portable buildings can be used for countless purposes. Here are some of the most common ones.
Storage Sheds
Probably the most common use of a portable building is for extra storage. At some point in your life, you will likely feel the need to have some extra storage space to free up living space. and a portable building is a great solution as it keeps your extra items close by and handy for use while keeping them out of your home or garage.
Tiny Houses
Tiny houses are a popular trend in the United States. They are a great way to have your own home at a very reasonable cost while being environmentally friendly. Learn more about the advantages of tiny houses here.
Garages
Sometimes one garage isn’t enough. A portable building is a great choice if you are looking to install a garage or add an additional one for extra storage for all of your vehicles and equipment.
Studios
Having a quiet place to work and be creative can be a great advantage for any kind of artist. Putting a studio in your own backyard is not only convenient but will also help you save on rental fees over time.
Garden Shed
If you are an avid gardener or even if you just like to make your landscaping look neat and tidy, then a garden shed is a great asset for all of your gardening tools and supplies. Choose one with double doors to make sure that your riding lawnmower will fit inside easily.
Workshop
If you have run out of space in your garage and there isn’t a place for a workshop in your basement, a great option is to purchase a portable building and set up a workshop in your backyard. You are less likely to be disturbed while you completing those handyman projects and you can finally get all of your tools organized by installing a special unit like the one pictured below.
3. Benefits of Custom Built Portable Buildings over Prefab Buildings or Building Kit
You Can Get the Exact Design that You Want
When you choose to purchase a custom built, portable building, you can actually choose all the options, features, design, layout, colors, and sizes that you want. You won’t have to settle for a limited number of styles and options like you would if you are purchasing a prefab building or building kit.
Delivered and Set Up Completely for You
The best custom built portable building companies will actually deliver your building safely to your property and set it up on-site for you. Most prefab buildings and building kits will be delivered to you and left curbside for you to set up yourself, often charging you extra for delivery. Classic Buildings will deliver and set up their buildings with no delivery fee if you live within 30 miles of any of their many showrooms. The delivery will be professionally done with little disturbance of your property. The following video will show you a sample of one of their buildings being delivered so that you can know what to expect.
You Can Deal with a Locally Owned and Operated Company
If you purchase a custom built, portable building from a local company like Classic Buildings, you can feel good about dealing with a family run business that is totally based in the United States. From manufacturing, showrooms, salespeople, paperwork, delivery, and installation, all of the work and processes are completely handled by Classic Buildings employees; they don’t outsource any portion of the process. When you call any of their locations, you can also talk to the same person, Monday through Saturday. That isn’t always the case when you are purchasing a prefab building or building kit from a large retail organization.
4. How Much Portable Buildings Typically Cost
The cost of a portable building depends on a number of factors including:
- Size
- Materials Used
- Options
- Design
- Quality
You can typically expect to pay anywhere from $800 for a very small, basic prefab style to $8,000 for a large, two storey custom built structure.
If you don’t have enough money to purchase the portable building that you really want, you could consider a Rent-To-Own option. Classic Buildings can provide you with a beautiful custom built shed, that fits your needs and specifications perfectly for as low as $85 per month. There’s no credit check; everyone is instantly approved. You can use either a credit card, check or cash for the deposit and the initial payment. The greatest benefit to the Rent-To-Own option is that when you have made your final payment, the portable building is yours.
5. Tactics to Reduce the Cost of Your Portable Building
Choose a Portable Building that Is Built to Last:
Paying a bit more money upfront can actually save you money in the long run. If you purchase a building that is built to last then you will not have to replace it in a few years and you will have fewer maintenance costs.
Make Sure You Get Free Delivery:
Check to see if the delivery is included in the price. If you are charged an extra fee for delivery than the price may not be a good as you thought it was in the first place. Classic Buildings, for example, will deliver your new portable building to your home free of charge within 30 miles of one of our showrooms including various Missouri cities (St. Louis, Arnold, Columbia, St. Charles, Rolla, Linn, Springfield, Jefferson City, Kansas City, and Washington Missouri). We are also located in Swansea, Illinois and Kansas and deliver throughout the Midwest, and, in some cases, nationwide!
Ask About Extra Features that Are Included in the Price:
Often many features that you really want in your shed will cost you extra. Look for a portable building that has lots of additional features included in the standard price. For example, if you purchase a shed from Classic Buildings, you will pay the same price whether you choose a metal or a shingled roof and ridge vent ventilation is standard on all of their buildings. Many other companies charge extra for these features.
Choose a Rent-to-Own Option over Public Storage:
If you don’t have the funds to purchase a portable building but you still need extra storage, choose a rent-to-own option rather than paying for public storage. Paying a monthly fee to store your things doesn’t make sense when you can pay a similar amount of money to rent a building on your own property that you will eventually own.
6. Tips for How to Find the Best Portable Buildings Supplier in Your City
Look for a portable buildings supplier that offers a free site evaluation
A free site evaluation involves coming to your home:
- To see if the building you want can be delivered, already constructed, into your backyard, or if it needs to be built in the backyard.
- To shoot grade to determine what it will take for building to be level.
- To offer advice about the best potential locations for your shed
- To measure the grade of your chosen site with a laser transit to ensure easy access into the storage building.
- To make suggestions about the size and style of building that will complement your property and store all the items you want the best.
- To show you different color options for the building, in your own space, so you can evaluate colors against those of your home.
Find a dealer that has a solid reputation
Ask your friends and family members for recommendations for a portable building supplier that they have used in the past and have been happy with. If you don’t know anyone who has purchased from a reputable dealer then search online to find local dealers and read their testimonials. You can also check out consumer help sites such as the Better Business Bureau to make sure that there are no complaints against the company.
7. Portable Building Style/Look Ideas
Check out the following gallery to get some ideas for possible portable building styles or looks that you could choose from.
Classic Buildings: Quality, Custom Crafted Portable Buildings At An Affordable Price
Purchasing a high quality, custom crafted wooden shed doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, and you don’t need to wait until you have enough money saved to buy one. Contact Classic Buildings today or visit the location nearest to you and find out how easy it is to rent-to-own your own beautiful wooden shed. We provide financing and most people can even qualify for $0 money down.
Remember, before buying a shed you should be aware of the shed permit requirements of your municipality. Sometimes permit requirements depend on the size of your shed.
Classic Buildings has locations throughout the Midwest, including various Missouri cities (St. Louis, Arnold, Columbia, St. Charles, Rolla, Linn, Springfield, Jefferson City, Kansas City, and Washington Missouri). We are located in Swansea, Illinois and Kansas and deliver throughout the Midwest, and, in some cases, nationwide!
If you would like to take a look at Classic Buildings’ storage sheds, check out our brochure, or visit one of our locations to see our sheds firsthand!
