Looking for a new garden shed but can’t decide whether to buy premade or build it yourself? There are certainly pros and cons to each, so it’s important to think about a few things to make sure that you choose the best option for your needs. Let’s take a closer look at some things you should consider before you decide what option is the right one for you!
What to Consider When Buying or Building a New Shed
Cost
Probably the first thing most people consider when getting a new shed is the price. Everyone has a budget to stick with, so knowing whether buying or building is cheaper can be a decision maker for most.
So, what exactly is cheaper – buying or building a new shed?
While the costs can vary depending on things like the size of the shed and the materials used, in most cases buying a premade shed costs more. This is usually down to the fact that labour costs of building the structure are factored into the price, so it’s typically the most expensive option.
When building the shed you are buying the raw materials and not much else, unless you need a few tools to complete the job, so the cost is much lower.
However, this assumes that you can build the shed to a good standard – a poorly built shed won’t last long so the cost of replacing may make it cost more in the long run compared to buying.
So, if you don’t have much experience with joinery or aren’t much of a DIY person, then buying will probably be cheaper!
Convenience
As you can imagine, buying a shed is far more convenient than building it from scratch. There’s a lot of work involved in building a new shed, such as buying all the materials, cutting wood to size, and then building it, so it will take a lot of time and effort.
Also, you need to set aside time from your schedule to start the project, while a lot of things can make it even more time-consuming, such as needing to wait until the good weather arrives!
When buying, you will have the shed delivered to your door and won’t need to worry about constructing anything on your own. Your new shed is up and running in no time, saving all the hassle of starting your building project and all the stresses that come with this.
Knowledge
You need to consider whether you have the knowledge to build a shed. Yes, you can learn a lot about what you need to know and then start building, but some sort of DIY experience is recommended before you build anything.
Building a shed without any knowledge makes the entire process far more complex. It takes longer, more mistakes are likely to happen, and the shed may not be the best quality when you are finished making it.
From knowing how to properly measure and cut the wood to being able to safely use the various tools needed for the project, there’s a lot of knowledge you need to be able to make a shed!
When buying, you don’t need much knowledge, especially when buying from a store as the staff should be able to help. It is recommended that you do some research in terms of what things to look for, such as the shed size, yard size, materials, designs, colours etc.
Quality
You obviously want a quality shed that lasts for many years, so what option is most likely to deliver on this front? It’s hard to say for sure as the cost of the shed will influence its quality, as you aren’t going to get a high-quality shed for a low price.
A common pitfall is being too indicted by the lowest price you see. Yes, it’s great to save money but the quality of the shed determines how much value for money you are getting over the long term.
For example, a cheap shed will save cash initially but if it lasts a fraction of the time that a more expensive shed does, then you are going to spend more over a longer period doing repairs or replacing the shed.
If you have the skills and knowledge to build your own shed then you are going to get a better-quality structure for a lower price. Not everyone can do this though, so buying may be the best choice if you want a decent quality shed but lack the ability to build one yourself.
Warranty
You get a warranty with most pre-built sheds and these can be quite an enticing offer, with some a warranty up to 25 years!
This offers complete peace of mind that the shed is covered should anything go wrong, and with such long guarantees available it certainly offsets some of the higher costs associated with buying, especially if you find any faults like the roof is leaking.
There is no warranty if you build the shed yourself, which might not be a problem if you are confident that you have built a quality structure that will last many years, although you do need to fix any problems that might develop over time.
Design
When buying a pre-made shed you are limited to the designs that are available from the retailer. This may not be an issue as some people don’t care too much about the design of their shed – some just want a basic outdoor structure to store things!
However, if you have a specific design requirement from your shed, such as matching it to the style of your home, then building it yourself may be the only option.
Customization
Following on from the previous point, if you want to customize the shed in any way, then building it yourself is the best choice. Simply put, building the shed yourself means you can customize it in any way you want.
This isn’t guaranteed with a pre-made shed. Yes, you can add certain features to the current structure but you won’t be able to customize things like the size, layout, floor, materials, and colours of the shed.
When buying yourself, the only limit is your abilities. You can make the shed any size and shape you want, choose any combination of materials to make it, and add whatever features you might want inside and outside.
