Shed buying advice please

mollymunchkin

I need to buy a shed, do any of you guys know of any decent places to order online? I want about a 10x8 size, medium quality. I'm checking out B&Q, Homebase, Wickes, etc and checking for cashback offers but wondered if I'm missing out on a great deal somewhere?


Thanks

mollymunchkin

I've found one on Waltons.co.uk which looks ok. Anyone bought one from there? Is the company one to be recommended or avoided?

londonTiger

mollymunchkin wrote: »

I need to buy a shed, do any of you guys know of any decent places to order online? I want about a 10x8 size, medium quality. I'm checking out B&Q, Homebase, Wickes, etc and checking for cashback offers but wondered if I'm missing out on a great deal somewhere?


Thanks

If you are able and have the tools a DIY build would be much better you'll also get a much stronger shed for your money. Having access to a good timbers merchants such as laver will go a long way as you can get timber for rock bottom prices.

Failing that I would go for an online store. When I bought my shed (prior to replacing it with my own hand built one). I went with waltons which were OK for the money.

she buildings direct were better value for money based on my research as they sold shiplap/tong & groove sheds at a much more affordable price than waltons. But waltons came up top on just sheer price (using cheaper overlap cladding).

http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/timber-garden-sheds/10x8

The reason I deconstructed my shed and built from scratch is because the feather edge is too cheap and the cladding cup and open up gaps.

The othe reasons is that you'll find basically all pre--fab sheds to be a bit too short. They use small/thin studding which limits the amount of vertical space you have. I am within 2m of the neighbours boundry, so the maximum height outside of planning is 2.5m. I have build my shed to 2.45m which gives it a lot of headroom and vertical storage space. This was important because it's a storage shed.

londonTiger

mollymunchkin wrote: »

I've found one on Waltons.co.uk which looks ok. Anyone bought one from there? Is the company one to be recommended or avoided?

They're OK. What is your budget?

Because different products will have different qualities. They make sheds at all ends of the market. On the budge end here goes:

I went for waltons because I could get a 10x6 for £300 which felt like a massive bargain at the time. But it was feather edge/overlap which was cheap. They use 28mm x 28mm for the framing which is pretty small. Additionally the vertical space was shot. I think it was 2m at the apex and then about 1.6 at the sides. It was really short because the framing was so weak.

Also I couldn't climb onto the roof to do the felt because the building was so weak. I had to get my nephew to do it.

To make shipping and handling easier the 10ft sides were split into 2x 5ft sides which required the user to join in situ. I think this is common for all sheds. because the framing was so weak and the whole panel would wobble and bend. Joining two 5ft panels together made the entire 10ft panel wobble even more.

The structure does become somewhat rigid after putting the roof on, but prior to the roof the whole building would wobble like jelly.

mollymunchkin

londonTiger wrote: »

They're OK. What is your budget?

Because different products will have different qualities. They make sheds at all ends of the market. On the budge end here goes:

I went for waltons because I could get a 10x6 for £300 which felt like a massive bargain at the time. But it was feather edge/overlap which was cheap. They use 28mm x 28mm for the framing which is pretty small. Additionally the vertical space was shot. I think it was 2m at the apex and then about 1.6 at the sides. It was really short because the framing was so weak.

Also I couldn't climb onto the roof to do the felt because the building was so weak. I had to get my nephew to do it.

Thanks for your reply. The budget is roughly £500 inc VAT & delivery for a 10 x 6 T&G shed.

londonTiger

mollymunchkin wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. The budget is roughly £500 inc VAT & delivery for a 10 x 6 T&G shed.

I am inclined to go with this to fit your budge: http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/wooden-sheds/the-billyoh-4000-windowless-range/24586

Note price excludes floor, so you can either build your own floor or buy from them which would take you over your budget.

Just a note regardign base, you'll probably have to throw down a good £100 or so on the base to get the shed elevated off the floor. So bear that in mind. You dont want to put the shed on earth because it will rot the base of the shed. Some people put sleepers on the ground. I prefer to use concrete.

mollymunchkin

londonTiger wrote: »

I am inclined to go with this to fit your budge: http://www.gardenbuildingsdirect.co.uk/wooden-sheds/the-billyoh-4000-windowless-range/24586

Note price excludes floor, so you can either build your own floor or buy from them which would take you over your budget.

Just a note regardign base, you'll probably have to throw down a good £100 or so on the base to get the shed elevated off the floor. So bear that in mind. You dont want to put the shed on earth because it will rot the base of the shed. Some people put sleepers on the ground. I prefer to use concrete.

OK thanks, great suggestion. Last question! We are planning to place it onto concrete (as we live in wet west Wales) but is it advisable to place it on a base as well?

londonTiger

mollymunchkin wrote: »

OK thanks, great suggestion. Last question! We are planning to place it onto concrete (as we live in wet west Wales) but is it advisable to place it on a base as well?

Yes, the rainwater will puddle on concrete and you want the shed to be on floor joists so water can run through under the building. if you do not have the building on josts & floor the water will puddle around the building and it will start rotting the walls.

Davesnave

I've seen a few internet sheds, so I'd always want to see what I was buying before parting with my money. That means looking locally and getting a feel for the companies and their products.

I also don't want to pay money to a middle man who simply displays sheds made by others.

In my area there are only two companies that pass. I don't know where you are in West Wales, but a couple of minutes googling brought up this firm:

http://www.croftyshedcentre.co.uk/products/garden_sheds.html

mollymunchkin

Davesnave wrote: »

I've seen a few internet sheds, so I'd always want to see what I was buying before parting with my money. That means looking locally and getting a feel for the companies and their products.

I also don't want to pay money to a middle man who simply displays sheds made by others.

In my area there are only two companies that pass. I don't know where you are in West Wales, but a couple of minutes googling brought up this firm:

http://www.croftyshedcentre.co.uk/products/garden_sheds.html

Thanks Davesnave, I originally did consider buying locally but they were double my budget. I'm in Pembrokeshire, so pretty rural and miles from anywhere.

sgun

I can recommend Tiger Sheds - much better than anything you will get at B+Q/Wickes etc. I have an overlap one which is very sturdy but your budget might stretch to a shiplap.