by Dennis Fletcher

Created on: May 16, 2008

Building a shed can be easy and quite satisfying if done right. By starting with some organization and planning, this can become a great project for you or you and your children or friends.

To start, you need to decide what you need in a shed. Do you just need a small storage space or are you looking for something that will double as a storage center and a workshop? These questions alone will enable you to decide whether or not to build something big or just go purchase a small storage box.

Once you have your needs decided, you then need to decide what it will look like and where it will go on your property. Most people skip this step and end up not liking their shed or not liking where they place it. Taking an hour or so to consider this may save you years of discontent with your shed.

There are many styles to choose from, just go to any website that has blueprints and you will probably be able to find a lot of different styles. Begin to look through these and decide what looks right for you, what works with your land and what will look good with your house.

Once you have decided where it will go and what it looks like, not you need to get your materials figured out so you can get estimates from a few different lumber yards. Don't assume the Home Depot or Lowe's will be the cheapest or the best, sometimes the local lumber yard will do better on framing lumber that any large scale business could ever do.

To get this list, you need to figure out some details about how you intend to build. Are you going to put this on a concrete slab or are you going to do the traditional wooden floor joists? Are your studs going to be 16" on center or 24" on center? Is this storage shed large enough to make trusses economical or are you going to field frame the roof system? Lastly, will the exterior match your home or are you going to finish it with something different? Get these questions answered prior top going out and getting bids on your framing as this will make it easier for you to get accurate quotes.

If you just don't want to or don't know how to estimate the materials, don't worry, most local lumber yards will help you do a material list. Generally, they will take your ideas or plans and contact you within a few days to let you know what materials you need and how much it would cost you to purchase it from them. You can then take that list and check their prices with other stores.

Now, once all the above is done, your lumber is delivered or somehow brought to your home, you

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