Inquires on Garden Structures / Garden Homes / Garden Sheds

4 years ago

Hello!

My name is Miriam and I am planning on producing a garden shed/home to make better use of the space it occupies and it can be used for storage or relaxation purposes. I had a few questions for whoever is willing to help me collect some information and research regarding garden structures and some details about them. Whether you personally own a garden shed or you have extended knowledge/information about garden structures, any response and information is appreciated and helpful!

1) How large is your garden structure?

2) What do you use the structure for? (Eg. relaxation, hobby, greenhouse, storage, etc.)

3) What material/s is your structure made from? Metal, plastic, glass and/or wood?

4) Where did you buy your structure from? (Eg. online, in-store, friend, etc.) If online and in-store, which store/online shop was it?

5) How often do you use your garden structure? (Eg. every day, once/twice a week, once a month, etc.)

6) How often do you need to perform maintenance on your structure? What sort of maintenance is required?

7) Do you have a foundation under your garden structure? If so, how deep does it extend? Did you need a planning permission for it?

8) Where is your structure located? (Eg. in your backyard, a rented plot of land, etc.)

9) Do you secure your garden structure? If so, how? (Eg. with a padlock, pin-pad lock, door handle with keyhole etc.)

10) Have you experienced any break-ins to your garden structures? If so, how many throughout the period you have had your shed?

11) Are there any problems experienced with your garden structure that you believe is not considered enough? (Eg. leakages, structurally unstable, etc.)

Additional question:

12) Around about how expensive was your structure?

13) Is there anything you wish your garden structure could have or do that comes already with the structure? (Eg. self-irrigation system, shelving units/storage systems, etc.)

I am thankful to anyone who is willing to take the time to answer these question and help me perform detailed research!

Thank you and have a wonderful day/evening wherever you may be,

Miriam

Featured Answer

My3dogs ME zone 5A

4 years ago

Mine was here when I bought my 1937 Cape in 1986, having been built by the man who built the house. It's about 150 sq. feet and is used for storage. It was right next to the house, but as I started landscaping, I had it hauled to a lower part of the back yard overlooking a river that forms my property line.

It has electricity, and I replaced the windows that face the house. I re-did my kitchen windows, and took a 3 window bay from the back of the kitchen and had it installed on the river side of the shed, which you can't see in the pics. The door is the original, and I have a fold down ramp inside the door to bring out lawn mowers, etc. The man who built my house made furniture in there as a hobby. His wife could summon him from the house for meals with a buzzer installed in the shed! The builder was a VERY creative man, and I am very grateful to have the house and shed that he built.

I'm in Maine, and his granddaughter lives in CT. She visits each summer, and has told me about the wonderful things he built, At her first visit, I gave her a wonderful weather vane that I had found in the shed, created by her grandfather, of a man chopping wood when the window blew. The history and usefulness of my shed make it priceless to me.

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Comments (24)

woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
4 years ago
When we bought this property in 1999 there was an old wooden shed that was in bad shape - too short - my 6' husband could only stand upright in the very center; the roof leaked; skunks were trying to move in under the floor...; there were no windows; tree seedling would germinate on the roof!

We lived with it for a few years, trying to incorporate it into the garden we were starting and then had it torn down about 13-14 years ago and had a new wooden shed built to sit on the same 'footprint' as the original shed (so the survey remained valid!) The shed is 10' wide and 8' deep. Anything larger would have needed a building permit but this was below the size limit for permitting in our town. There is no foundation under the shed and the floor in just 2'x2' concrete slabs set on a leveled gravel base - this part of the garden can be very wet in spring or after a heavy rain as all the water drains to this area. The guys building the shed had to keep adding more and more base gravel as, when they used the plate compactor on it, the gravel just disappeared into the ground! Eventually they got enough in place to make a solid, level base that can cope with occasional heavy water flows. The shed is just used for storage of garden stuff, so it's not very finished inside. The exterior siding is cedar shingle panels - they need fine mesh attached during construction to keep bees and other similar insects from getting into the panels to nest!

At first the shed was painted gray with white trim and a dark blue door - that looked OK. BUT I wanted it to blend into the garden better so after a couple of years we repainted it in shades of green. We're quite happy with that color scheme and the shed has become an important part of the garden in all seasons and from all viewing points indoors and out.... It cost about $6000 Canadian$ to build it.

Gray-blue shed:

Green shed:

In June viewed from the back porch:

In October with leaves starting to color:

After first light snowfall:

A good shed is well-worth having IMO. If you plan to be there for a long time, build one that suits your needs and fits into the garden harmoniously.
Miriam Manca thanked woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada
Christopher CNC
4 years ago
Too many questions to answer, but I will show you a picture of The Crooked Shed (8x7) I built this summer. It is for storing gardening tools and all the junk that seems to accumulate, through no fault of my own, out of sight and out of the weather.
Miriam Manca thanked Christopher CNC
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Miriam Manca
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
@Christopher CNC I apologise for there being so many questions. I like to be quite thorough.

Would it be alright if maybe you just answer three/four rather than 13?

