Forum Power! Buying a (garden) shed

There's not much I don't know about purchasing the 4-wheeled variety of shed, but we are looking to buy - and have built - a reasonably large shed at our new Mar-del-Cotswolds estate.
We don't want any fancy summerhouses or garden office nonsense, just a big old shed.
There's countless online shed companies, but I wondered if anyone here has any recommendations?

Just for a giggle (but probably more because I thought I had to attend a meeting at 9am but have just found out it's not until 10am for me) I've had a look to see if places we've used deliver and was surprised to find that both of the companies that I've used serve the whole UK. I suspect it will be more economical to use someone more local though if you're wanting them to build it for you.

Firstly, Darlington Timber Sheds (nee Keith's Timber as we knew them) did a custom two section shed with delivery and build for us at a previous house. I did the drawings, we tweaked it between us (not sure you can easily nip round the corner to Faverdale from where you are though) and they built and installed it.

Secondly, we used Hodgson Timber Buildings for our current more modest affair and just got it delivered as panels then installed myself. I'm sure there's a gag in there somewhere about getting a shed from the other side of Barnard Castle during lockdown 3.2b.

I did the base myself on both counts, for the first one Keith wryly commented that it was "OK, but needed a bit of tweaking", the second I built myself so have no feedback other than the fact that it is still stood up straight 6 years later.

My suspicious mind can't stop telling me it has something to do with this

It does. No suspicion required! The ground anchor was inside shed B, which is to be relocated to make way for putative new shed A, the subject of the above enquiry!

Thanks for confirmation of that Jim, though I was thinking more along the lines of the reason for the new shed being




Anyway, good luck with the purchase - always go for the biggest size you can, and consider whether you want sun to shine through the window (if any)....

Also if the ground can be prepared/bricked up so that the shed is kept off it as far as possible it'll keep the floor nice and dry.

It does. No suspicion required! The ground anchor was inside shed B, which is to be relocated to make way for putative new shed A, the subject of the above enquiry!

Well Jim, I’ve had a shed built and erected in my back garden for years by a local father and son joiners. Mainly the young son did the building, dad came along to help with the erecting A 12’ by 8’ all for £300. That was a few years ago but even cheap then. What I’m getting at, try and find a local diy chap who can do this sort of thing cash in hand going down the road of companies that do this for a living will cost you an arm & a leg. I did the base myself, up off the ground letting fresh air through.

Worth asking around your area, even putting up adverts in local shops and the like. Good luck.

Jim - have a look around your local saw mills - they also might have something. That said, I heard that there’s been a bit of a timber shortage. I’m looking to build something for my oversized mower but I’ve lots of timber from my house demolition so all I’d need is covering materials.

Thanks gents. We've got quite a few connections around here, I just wondered if anyone had had a good experience with a National/online supplier.

Wood prices are crazy at the moment, the construction industry is having a real hard job of procurement as lines have been interrupted with Covid and foreign market demands for timber, as well as some grumblings about HS2 stockpiling.
This has caused prices to go crazy meaning the good old garden shed cost is though the roof at the moment!
if you can wait, or price of materials is a worry give it 12 months

I think we got in before things went truly barmy. But the delivery time was 15 weeks, so we won't be getting it until August...