3 Pitfalls To Avoid When Buying Storage Sheds
Dan Salinger - June 9, 2023
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Talking about her shed, this happy 5-Star customer said: “The construction quality is the best for the price. Delivery and set up was easy in a not-so-easy situation. Beyond that, the building is beautiful. It really is the talk of the whole neighborhood!” Like Jackie, I think every shed buyer wants to be able to honestly say this about their own shed. However, there are some important factors to consider before buying your shed. In this blog, we’ll quickly point out some of these factors so that you can also join the happy chorus of storage sheds. So, with no further ado, let’s dive into three pitfalls to watch out for before buying storage sheds.
Pitfall #1:
Buying A Shed That’s Too Small
This is perhaps one of the most infamous traps customers fall into when purchasing storage sheds. By the time you find out about it, it’s too late; the shed’s been bought, and the damage has been done. In short, you still have clutter in your house, and your shed is also packed full of storage items. Some of the main reasons for buying a shed are to reduce stress and clutter. If you buy a shed that is too small, both of these problems are still there, and you haven’t made much progress towards a finer life!
Maybe you’re thinking, “Yea, I agree, I don’t want to buy a shed that is too small, but I don’t know how much space I need in the first place.” A helpful way to solve this problem is to write out a list of all the storage items that’ll go into your shed. From your list of storage items, draw a rough conclusion of how much space you’ll need. This is one easy and very practical way to figure out the size of your shed.
Buying a big enough shed is like buying big enough shoes. Just like buying shoes that are a size larger is often smart, getting a shed that is a half-size or even a size larger is a safe way to make sure that you’ll have the proper amount of storage space. You never know when the toes of clutter might grow a little larger. If you want a rough idea of what shed you may need, LP Building Solutions has a quality guide to help steer you in the right direction. Keep in mind, though; we do not build every shed size suggested by this tool.
Pitfall #2:
Buying A Low-Quality Shed
This is a common problem that can be easily avoided if you take the time to prepare properly. Seeing “beautiful” sheds at extremely low prices on the Internet may be tempting at first but ask yourself several questions before making any quick decisions.
Why are these storage sheds so cheap? This may seem very obvious, but cheap sheds are often made from cheap materials. Your shed may have been extremely affordable in the beginning, but 5-10 years down the road your shed might be looking more like the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Ok, not quite, but you get the point.
Secondly, ask yourself, “Does this company offer an extended warranty?” Whether a warranty comes with the shed or not can be a factor in how reputable a company’s sheds and the company itself are.
At 5-Star Buildings, we offer a 10-year warranty on all of our storage buildings; this allows you to rest assured that your building will be in good shape for many years to come. We are also proud to say that we have gone the extra mile as far as the standards for our storage sheds. Our storage sheds are made with 2×6 Floor Joists instead of the common 2×4 Floor Joists. This creates a stronger and more robust flooring system upon which the floors of our storage sheds rest. Although it is not uncommon for shed companies to use 5/8” flooring for their sheds, we have chosen to use 3/4” flooring for our storage sheds. This gives you a solid and sturdy floor no matter what you are looking to store in your shed.
Pitfall #3:
Not Preparing A Location
Another thing to consider before making your shed purchase is finding and preparing the best place possible in your backyard for your storage shed. If you skip this step, your shed may end up in a place on your property that not only looks bad but also might be harmful to your shed in the future.
A Few Location Tips…
Dry
Keeping your shed dry is important because wet wood has the tendency to rot or mold, weakening your shed foundation. If possible, place your shed on higher ground. Keeping your storage shed higher up reduces the amount of water that reaches your shed and therefore increases your shed’s life.
Level
Another thing to keep in mind, is to choose a location that is fairly level. Trying to level a shed on a steep slope can be more difficult to achieve than placing your shed on more level ground.
Sunlight
The more sunlight your building receives, the less likely algae or mildew will affecet your building. Additionally, if you’re looking to transform your shed into an office or living area, keeping your shed in the sun will keep the inside well-lit during the day.
As Easy As 1-2-3
Let’s come around full-swing and just highlight some of the main points. Remember to make sure that you buy a shed that has the right amount of storage space for your storage needs. Also, when you are shed shopping, remember to look for are sheds that are made from quality materials. And finally, carefully plan and prepare the right location for your shed. If you want to learn more bout location prep click here. Well, I’ve done enough talking. Go browse our selection of quality storage sheds, garages, and cabin sheds. It’s time for you to begin your shed-shopping adventure!
