Buying an outdoor storage gardening shed involves a massive investment with long-term perspectives. Besides the cost, size, color, design, and portability of a building, many other aspects should be evaluated by a buyer before deciding to purchase an outdoor storage gardening shed.
10 Factors To Consider Before Buying An Outdoor Storage Gardening Shed
The essential factors to consider before buying outdoor storage buildings, gardening sheds, or Keen portable buildings are:
- Price vs. Quality – There is a difference between the best and the most intelligent investment. So, it is advisable to choose the supreme quality of materials used and trusted brands over lower prices and superficiality. Lower costs of the outdoor storage gardening shed may instantly attract the buyer’s attention, but it is better to look deeper and wisely to make the cost worthwhile.
- Design structure – The linking and sinking of the building’s structure with the outbuilding is essential to give an overall and more comprehensive look to the entire building. So, ensure a correlation and symmetric relationship between the main building and the outdoor storage gardening shed. For instance, a building structure based on a formal theme should supplement an outdoor storage gardening shed of the same connotation.
- Blending into the Landscape – Landscaping around the structure will give another look to the entire building. Especially when that landscape is built explicitly for the outdoor storage gardening shed. It is essential to bring more plants fitting entirely to the background as well as the outbuilding. For instance, trellises for vine trees and durable plants as annuals and perennials greeneries are suitable and match the aura of an outbuilding.
- Wall and Siding Materials – The raw materials most commonly sought out for the wall, siding, paneling are wood, metal, and plastic. Wood walls and sidings bring an esthetic look to the complete building besides the outbuilding. For example, a wooded stud-framed fence gives a glimpse of a house or more of a garage. Plywood sides add to the strength and durability, and wooden roofs drafted with premium roofing materials like asphalt shingles give a more finished look.
Metal outbuilding sheds are coated with synthetic colors to provide a complete look to the sheds. Unlike wood, metal sheds have a single touch running throughout the whole frame bringing uniformity and patterns of symmetry in the shed.
Using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) as materials is a durable and simple way to build a garden shed that will function as a greenhouse or for vertical gardening purposes. The setting and fixing of the entire outbuildings shed can be plastic tarps. These plastic sheds do not require much more maintenance or frequent coatings. However, it may not be the best option for a long-term structure that would outstand years of use, inclement weather, or store gear.
Choose the material after considering the factors such as maintenance, coating, frequency of renovations, and other ancillary efforts to keep the shed in its shape.
- Zoning Laws and HOA Rules – Legal aspects are as crucial as the physical framework of an outbuilding. So, get complete details about zoning law restrictions for sheds in the area. Because in specific localities, the size of the sheds is limited to a certain extent, such as 120 square feet (which is considered the standard shed size).
Additionally, look into the bylaws favoring and restricting the setting up of sheds in the subdivision, usually regulated by the community’s homeowner’s association. For instance, the property owner may be asked to keep a specific distance from the main property according to the local zoning laws or a standard protocol followed in that area.
Besides the distance and size, another factor to consider when building sheds is the height. The HOA covenants or zoning laws may also regulate the shade building’s height that may cast on neighboring property.
- Foundation and Flooring – Outbuilding sheds generally include the outer structure or four walls and the roof, except wooden sheds. Wood sheds are supplemented with plywood flooring in the entire package.
Property owners getting metal or plastic outbuilding sheds need to make additional investments to install the floor. So, the property owner can look at specific options for flooring such as the graveled floor, self-aided wooden floor, or tiles or concrete. But remember to install a functional draining system to keep the floor protected from wet contacts to prevent potential corrosion or rusting.
- Installation: DIY or Pro approach – An outdoor storage building kit comes with a manual and instructions that can be implemented and executed more accurately with little effort. DIY sheds usually are made of plastic. Metal outdoor storage buildings and wood sheds need an expert well equipped with the tools.
Time and the property’s terrain are essential factors determining if the user wants to go for self or professional installation. For instance, if a garden shed is made out of plastic or PVC, the owner can quickly build it in a day or two on any terrain. On the other hand, sheds with more permanent structures and need anchoring may require a shed foundation.
- Access – The purpose of the sheds is to either accommodate machinery, equipment, or heavy operators. So, the access and exit points of the shed should be commendable and accessible without any difficulty. If the shed is over the ground, install the right and solid ramps and pillars to support the heavy loads.
- Decorative Details – Window boxes, shutters, or weather vanes can increase the beauty of the building shared by many folds. Even a tiny window, a French door, or a bird box can beautify the building. So, do consider the decoration and personal touch to the outbuilding shed.
- Additional Storage – Making compartmentalized segments for storage in the main outbuilding shed looks more attractive. Optimizing storage buildings is much more convenient and functional based on needs. There can be corner sheds, vertical sheds, or horizontal sheds within the main shed, all different ways to make the storage more convenient and adding a multi-dimensional capability to the garden shed.
Buying an outdoor storage gardening shed is a big decision that should be taken after several considerations and keeping in mind the basic and extended factors affecting the entire installment till proper functioning. While making the decision and selecting the best-suited outbuilding shed based on the requirements and needs, it is wise to choose Keen’s portable buildings.