daniel gray's shed of geekbooks

Shed Building Business

An enterprising reader from across the pond wrote:

Looking to make use of my 11 x 7 metre garage to start manufacturing garden sheds and chicken arks, etc. I'm a novice at this but reluctant to pay the price that my local garden centre is charging, bloody extortion! Please could you help me locate the necessary blue prints for those types of buildings and any other information needed to help me start my little business venture!

Custom shed building can be a great little business. With a garage of that size, you'll be able to build either complete or panelized structures to be assembled on site. Our list of shed plans is the best place to start. I'd suggest not scrimping on the plans ... start out with some high quality designs and pay a little extra if need be. You'll be building these sheds over and over, so that little bit of extra investment will be well worth it in the long run.

Once you get rolling, you might want to invest in having an architect draw up some custom one-of-a-kind plans to help set your structures apart from the competition.

Expanding a Shed

Mrs. P wrote:

I am looking for a shed that can be expanded to a larger place so that I can turn it into a cute little home. I think I would like something like that with a big back yard so that I can plant lots of trees and shrubs.

Rest assured, we get a good number of queries about shed expansion and renovation projects.

While it sounds like a quaint idea, my best suggestion is to proceed with caution. Converting or expanding a shed into living space is not something that should be taken lightly. Due consideration must be made for the local zoning laws and construction code. A great many lightweight shed structures are not intended for habitation and will not pass code.

Converting a post and beam barn into living space can be a great way to go ... all the better if you're starting from scratch. The best place to start is with the building officials in your town. Find out the minimum size structure and research the builders and kits to determine your options before setting a budget.

Dog Kennel Shed

Teddy wrote:

I found your name in NYT article on backyard office sheds. I have ten greyhound sized dogs and need to upgrade their housing for when I am away, a kennel. I live in Mid-Atlantic region. It will need a floor and insulation. Any ideas?

First the LA Times and now the NY Times. I'm a coast-to-coast shed kind of guy!