If so, here they are:

What materials is it made out of? And why blue as the colour?

About how much did it cost to make?

If you could change anything about it, what would it be?

Also, amazing job on the shed, it looks fantastic!
Miriam Manca
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
@woodyoak zone 5 southern Ont., Canada

Thank you so much for your response, it is very helpful! And your garden structure looks wonderful!
Christopher CNC
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Miriam the shed is made of 2x4 framing with plywood floors and walls, 'knotty barn board' siding and metal roof. It sits on four 4x6 floor joists on cement pavers. Cost about $1000.

The one thing I would change if possible is, if the framing carpenter who got the shed started had been calmer and in less of a manic mode, the roof framing would be more square and less crooked. My OCD has a hard time ignoring the Crooked. It is solid as a rock though.

It does have a nice window that came from the house my grandfather built.

Oh, the blue is the same color as the cabin's front and back doors, a Hale Mini for flow. Plus I like bold color in the barren time.
Miriam Manca thanked Christopher CNC
Miriam Manca
Original Author
4 years ago
@Christopher CNC Perfect! Thank you so much!
PRO
Yardvaark
4 years ago
[I wrote this, this morning, but neglected to submit before distractions got hold of me. So ... oops if others have already said.]

Garden structures come in all shapes and sizes and are for a variety of purposes. I think you just have to decide what your NEEDS are and then create the structure that suits them while staying within your budget (... the hard part!) If one of the needs is lounging, and another of the needs is storage/utility, then these are two distinctly different kinds of functions that don't mix well without a wall between them. Garden shed activities tend to be dusty, dirty and messy. You wouldn't want that scattering onto your lounge area. You wouldn't really even want it on stored things, except rakes and shovels.

From all your questions, I think you're worrying too much. Since the gamut of possibilities is unlimited, the only thing that will matter is YOUR needs. Starting with the budget can possibly determine the "ball park" of possibilities, right off the bat.

Most ready-made structures that are nice are very expensive. Most cheaper ones are not very nice. If you can build it yourself from scratch, you'll get much more bang for the buck.
Miriam Manca thanked Yardvaark
Miriam Manca
Original Author
4 years ago
@Yardvaark Thank you so much for your response! And yes, that is very true.

And the reason for all of these questions is to try and get as much detail as possible on this topic either from people who have experience with garden structures or are direct users. I am a product designer who is trying to optimise the space occupied by garden structures. I am trying to understand the market, uses and different specifications people look for and are more interested the garden shed has.

I do realise they are quite a lot of questions, I should have probably decreased the amount and also explained the need for all of these questions and research.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years ago
It might be important to consider that garden sheds in the UK tend to serve different needs than those in the US. Here, storage tends to rule the day - a dry place to stuff the mower, barrow, tools and garden products without cluttering up the garage. In the UK, sheds tend to become more functional and work as potting sheds, seed starting facilities, a place to overwinter tender plants, etc. Often with a heat source and something on which to boil water for a cuppa!! And a comfortable seat :-)
Miriam Manca thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
Miriam Manca
Original Author
4 years ago
@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) I agree! I went around in Germany to ask some questions at stores such as OBI, Knauber and the sort, and they said that the majority of people who tend to buy sheds use it for storage of equipment and tools. Whereas my tutor told me that in England is it also very popular for people to use the spaces for hobbies/workshop, winter gardening and/or relaxation. So I do definitely agree, but it is nice to see different opinions also from a variety of different areas to possibly make a garden shed that is also helpful for others outside of the UK.
Miriam Manca
Original Author
4 years ago
@My3dogs ME zone 5A Thank you so much for your response! Indeed that is one GORGEOUS garden home! And the history makes it that much more valuable and impressive! I have four extra questions if you have the time.

How big is the structure?

Is it hard to maintain and what do you need to do?

Does the structure have a foundation?

And lastly, did the owner before need planning permission to build up the shed?

I thank you again so much for your response!
My3dogs ME zone 5A
4 years ago
Hi! It's approx. 10 x 15 feet - so 150 sq. feet. As far as maintenance, it doesn't need much. But it IS approx. 80 years old, and VERY well built. I did replace all the windows, with the exception of one on the left side that you can't see. I call that one the 'take out window', as it's large and has a rope to pull it open, and then you tie the rope off to a hook inside. I just added a pic at the bottom that shows that window.

You can see that my property has slopes and various levels. But once we hauled the shed over large wooden poles in the back yard to it's current home, a friend who worked in construction and and large building foundation work used a base of cement blocks and pressure treated wood as a foundation, and it has never moved. He also had a source for granite, so you may be able to see the step in front of the door. I added a pic below where you see a woodchuck on it deciding what to eat next.

I did paint it to match the house, when I painted it, as the house was like a red schoolhouse when I bought it. I made the shutters, and painted them that dark green that the house shutters are painted. The roof is original, and may someday need to be replaced, but they are just std asphalt(?) roof shingles, and have a bit of moss on them in some places. I think that adds character.

