Ask Me Help Desk - Storage shed

I have reached the point where every time I leave the house I have to juggle cars, lawn mowers, lawn tractors, wheelbarrows and assorted "stuff." I rent a storage unit for the hard top of my car but that's getting pricey.

I think it's time to get a storage shed - anyone have any suggestions about questions I should ask, what I should be looking for, how much I should expect to pay?

My Town taxes sheds with permanent foundations plus you need a building permit so neighbors tell me to avoid them but I don't know that that's necessarily good advice.

And a cheap flimsy one will lower the value of your property and look shabby in a few years.
You can ( if in the US) go down to one of the major building supply houses, Like Home Depo and Lowe's and see some good units.

Or if you know someone, you can have one frame built that looks like your house, includes a window or two, etc.

As Fr. Suggested, don't go for cheap.

I recommend making it from frame - or adding onto a pre-fab to make it look like your house (with the same siding or paint).

It should be as permanent as the house.

Find out what the code is for placing your shed on your property is. Most are ten (10) feet from the property line and ten feet from any permeant dwelling (such as a house, etc.).
If you decide to put up a shed without a permit, and someone near you reports you to thew code inspector, the inspector will come to your residence and ask if you have a picture of an old shed. If you do, you will get a permit from him. If you don't, you will have to go before the town committee after sending paid for certified letters to every resident within a 200 foot radiance of your home and another 200 to 300 dollars to the committee. Even if they do not give you the permit.
So, if I were you and you do have the proper code space that you town allows for putting up a shed, a permit price will be based on a percentage of the cost of your shed. A 200 dollar shed will cost 15 dollars for a permit.
You will get taxed if you use a concrete floor, but, if you use plastic trash bags opened up ten some gravel, then sheets or a sheet of compressed plywood for a floor, there's no tax.
Also, try to get a shed with enough head room to walk in comfortably without banging your head. There are all sorts of sheds out there. Metal, wood. Cheap and good, exspensive and good, and some head banging bad.
Good luck.

remember what has been said above. Cheaper is not at all always better. The value of your property is important. Do as suggested, spend a little more and the idea of one built to match your home would definitely be the best bet for property value protection.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubber

Find out what the code is for placing your shed on your property is. Most are ten (10) feet from the property line and ten feet from any permeant dwelling (such as a house, etc.).
If you decide to put up a shed without a permit, and someone near you reports you to thew code inspector, the inspector will come to your residence and ask if you have a picture of an old shed. If you do, you will get a permit from him. If you don't, you will have to go before the town committee after sending payed for certified letters to every resident within a 200 foot radiance of your home and another 200 to 300 dollars to the committee. Even if they do not give you the permit.
So, if I were you and you do have the proper code space that you town allows for putting up a shed, a permit price will be based on a percentage of the cost of your shed. A 200 dollar shed will cost 15 dollars for a permit.
You will get taxed if you use a concrete floor, but, if you use plastic trash bags opened up ten some gravel, then sheets or a sheet of compressed plywood for a floor, theres no tax.
Also, try to get a shed with enough head room to walk in comfortably without banging your head. There are all sorts of sheds out there. Metal, wood. Cheap and good, exspensive and good, and some head banging bad.
Good luck.

Thanks - I already looked into codes, permits and the like. Just went through the procedure with a whole house generator. I sat on my Town's Permit Committee as a fill-in for a period so I pretty much know how it works.

Looked at sheds yesterday, carpenter coming to take a look tomorrow.

Again, thanks -