Because our old metal shed is losing its roof to rust and contained our garden amendments we decided to build a new wooden garden shed. We purchased a Costco kit (Costco is a members warehouse store with an online component as well as physical stores). They were having a sale on the 10ft by 8ft kit shed for $799 which would be drop shipped to our house. We began by preparing a spot next to our vegetable garden area. The site selected is not flat and that led to some complications, but our property slopes throughout its length so this section was really no different than anywhere else. We used pier blocks for the base with pressure treated 4x4's. We used closer spacing of the floor joists than was required. We laid the dance floor down (it became the main construction place.) The first wall was put up. Then the side walls were put together. Front wall pieces and first shelf put in. Roof joists were put up. Roof panels were screwed in. After the tar paper, the roof shingles were nailed in place. Doors were hung. A deck by the front door was constructed, and stairs done as well. Caulking of vents, solar panel for light was placed, and tools were hung up. Success was declared. The entire process working mostly on weekends took almost two months for two people who are amateurs in the building world. It is satisfying to have built it ourselves, and probably cost in the $1500 range when all was said and done.

Creekside may be right that if you CAN'T come up with the cash, you're already in trouble... except that it sounds like you CAN come up with the cash. The question is whether you want to spend 2/3rds of your available slush fund for this particular add-on. Since your builder is financing, I can certainly understand him not wanting to add something (on a builder finance basis) that might raiss the cost to build above the amount you would be able to get a mortgage for later on. After all, if you can't get a mortgage for the full amount (and can't come up with the difference), the builder will be forced to either lower his price to you or find another buyer. No wonder the builder wants you to come up with the difference in cash now. As for adding the balcony, I would think that a private "owner's balcony" above the porch would add significant value to the home. Whether it would add $12,000 in value tho, I can't begin to say. Have you considered getting a private appraisal of what the house would be worth if the balcony were added? I assume the builder must have already gotten an appraisal of the house as originally designed or he wouldn't be willing to finance the build for you. The same appraiser could probably give you a new appraisal fairly easily. Understand that a private appraisal won't be binding on your bank but it just might give you an idea of whether the bank's appraisal is likely to be enough to cover the added cost. Perhaps if the private appraiser appraises the house with balcony at $12K or more over the appraisal of the house without balcony, your builder might be willing to add it if you agree to pay half the cost in cash now. He would be taking a much smaller risk of the house not appraising for enough for you to pay off his financing. If you do decide to go with the balcony, be sure your builder slopes the porch roof under the balcony so that it sheds water and then add the decking above that. If the porch roof is flat and has the deck built above that. Also, a roof over the balcony will help with water shed issues since less water will land on the deck and seep between the decking boards. Also, if it is roofed, then if you ever decide you want too, you could screen the deck in or even close it in with removable windows for year-round use.

Congratulations tinker1121 on the upcoming shed! Just a few quick comments for you to consider. Will you be preparing a concrete or cement pad for under the shed? (Stops a lot of bugs and termites.) Wooden DIY shed kits usually require additional materials (like shingles) and may not come with a floor kit. Vinyl sheds can be installed in a few hours but they may need to be anchored down if you live in a windy area. How will you run electricity to the shed and do you have any local codes that need to be met to do this? If you live in a snow zone - will the roof be able to withstand the weight of the snow? Will you install windows and a workbench or overhead loft storage space? And finally, will you need a permit or permission from the homeownerâÂÂs association before you build the shed? Sorry to sound like your mom, but once you build the shed you will be amazed how you lived without one for so long! Best wishes and please tell us what you decided.

Your roof top deck has plenty of clearance,most of mine have the width of the stringers 1 1/2''. I would sugest using counstruction adhesive as well as SS screws be very sure the screws do not go thru the stringers be very sure as well during install you dont damage the roof...like hiting it with the edge of a board,droping a drill bit first on it,steping on a screw things like that. Your right if your going to use anything on it use the S American lumber not manmade material. With your pool deck provide cross ventalation. This can be done with screen vents in the framing if this is not completly possible install floor vents in the decking combined with the frame vents. Cross ventalation is a vastley over looked but much needed addtion to any decking project. The gap between the decking boards will have no effect one way or the other venting your project unless there is air moving under it. If possble a drain system under the pool deck might help if done corectley but do not put a ground cover like plastic sheet/tar paper under it 1'' ipe will react the same way 3/4'' ipe will under the same conditions. The life span of both is also the same. J.