Yes, plenty of people build their own kitset shed, and many enjoy it. A steel kitset arrives with engineered drawings and pre-made components, so you’re assembling rather than designing. But it’s a real building project. Here’s an honest look at what’s involved.
Don’t underestimate the job #
Building a shed can be a lot harder than it looks. You’ll be working at height, lifting heavy components, screwing things together and putting in long days, and high winds can come up out of nowhere. Be realistic about what you can take on. If you’ve built things before and want to give it a go, we’re here to support you, or your builder, through the process.
What’s in the kit #
A Steelspan kitset includes the engineered steel frame, purlins, girts, cladding, fixings and plans, designed for your size and site. Exactly what’s included is listed in your quotation and specification: it might be just the frame and its fixings, the frame plus all cladding and fixings, or a full kit with doors, PA doors and windows.
The skills you need #
- reading construction drawings and following them exactly
- accurate measuring and setting out, with string lines and levels
- using drills and impact drivers all day
- working safely at height on ladders, scaffolds or a lift
- patience: steel goes together precisely, and a small error early compounds
If you’ve built a deck or a fence to a high standard, you’ll recognise most of it. You may need to hire gear you don’t own, such as a laser level. Home-brand drills and impact drivers may not stand up to days of sustained use, and can overheat and burn out.
People and gear #
This isn’t a one-person job. Raising portal frames takes at least two or three people, and bigger frames need a crane, telehandler or hiab. You’ll also want scaffolding or a scissor lift for the roof, plus proper fall protection. A day’s hire is cheap compared with an injury.
The slab decides how easy the rest is #
The frame fixes to the foundations, so the footings and slab must be exactly where the drawings say, at exactly the right height. A slab or footings that are out by even a little make the frame fight you all the way up. The slab must be the right width, length and thickness, and level: unless you want a fall poured in, it should be flat. That takes previous experience with slabs, or we can talk to your concrete contractor to make sure it’s done correctly. Many owners get a concrete contractor to do the foundations, then build the steel themselves.
Consent and inspections #
If the shed needs consent, the council inspects at set stages, such as footings before the concrete pour and the finished building. Book inspections in time and keep the paperwork. Restricted building work, which must be done or supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP), normally applies to homes and dwellings, so for most of our buildings your builder doesn’t need to be an LBP. If the building will be habitable or used as a dwelling, you’ll need an LBP to build it, and that will probably extend to the slab too. Talk to us first if that’s your plan. Electrical work must be done by a licensed electrician.
How long it takes #
It depends on size, crew and weather. As a guide, two people should comfortably build a small three-bay lifestyle shed in a couple of weeks, depending on fitness and building experience. Roller doors are not easy to get right, so you’ll probably want a specialist for those. We can put you in touch with installers, or quote to install them for you.
What owners say #
One customer told us they assembled the first of two Steelspan sheds themselves, then had us assemble the second, and wished we’d done both. An experienced erector said our kit “was timely and well placed upon delivery” and the plans were “clear and correct”. The honest takeaway: it’s very doable, but your time and experience are worth counting.
Help when you need it #
Our Kitset Assist programme supports you through the build. That can be a phone call, texts or WhatsApp messages, or a Zoom or WhatsApp video call so we can see your site and conditions. If something isn’t quite right, we can help you sort it out quickly.
Talk to Steelspan #
Thinking of building it yourself? Our team has over 60 years’ combined experience in construction and steel buildings, and several of us are here to talk to. We’ll tell you honestly how hard your shed will be to put up. Use our Easy Shed Quote or call 0800 787 726.
