Where a shed goes affects its price, how well it works and how long it lasts. A site that looks perfect from the house can turn out to be soft, wet, steep or unreachable for a truck. Walk the site with this list before you commit.
1. Can a truck get there? #
Your kitset arrives on a truck, and a slab needs a concrete truck. Check the driveway width, gates, overhead power lines, tight corners, soft paddocks and steep grades. If a big truck can’t reach the site, delivery and concrete get dearer.
2. What’s the ground like? #
Soft ground, filled ground, peat and some clay soils need specific foundation design. If the ground is unknown or looks suspect, a geotechnical report is cheap insurance against foundations that crack or settle.
3. How steep is it? #
Flat is cheapest. A sloping site needs cut and fill, possibly retaining walls, or a stepped floor. A few metres sideways can sometimes halve the earthworks.
4. Where does the water go? #
Avoid low spots and gullies where water collects. Check your council’s maps for flood plains and overland flow paths. Plan where the roof water will go, too: a large roof sheds a lot of water in heavy rain, and it needs an approved destination.
5. How exposed is it? #
A shed on a ridge or an open hilltop faces higher wind loads than one in a sheltered hollow, and the frame and fixings are sized to match. Shelter from trees or landform can reduce loads, but keep the shed clear of branches and roots.
6. How close is the sea? #
Salt air drives cladding choice. Sites near breaking surf, or close to salt water, may need a higher-grade cladding and more frequent washing. See our coastal post.
7. Which way should it face? #
Point open bays and big doors away from the prevailing wind and rain. Think about where morning sun falls if you’ll work in it, and how vehicles will approach and turn.
8. Boundaries and rules #
District plan setbacks and height-to-boundary rules decide how close you can build. Some consent exemptions require a shed to sit at least its own height from boundaries, and fire rules matter for commercial buildings near boundaries.
9. Room to grow #
Leave space at one end for future bays, and think about where other buildings, yards and tracks might go later.
Talk to Steelspan #
We’ll look at your site with you and point out the access, drainage and exposure issues before they turn into costs. Steelspan has its own drones, and where it helps, we’ll fly the site, but only with your permission. We share the footage with you whether or not you go ahead with us, so you can make informed decisions about your building. Start with our Easy Shed Quote or call 0800 78
