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#1
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home
Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#2
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
When I had to make the same decsion, I found that they were similar in
price. The difference was speed. We paid for the HD shed, and the guy built it in a day. It would have taken me several weekends. -- Rusty Myers Austin, TX "jm" wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#3
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
"jm" wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. You would build it to be more sturdy, at the same price, if you built it yourself. Plus the best reason to build it yourself, is that you built it yourself. :-) -- Jim in NC-- |
#4
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
Morgans wrote:
"jm" wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. You would build it to be more sturdy, at the same price, if you built it yourself. Plus the best reason to build it yourself, is that you built it yourself. :-) You also get to choose better quality materials. I bought a kit this summer; a lot of the boards were green at the time. Now they're warped. |
#5
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
In article , Joe Shmoe wrote:
Morgans wrote: "jm" wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. You'll save more than that. My boys and I built a shed two years ago for $950 that would have cost us $1300 to buy from Lowe's, and have a better product. You would build it to be more sturdy, at the same price, if you built it yourself. Plus the best reason to build it yourself, is that you built it yourself. :-) Yep. And I got an added bonus in having my sons (age 13 and 10 at the time) help me with it. You also get to choose better quality materials. I bought a kit this summer; a lot of the boards were green at the time. Now they're warped. I used treated plywood for the floor. The kits use standard plywood, and treated is available as an outrageously overpriced option. I also hand-picked the 2x4s for studs and rafters. I'm sure I got much better wood than I would have in a kit. -- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com) |
#6
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
You probably already have some idea as to the value of your time:
either you have more time or more money available. A consideration would be what to do to make it durable - like caulking and painting. A dozen tubes of caulk and a gallon of first-rate paint ($30) would go a long way. On 21 Aug 2003 04:23:04 -0700, (jm) wrote: Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#7
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
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#8
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
I just did this and came out about even in price. The difference for me was
the quality of materials. I was able to use better materials than they use. Also, I was able to have a custom design. I could not have used a standard design for my intended use. I spent about four hours on design and then one day building the shed. I spent time over several more days painting it. Brian jm wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#9
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
Do you think the price would have been the same for if you had it built
with the better quality of materials and custom design. Comparing apples to apples I bet you came out farther ahead than the same price. "Brian Mahaney" wrote in message ... I just did this and came out about even in price. The difference for me was the quality of materials. I was able to use better materials than they use. Also, I was able to have a custom design. I could not have used a standard design for my intended use. I spent about four hours on design and then one day building the shed. I spent time over several more days painting it. Brian jm wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#10
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
"Brian Mahaney" wrote in message ... I just did this and came out about even in price. The difference for me was the quality of materials. I was able to use better materials than they use. Also, I was able to have a custom design. I could not have used a standard design for my intended use. I spent about four hours on design and then one day building the shed. I spent time over several more days painting it. Brian jm wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. Where did you get the plans? |
#11
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
jm wrote: "Brian Mahaney" wrote in message ... I just did this and came out about even in price. The difference for me was the quality of materials. I was able to use better materials than they use. Also, I was able to have a custom design. I could not have used a standard design for my intended use. I spent about four hours on design and then one day building the shed. I spent time over several more days painting it. Brian jm wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. Where did you get the plans? The answer jm is that he said he designed it. You don't need plans for a simple shed, all you have to do is know standard construction, and you get that from looking a books that explain construction. E.g., buildings are designed around 4 foot increments (or 2 foot increments) so that everything works together. Studs, rafter, joists on 18 inch centers (or 24 inch centers). Base plates, top plates, frames around windows and doors, etc. Roofs are simple, the only problem is deciding what you want. More problem than its worth but certainly simple is to just construct roof trusses instead of using rafters. Remember, it is only a shed so let yourself go; use plywood such as T11 and forget standard framing construction and let the plywood be the major structural member with reinforcements and triangles where necessary to provide strength and rigidity. For sizes of 10 by 10 and larger, though, you should consider 2 x 4 studs. |
