Shed Plans – What You Need To Know Before You Start

Before I start any construction job I like to have a well laid out set of shed plans. After all, as they say ‘if you fail to plan then you plan to fail!’ Even seasoned pros like myself need to formulate the exact steps before starting out – after all you don't want to be running off to the hardware store every 5 minutes to get a tool or materials that you have run out of. That's especially true if you are working on site for a client.

If you happen to be a inexperienced builder it is very important that you have every aspect in place before starting  any work. Obviously the ultimate way to accomplish this is  to develop an action plan. So, you have decided, that you want to built a shed working with a set of plans? Then first of all lets put your plan of action into place, and begin by detailing a series of common problems you will want addressed before you begin building.

1.What do you actually need your garden shed to be used for?

To start with you may believe that its likely to be used to hold just the standard garden appliances. You know, spades, lawnmowers and cutting equipment, that kind of stuff. But think hard about it. Is it going to wind up being a family storage shed? Put differently, are the children going to want to store their baseball equipment in there? Or  is the wife going to find a new place for the Christmas decorations in the garden shed? My advice is, make a hard and fast rule of what the shed shall be used for – and stick to it.

2.What size do you need it to be?

Now that you’ve figured out just what it is going to be used for, that will determine the specifications that you’ll gonna want. Don’t forget to plan for the future either. If your plans are limited to just gardening stuff, you will most probably be increasing your range of tools within the next few years, which means you don’t want to have to set up a storage shed all over again.

3.Where exactly would you like to place it?

You need to determine where  the absolute best place for it is. It should be some where on hand, without having to walk through your flowerbeds. Almost certainly, it should be tucked away so it doesn’t impact your landscaping design. Again think about the future, you don’t want to have to relocate it.

Now, is the location you have allocated for it and the dimensions of the shed you would like in sync? If they are not then there must be a compromise, either in the location or the dimensions.

4.Does it need to be insulated, water-proof, or open?

If you are in a four season environment you will need to choose what seasons you would like your shed to have the ability to endure the most. Winter can often be a particularly hard time of year and your shed needs to be tough enough to withstand anything the elements can throw at it.

5. Will you need a building license?

Understand what your local by-laws are for building a shed. It wouldn’t be great to get your project finished ,and then have the town planners come along and tell you to take it down. Usually you won’t have to have a construction grant providing you remain inside a particular size, however, if you’ve decided to go bigger than what’s permitted, you must send in the plans for authorization.

6.Now, probably the most essential question,  what is your budget for this purpose of this project?

Everything you have decided to this point will be based upon your finances. Its sort of challenging to specify a financial budget if you haven’t established the price tag on materials yet. Its your finances that’s gonna help you when it’s time to get your shed blueprints. Don't be tempted to over reach your finances and make sure that yo have allowed for the additional cost of any new equipment you might need. Plan, plan and plan again when it comes to your budget – its the most important aspect of building a shed, – by far!

7.Where exactly is it best to get your blueprints for building a garden shed?

You’ve a bunch of answers now. The aim, the scale, the budget, and now to resolve the last dilemma – where to get the best plans? For this you  must take a look at just what options are available to you. A local home hardware and building outlet, home planners, and, of course the best place of all – the internet.