Cost to build a hand-tool shed

[Augusto Orosco]

I am reposting here as a separate thread to individualize this particular question. Hope it's ok!

So, there's one house I might buy, but with no woodworking space (no space in the basement, no space in the garage).

What would it cost to build a detached “mostly hand-tool” retreat? It would be a simple structure, about 250sf, with 8’ height clearance and perhaps two small windows. It would need to have enough power to have good lighting, keep it heated (that's important to me, I want to be able to work in the winter) and run the occasional power tool (such as a drill press or a lunchbox planner). I call it a structure, because a well insulated shed would do, and that would be cheaper than building a garage-type structure with a foundation (although perhaps I am kidding myself, and I do need a fully fledged structure… so feel free to burst my bubble).

The space I am thinking about already has a little shed with electricity (which is good, since that there is a run of wire from the house... although perhaps not of the right gauge for what I want) but the shed is too small (10x15 tops), with 6’ height clearance and not properly insulated. So that should be taken down before installing the new one. I am all for DYI but in this case I want it all to be done properly by an expert.

[Jerome Hanby]

Other than pouring the footing and building the roof, shed building is about as basic a project as you can get. If you get an over sized pad poured, then you can use that as a staging area to build the roof parts, I'm partial to gambrel roofs (barn style). Plus you can have the over size parts for working outside or future expansion...

[Don Jarvie]

Does the new house have a garage? If not it may be worth having an oversize 1 car garage built for a shop. It would add to the value of the house more than a shed.

Ask the real estate agent how much value adding a garage would be. A 250 sq ft shed is about the size of a 1 garage.

[Augusto Orosco]

Does the new house have a garage? If not it may be worth having an oversize 1 car garage built for a shop. It would add to the value of the house more than a shed.

Ask the real estate agent how much value adding a garage would be. A 250 sq ft shed is about the size of a 1 garage.

Yes, there is a garage already; only big enough for 1 car plus perhaps some lawn equipment. The layout of the property doesn't allow for anything larger than that (has to deal with the way the house faces the street), but there is space in the back-yard for large shed.

[Don Jarvie]

Take a look on the web and at the Woodshop books and get some ideas for a design. If this is the 30 year home do it once and right unless you have budgetary issues.

[Jim Rimmer]

Yes, there is a garage already; only big enough for 1 car plus perhaps some lawn equipment. The layout of the property doesn't allow for anything larger than that (has to deal with the way the house faces the street), but there is space in the back-yard for large shed.

If you can't go wider with the garage, can you go deeper? I did that on one house - added 16 feet across the back of a 2 car garage.

[Augusto Orosco]

If you can't go wider with the garage, can you go deeper? I did that on one house - added 16 feet across the back of a 2 car garage.

No, unfortunately. There is a house attached to the back

[Ray Newman]

My standard reply: before proceeding any further, contact the local building department to determine if there are any restriction on building a “shed.” As one poster said, the size building you are contemplating is about the size of a one car garage and there very well could be building restrictions. Do not get all excited about a certain sized building only to find that you can not build it or make it as large as you want.

[Joe A Faulkner]

Here's one of my favorite "little" detached shops. I've taken some inspiration from this shop:
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/james-man-cave-shop-tour/

[Augusto Orosco]

Here's one of my favorite "little" detached shops. I've taken some inspiration from this shop:
http://thewoodwhisperer.com/james-man-cave-shop-tour/

Thanks. That is exactly what I have in mind!

[Stephen Cherry]

Sheds come up all the time on craigslist, but if I were you I would consider one of those Airstream trailers, just to attract UFO's into the neiborhood.

[Steven Green]

I just got a bid of $6k for the materials to build a 24x32 addition on my existing shop. As soon as I get a price for the concrete I'm back in the construction game for a couple of weeks. A shed such as you are describing wouldn't be much less than an addition or a new building. Just my two cents anyway.

[Steve Meliza]

In my area a shed over 200sf requires a permit. Any changes to the electrical requires a permit also. If you build an 8'x12' shed Norm style with cedar clap boards and a cedar shake roof then be prepared to pay $2-$2.5k.

Several years ago I helped my dad build a wood shed that was about 16'x16' and was about as cheap as you can build a shed. It had a dirt floor, 4"x4" PT posts in the corners and mid-span of the walls. Horizontal 2"x4"'s around the outside of the wall spaced about 3' apart and covered with T-111. The roof was 4 homemade trusses and the roof slope so low we used 3' wide rolls of roofing material. That was so long ago that I couldn't begin to guess the costs and only describe it to illustrate that the costs depend a lot on where you are able and willing to sacrifice aesthetics and resist the urge to over-engineer a structure built to last 100 years when maybe you only need it for a few years.

[Kevin W Johnson]

Other than pouring the footing and building the roof, shed building is about as basic a project as you can get. If you get an over sized pad poured, then you can use that as a staging area to build the roof parts, I'm partial to gambrel roofs (barn style). Plus you can have the over size parts for working outside or future expansion...

Depending on what the building codes are in his area, footings may or may not be required for a building that small. Where I'm at, anything smaller that 256 sqft doesn't require it. His bigger issue is if he has a maximum limit on structure square footage, and if so what that limit is. As well as boundry offsets.