Recommendations for outdoor storage shed

[MopaR&D]

I've finished moving into my new house that has a 2-car garage but half of the garage is currently taken up by all of my larger car parts (engines, transmissions, blocks, hoist etc.) and I want to get that crap out of there so I can actually use that garage space. I'd like to put a storage shed in my back yard for that purpose. It would be nice to be able to park my riding mower in there as well but there is already a nook on my back patio where the mower fits perfectly and it's about 90% covered from getting rained on.

I want something cheap, like $500-$1000. Just something to last 5-10 years and keep my car parts, yard tools and other random stuff out of the elements and about 36-40 square feet minimum. I'm looking at typical big-box stores (Lowe's, Home Depot etc) but not entirely opposed to ordering something online.

 

[DentalDart]

There was a nice 8x7.5ft resin shed at Costco the other day. I think it was like 550

 

[YY1]

I have the 8x12 metal shed from Lowes.

After 15 years, it's starting to rust out in a few places.

IIRC it was about $350 back then but....

An 8x12 concrete slab, so I didn't have to use wood decking that rots quickly in Florida and creates a substantial rise at the entry (Important if you're wheeling an engine stand or hoist in and out), and can sag.........cost $800.....15 years ago.

I did get three bids and one guy came to the house in a rolls royce (!) wearing a brown workman's uniform with his name on it, and was the low bid.
The high bid was $1200.
...and that was after I had dug a monolithic footer, cleared roots and put up a 1x4 form.

 

[MopaR&D]

I have the 8x12 metal shed from Lowes.

After 15 years, it's starting to rust out in a few places.

IIRC it was about $350 back then but....

An 8x12 concrete slab, so I didn't have to use wood decking that rots quickly in Florida and creates a substantial rise at the entry (Important if you're wheeling an engine stand or hoist in and out), and can sag.........cost $800.....15 years ago.

I did get three bids and one guy came to the house in a rolls royce (!) wearing a brown workman's uniform with his name on it, and was the low bid.
The high bid was $1200.
...and that was after I had dug a monolithic footer, cleared roots and put up a 1x4 form.

That sounds nice and solid but more than what I need right now and prices are probably double what they were 15 years ago. I could deal with a rise for the entry with a ramp going up. I'm not sure how wood decking holds up in northeast GA though. I guess I'll stop by the Lowes near my work on the way home today and see what they have, hopefully talk to someone who isn't a moron.

If I can't do something decent for <$1000 I'll just use a storage unit again like I did back in CO. There are a few places around here about 10-15 minutes from my house.

 

[Murray]

That is very low budget! How about building a wooden frame (used lumber, pallets?) and covering it with tarps?

 

[YY1]

That thousand dollars will get you one year of 10x10 or 10x12 around here.

I've been back burner looking for something to replace the 8x10 mower shed in my mom's back yard.

They seem to jump from $1200 to $3500 real fast...and again, no concrete floor.

We do have a place that sells "scratch and dent" sheds near me.
Looks like they might be ones that fell of the truck or were damaged during an install.
Some are pretty nice. There's one I like but the door is on the wrong side.
Might be able to deskin/reskin. I do enjoy a challenge like that.
No idea what asking prices are, though.

 

[33IMP]

8x10 resin shed , from Costco or Sam's club. Roughly $800.
I'm looking at a 10x20, about $3500, plus whatever a slab costs.
There's always a used container, bur that's out of your price range. I saw an add for 20 and 40 footers at a reasonable price, but the price became very not-so-reasonable when they found out where I wanted it. Socal, fine, cheap. 125 miles from nearest, (vegas) about double, about $5k for a 40, delivered.

 

[Dana67Dart]

How do you plan to control the humidity

You're not used to that from here in CO.

 

[ch1ll]

I bought this “shed in a box”, 6x6 on sale 1/2 price for $75 and built a 2x6 floor/base from distressed/dunnage lumber I bought at fleet farm for $1.00 a stick. I sprayed it with an old can of tomsens water seal I had from a previous project. The shed is metal frame covered with a vinyl cover. I sheet metal screwed it together and lag screwed it to the deck. As you can see its packed tighter than a nun’s $&@!

 

[Dartswinger70]

That is very low budget! How about building a wooden frame (used lumber, pallets?) and covering it with tarps?

Yup I was going to say for a grand cant you buy lumber and frame something? tar paper it and side it later? or T 111 siding and stain?

 

[YY1]

This is similar to what I have.

$900

It's been through several hurricanes, but as stated, it's on a slab.

Mine came with a "free" floor kit. Not sure if they do any more.

 

[YY1]

This is $529.

A little more sturdy, but not a s big.

 

[MopaR&D]

That thousand dollars will get you one year of 10x10 or 10x12 around here.

I've been back burner looking for something to replace the 8x10 mower shed in my mom's back yard.

They seem to jump from $1200 to $3500 real fast...and again, no concrete floor.

We do have a place that sells "scratch and dent" sheds near me.
Looks like they might be ones that fell of the truck or were damaged during an install.
Some are pretty nice. There's one I like but the door is on the wrong side.
Might be able to deskin/reskin. I do enjoy a challenge like that.
No idea what asking prices are, though.