#12
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
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#13
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
If you do not consider what your time is worth, you can save a bundle. I am
getting ready to build my own and will save about $800 on an 8 by 14 room. "jm" wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#14
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
What plans and where did you get them? I have found plans that were good on
parts of the shed, but shady on other parts. For example, I found one where the floor was well explained, but the roof, which looked complicated to me (but it is an "ordinary" room the upside V shape; sorry don't know what else to call it - gable?). I don't know how to cut rafters. It looked hard. Maybe it is. I don't know, but I couldn't tell what angle to cut them at or how the roof fit on the walls. "Leon" wrote in message . .. If you do not consider what your time is worth, you can save a bundle. I am getting ready to build my own and will save about $800 on an 8 by 14 room. "jm" wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#15
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
On Thu, 21 Aug 2003 22:09:33 GMT, "jm"
wrote: For example, I found one where the floor was well explained, but the roof, which looked complicated to me (but it is an "ordinary" room the upside V shape; sorry don't know what else to call it - gable?). I don't know how to cut rafters. It looked hard. Maybe it is. I don't know, but I couldn't tell what angle to cut them at or how the roof fit on the walls. Framing the roof (even a simple gable roof) is a bit more complex than building the walls and ensuring that they are plumb. The problem is that this will probably be the only roof you ever frame, so the learning curve is not very useful in the future. Simple method - go measure an identical shed and replicate that structure. Less simple method - watch a professional crew frame a roof on a new house. More complex method - purchase a book on roof framing such as "Roof Framing" by Marshall Gross. The method basically involves - 1. Install the ridge beam parallel to the centerline of the building and elevated such that the roof pitch is at least 4/12 so it will drain. It is temporarily supported at the proper height until the common rafters are installed to support it from the tops of the walls. 2. Install ceiling joists to hold the tops of the walls in the plumb position. 3. Cut the common rafters at the proper angle to meet the ridge beam. Cut the birdsmouth on the other end of the rafter such that it sits flat on top of the wall with sufficient extension to allow for fascia board (where guttering would be placed) to be at least 12-24" from the outside of the walls. 4. Nail all common rafters in place. Remove temporary ridge beam supports. 5. Install vertical studs in each gable (the triangular areas at each end of the ridge beam) to support siding to cover these openings. 6. Place roof decking over common rafters beginning at the bottom. 7. Install felt, flashing and shingles or other roofing material. You will need several 8' stepladders during some of these steps. Borrow as needed and make sure they are 300# rated. |
#16
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
Thomas Kendrick wrote: On Thu, 21 Aug 2003 22:09:33 GMT, "jm" wrote: For example, I found one where the floor was well explained, but the roof, which looked complicated to me (but it is an "ordinary" room the upside V shape; sorry don't know what else to call it - gable?). I don't know how to cut rafters. It looked hard. Maybe it is. I don't know, but I couldn't tell what angle to cut them at or how the roof fit on the walls. Framing the roof (even a simple gable roof) is a bit more complex than building the walls and ensuring that they are plumb. The problem is that this will probably be the only roof you ever frame, so the learning curve is not very useful in the future. Simple method - go measure an identical shed and replicate that structure. Less simple method - watch a professional crew frame a roof on a new house. More complex method - purchase a book on roof framing such as "Roof Framing" by Marshall Gross. The method basically involves - 1. Install the ridge beam parallel to the centerline of the building and elevated such that the roof pitch is at least 4/12 so it will drain. It is temporarily supported at the proper height until the common rafters are installed to support it from the tops of the walls. 2. Install ceiling joists to hold the tops of the walls in the plumb position. 3. Cut the common rafters at the proper angle to meet the ridge beam. Cut the birdsmouth on the other end of the rafter such that it sits flat on top of the wall with sufficient extension to allow for fascia board (where guttering would be placed) to be at least 12-24" from the outside of the walls. 4. Nail all common rafters in place. Remove temporary ridge beam supports. 5. Install vertical studs in each gable (the triangular areas at each end of the ridge beam) to support siding to cover these openings. 6. Place roof decking over common rafters beginning at the bottom. 7. Install felt, flashing and shingles or other roofing material. You will need several 8' stepladders during some of these steps. Borrow as needed and make sure they are 300# rated. There is no need for temporary support of the ridge, you just make it a permanent part of the gable. But the better way is to build the gable ends on the ground and then lift into place and nail them on the top plate, then nail up the ridge. And you don't need to cut rafters at the plate; just nail into plate and ceiling joist and extend far enough for an overhang. Then you fill in between each joist/rafter with a full sized 2x4. |
#17
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
I drew my own plans up with AutoCad.