I truly doubt that he had to get ANY permits back in 1937 to build the shed, but today that would be a different story entirely. I didn't need any to move it from beside the house to the lower part of the yard back in the late 80's.
Miriam Manca thanked My3dogs ME zone 5A
edenchild
4 years ago
This is my garden shed. It is approximately 8’ x 16’ and was constructed to match my house using Hardi board and roof shingles to finish the exterior and a poured cement base that extends into a small patio on one side. It is only two years old so no maintenance has been required yet, other than blowing out the water that runs from the irrigation system to a sink and tap inside. It also has electricity but no insulation.

I spent a long time planning what I wanted in the shed. I wanted to store my garden equipment, start seeds, pot up plants, and also use it for outdoor entertaining. The window on the patio side is extra deep to use for a bar/serving area.
Miriam Manca thanked edenchild
Miriam Manca
Original Author
4 years ago
@edenchild Thank you so much for your response! That is one wonderful garden shed! Its also very practical with a lot it can be used for. Just two extra questions if that's alright and when you have the time.

How expensive was it altogether with the foundation, materials and construction?

Did you need planning permission as it looks quite large and it has the cement foundation?

Thank you again!
Miriam Manca
Original Author
4 years ago
@My3dogs ME zone 5A Thank you immensely! Honestly it is such a beautiful garden home, and it is absolutely astounding as to how it lasted these 80 years without tons of maintenance! I really appreciate you writing back again and answering the extra questions!
edenchild
4 years ago
Miriam, the shed was built by our builder (with my DH’s assistance). Since it was planned as part of the overall construction project, the cost for the roof, windows, siding, concrete, etc were included with the same item for the house. I’m not sure I could break out just the exterior shed costs. The interior was furnished with a sink (brand new) and tap (used) sourced on Craigslist (less than $100 Cdn for both) plus some IKEA shelving we already had and about $500 Cdn worth of lumber/plumbing connections/additional shelving from Lowe’s.
Miriam Manca thanked edenchild
User
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
..some nice sheds you all have.... I don't know if this was meant to be on the UK forum here but I'll answer anyway in case..

...this is my shed, it's more practical than aesthetic.... Yardmaster shed in UK

1. ...it's 10' x 8' I think..

2. ..storage.. including wheelie bins for recycling and domestic rubbish collection... bags of compost and a table for preparing pots and seeds... tools and all sorts of other gardening items.. some people store an extra freezer in them if they have electricity run off... I have a seat but prefer to sit in the greenhouse... it's a great place for a loner...

3. metal [regulations in my location do not permit wooden sheds - fire risk]

4. It was in situ when we bought this property... it is now about 12 years old..

5. In use every day... sometimes I feel I live in there...

6. No maintenance other than some internal cleaning, sweeping...

7. Yes a concrete base which extends a couple of feet all around... planning permission was obtained initially...

8. Located at end of driveway... part of the back garden..

9. Secured with padlock..

10... No so far fortunately..

11. A slight leak from the roof but we apply some water proof sealant..

12. I'm not sure as we didn't buy it originally...

13. I wish it had a window... most wooden sheds have windows... but this metal one only has a door..

best wishes..
Miriam Manca thanked User
Miriam Manca
Original Author
4 years ago
@User Thank you so much for your reply! It is very simple but very helpful! It is nice if it is from the UK as I will be producing the product initially in and from the UK. Although it would be nice to also target it to other users in different countries, so even if you live outside of the UK, that is perfectly helpful as well.

And simple, but still very useful and practical shed!

If you have the time, I just a few last questions.

Where is it that you live that doesn't allow for the construction of wooden sheds?

And if there are no windows, is there still some method of ventilation if and/or when the the door is closed?

Thank you again!
User
4 years ago
Hi Miriam,...

...just to answer your last questions... where I live a lot of the homes are made of wood construction, not brick... so wooden sheds are considered a fire risk... people put their freezers, fridges and electric lawn mowers in there, power tools... and with electric connected it presents a risk... mind you, my metal shed gets so hot in the summer I have to open the door... there is no ventilation as such, although it's not totally airless.. but I get concerned about something combusting on very hot days... probably worrying about nothing..

...most gardens in UK have wooden sheds, usually a small one about 8 x 6 foot with a window and felt roof, which is inclined to leak before very long...

...we can also have brick sheds and plastic sheds... not sure what they're made of, something like UPVC... maintenance free, they look quite smart... I could have either of these if I wanted but I think they're more expensive... people also use their garages as garden sheds... I used to in a previous house... parking the vehicle outside and using the garage for gardening purposes... did all my shredding in there, had a big shredding machine too... only moving the car back in on occasions...

...some of the pictures above on this thread we would probably call 'outhouses' or 'summer houses' even, as they look good enough to spend some time in, sleep in even... we have those here but tend to see them in large gardens where the owners have spent time and money on landscaping...
roxanna7
4 years ago
edenchild, I am in awe of your "shed" interior. Now inspired to tackle mine come spring and make efforts to imitate!
edenchild
4 years ago
Roxanna7, if you have any question, feel free to message me.
George Milton
6 months ago
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Sherry8aNorthAL
3 months ago
Thank you sushi.