Well it sounds like at this point I might as well wait and save up for something better. Similar rates for storage units around here, one place is $74/month for an 8'x10'. Most of my neighbors have sheds in their back yards so I'll go around and talk to them, see what they did. A nice shed with a proper foundation would also add value to the house, right?

How do you plan to control the humidity

Your not used to that from here in CO.

I probably won't, any more than making sure the shed has adequate ventilation so condensation doesn't become a problem. Most of the stuff I want to store outside is uncleaned and covered in oily grime and/or still sealed up.

 

[MopaR&D]

This is similar to what I have.

View attachment 1716099098

$900

It's been through several hurricanes, but as stated, it's on a slab.

Mine came with a "free" floor kit. Not sure if they do any more.

I saw that one while searching, noticed quite a few bad reviews complaining about the thin-ness of the steel and panels not lining up. Did you experience any of that?

 

[Dartswinger70]

How does a resin shed hold up in high winds and weather? as in what keeps it from blowing away?

 

[JDMopar]

I have a small resin shed at our beach place, maybe 3 x 5. It sits about 1200 feet from the Atlantic ocean. It have 2 of the long dog tie out anchors screwed in the ground, one on each side in the mid point of the shed. I have a half inch rope tied across the top, not cinched down enough to bend the top, but enough to hold it still in the wind. It has survived 3 or 4 hurricanes in the last 10 years, and has remained unscathed so far. Now that I’ve bragged on it, it may leave without a trace the next hurricane! LOL

 

[YY1]

I saw that one while searching, noticed quite a few bad reviews complaining about the thin-ness of the steel and panels not lining up. Did you experience any of that?

It wasn't too bad. 1000 5/16 and 3/8 bolts and screws, though.

It is thin and my mower bent the hell out of one of the doors.

My wife and I put it up in one day.

 

[YY1]

The 6x8-ish shed that was here when I bought the house is I believe a "Robin" brand.

Wood framed with a thin metal skin, and a wood floor on risers with hurricane augers.
Wide, hinged "mobile home style" metal clad door.

It's definitely more solid, but it's 10-12 inches above grade and only has a 38-ish" wide door, so no way to get the mower into it. I have to use cinder blocks to make a step to get in to it.

Stuff also gets dirtier in the metal shed on the slab than it does in the Robin shed.

That might be a function of the mower in and out and grass clippings and dirt, or it could be that the Robin shed is sealed better.

I have interior and electrical parts in the robin shed and axles, suspension, and brake parts in the Lowes metal shed.

However, some animal burrowed under the Robin shed and it's now listing to the rear about 5 degrees.
Gonna be a beotch to make that right.

 

[YY1]

I will also say that I have a cheap about 24"x48", plastic/resin "lean-to" type shed on the side of the house with a 5.9 Magnum on an engine stand in it.

It actually fits perfectly. I had to remove the plastic floor and rig a way for the doors to close since the hinge pin of the door rests in a hole in the floor.

It's done well for over a decade, but it's partially under the eave of the house and has a line of trees about 15 feet from it, partially providing a wind and rain break, and a screen from direct sun.

 

[H22A4]

In almost all cases, you get what you paid for. Want a cheap shed? Buy one of those metal sheds. Don’t expect it to last forever (rust) and expect it to be dented after being hit with anything. As well, the doors will not align or open/close easily after several years. I bought a metal shed a while ago knowing I only needed it for less than 8 years and it did the job. I needed another shed a few years later that will last a while so spent a little more money (plastic) and went with one from Keter this time. Built the subfloor myself with ground contact lumber and gravel before building the shed on top of it. Two years in and no problems yet.

 

[MopaR&D]

I removed the word "cheap" from the title of the thread lol. At this point I figure if I'm going through the work to put together a shed I might as well do it right and make it permanent to the house. I haven't talked to my neighbors yet but from across the street it looks like most of their sheds are on wood foundations.

 

[DentalDart]

If you really want cheap… I think this cost me 30 bucks and less than an hour. Used the existing trash can fence on the side of my house. Used some left over metal braces and a 30 dollar piece of plywood and screwed it together. Use it to hold my kids bikes there instead of in my garage, as I needed the space for another car and all the parts. I also kicked my wife’s car out of the garage at the same time.

 

[Yunick13]

i would think for your budget, you could build you something pretty decent

 

[RustyRatRod]

I removed the word "cheap" from the title of the thread lol. At this point I figure if I'm going through the work to put together a shed I might as well do it right and make it permanent to the house. I haven't talked to my neighbors yet but from across the street it looks like most of their sheds are on wood foundations.

You can get one of those 18x21 metal carports and then you can go to Lowes and get more of the same type sheet metal and enclose it yourself and build your own doors if you want some on it.

 

[YY1]

You can get one of those 18x21 metal carports and then you can go to Lowes and get more of the same type sheet metal and enclose it yourself and build your own doors if you want some on it.

That is exactly what I did with my 26x30.

I bought a "Carolina carport" with sides and gable ends only, and bought matching metal siding at lowes for the rear wall for $1500 less than having it built that way, and installed rollup doors I bought direct from the supplier and installed them myself for almost $5,000 less than having it built with them.