"Leon" wrote in message . .. If you do not consider what your time is worth, you can save a bundle. I am getting ready to build my own and will save about $800 on an 8 by 14 room. "jm" wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#18
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
my shed cost more than a pre built (Tuff Shed) but it looks WAY better,
and fits the limited area I had to place it in. It also is painted to match the house, the roof is very similar to the roof of the house, and I enjoyed building it from scratch, with all plans contained solely within my head. I used something called Sturdifloor, IIRC for the floor, which is super solid. I insulated the ceiling and the walls that are in the sun. Since it is against a fence and near the house, a lot of it is pretty much in the shade. In the middle of a hot summer day, it's cooler in there than my house. oh, yeah, I also installed two vents at the gable ends for cross ventilation. It has one window, a metal Stanley door and enough headroom for my 6' 4" self to stand in. I went at least $400 over predicted cost and mashed one fingernail. Shortly after I finished, I then bought a framing nailer! the exterior is tongue and groove exterior siding that I primed with LOTS of Bin primer and then two coats of Kelly Moore Oyster semi gloss exterior latex enamel. After 5 years the paint still looks great. Oh, and rather than run electricity to the shed, I installed a solar powered light for those after dark visits. Got that at HD for about $65 IIRC. dave jm wrote: Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#19
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
john:
I went through this same problem a couple of years ago. I elected to build because the local sheds (like TuffShed) were about $1200 for the size I wanted and the materials for what I wanted to build were about equal. However, my materials were WAY better. Ceder siding, T&G ply flooring, etc. Also I had some friends help which was fun and in the end, I also justified some of the tools I bought to do the shed. Would the shed gone up faster if I bought it from a company? Yes, of course. Would it look better? Not necessarily and I would have missed out on learning a lot of carpentry. My time was not in the equation, since I wrote it off as a learning experience. I'd say, if you need it soon - buy it, but if you want to learn and have fun learning - build it yourself! MJ Wallace |
#20
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
After looking at sheds built locally and the ones in a kit, I ordered plans
for the one I liked and am now building it. I originally wanted a 12X16 with a gambrel roof, (spelling?) which would have cost me around $1500 to $1800 to be built by one of the companies here. I opted to change the plans I bought to make it 12X20 (would have cost $24-$2900 to have built) and figure the costs will be around $1200. Not counting the cost of the foundation which I built on concrete piers to raise it 12"-20" above ground level because of potential high water in the back of my property. The foundation would have cost more if I had that built. I also bought a nail gun, PC 350RH and a compressor, which I wanted anyway. So to me I have the enjoyment of building it, the knowledge I gained the extra tools, and will come out much better than what would have been built for much more money. My time has been well spent in the project plus the added company and friendship from a neighbor who has been helping. C Cole "jm" wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#21
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
Where did you order the plans from? Which plan?
"C Cole" wrote in message ... After looking at sheds built locally and the ones in a kit, I ordered plans for the one I liked and am now building it. I originally wanted a 12X16 with a gambrel roof, (spelling?) which would have cost me around $1500 to $1800 to be built by one of the companies here. I opted to change the plans I bought to make it 12X20 (would have cost $24-$2900 to have built) and figure the costs will be around $1200. Not counting the cost of the foundation which I built on concrete piers to raise it 12"-20" above ground level because of potential high water in the back of my property. The foundation would have cost more if I had that built. I also bought a nail gun, PC 350RH and a compressor, which I wanted anyway. So to me I have the enjoyment of building it, the knowledge I gained the extra tools, and will come out much better than what would have been built for much more money. My time has been well spent in the project plus the added company and friendship from a neighbor who has been helping. C Cole "jm" wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#22
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
One thing to remember about using T&G plywood for the flooring is that the
T&G will take up about 1/2" from the width for each row. If you put down 3 rows of it, you will be 1 1/2 inch from the width of 12' which you would expect if you did not know. If you use T-11 siding which overlays on the edges, it comes out to being the correct width when you put it up. (T-11 siding is wider than 48" to make up the difference,) (T&G plywood is not as the tongue sets in a 1/2" when butted against the other sheet.) I found out the hard way and had to cut down the width of the shed by 1 1/2" to get the proper floor dimensions to work out without having to buy and cut another row of plywood to get the extra needed. You can't just add an inch and a half.. but would have to rip the sheets to give a proper width to get it nailed down. So make sure you measure the plywood you are going to use before you make your final layout for your base and walls to see that it is going to be what you think it is. C Cole "jm" wrote in message om... Or do I come out about even if I just by the premade kit from Home Depot or Lowe's. A guy at the store said I might save $50.00. Thanks. |
#23
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Can I save money on a shed if I build it?
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