After 25+ years in the building industry, we’ve seen the same handful of mistakes turn a good shed into a frustrating one. None of them are hard to avoid if you know about them before you order.
1. Going too small #
The most common regret by far. Sheds fill up. Size for what you’ll own in five years, add working room around everything, and if the budget is tight, ask what an extra bay would cost before you decide against it.
2. Going too low #
You can add length later, but not height. Measure the tallest thing you’ll ever store, including anything on its roof, and remember that the door mechanism needs room above the opening.
3. Comparing quotes that aren’t the same building #
Different frame sizes, cladding thickness, doors, engineering and inclusions make quotes impossible to compare at face value. Line them up item by item before you look at totals. If you’re unsure about any item, ask us. With decades in the building industry, we can explain the parts that make up your building.
4. Forgetting the costs outside the kit #
The slab, site works, drainage, consent fees, delivery, erection and connections can add a large share on top of the building price. Ask what’s included and budget for the rest. Talk to us about these items: even where we’re not doing the work, we can often give you budget figures to allow for.
5. Assuming it doesn’t need consent #
The small-shed exemptions have strict conditions on size, height, boundary distance, plumbing and roof span. Building without a consent you needed can cause problems with insurance, finance and resale. Check first.
6. Ignoring the site #
An exposed hilltop needs a stronger frame, a coastal site needs the right cladding, and a soft or sloping site needs proper foundations. A building engineered for a “typical” site might not suit yours.
7. Not planning for condensation and water #
A steel roof can drip on cold mornings if moisture isn’t controlled, and water needs somewhere to go off a big roof. A vapour barrier under the slab, the right roof underlay or anti-condensation cladding, and a plan for stormwater are far cheaper at the start than afterwards.
Bonus: leaving doors as an afterthought #
Door type, size and position affect the wall height, the frame design and how the building handles wind. Decide them early.
How we help you avoid them #
We ask about what you’re storing, your site and how you’ll use the building before we design anything, and our policy is no surprises. The biggest mistake we see is clearances: height, width and turning circles, both getting into the building and moving around inside it. People often don’t allow for them, or for growth, such as a bigger machine that arrives later. Check them carefully. If you need exact distances between frames, or clearances under the frames or any other part of the building, we can provide detailed drawings before you commit.
Talk to Steelspan #
Get it right the first time. Start with our Easy Shed Quote or call 0800 787 726.
