[Cheshire Phill]

As a newbie, want to buy a shed and not sure what to go for. Have heard recommendations for shiplap, toungue and groove and overlap etc.

Anyone make any recommendations? Types (e.g. BillyOh) etc....

All ideas gratefully received, ideally going for 7 x 5ft (poss 8 x 6) but want  to spend no more than about £200, cos I don't know yet if it will survive on my plot....thanks!!!  (can't be over 7ft tall - council rules!!)

Cheers,

Phill

[richyrich7]

The one you can genuinely afford is the best one IMHO   , if you can then shiplap with T&G floor and roof will last donkeys.  

[berttimms]

i love my allotment and my shed(S) but as like you at first  i wasnt sure if i could manage it but three plots later four sheds and two greenhouses and a selection of dead machinery im happy with my plots

so free sheds thats what i done i didnt want to spend any money really so i heard of a thing called freecycle (its a yahoo group web page) there are all diffrent groups for the area you live in the story is that people give things away that the dont want or that is in there way or that they are replacing and all for free thats where my collection of well as my partner puts it junk came from    so thats the best shed you can ge a free one! and also check your local newspaper as there is quite often people giving things away in there to if not for free dam cheep.

the one problem with it is you may have to dismantle and transport the shed but if you have a freindly plot (and slip them a tenner) thel be more than willing to help you if not find a mate with a van and take him for a beer

this will insure your not down 200 quid and other plot holders will appreciate you havnt got money to burn and help you out

hope this is a help and i havnt rambled on to much but allotments are ment to be a cheap way of eating so free is better also im a real tight *!

[Cheshire Phill]

OK, thanks for the responses so far...anyone actually built a shed using plans? Or just nous?

I've seen eBay "build a shed" plans for a few ££, perhaps one of these is worth following?

I can get pallet-style wood in unlimited quantities for this, so any experiences out there, or should I make it up as I go along?

Cheers from Chshire (now around 0C, rather than -7C yesterday!)

Phill

[DD.]

Have a look at this & feel inspired!

http://www.chat.allotment-garden.org/viewtopic.php?t=26997&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=pall*&start=0

[compostqueen]

My shed was a freebie and it needed some doing up but there are still gaps all over the place where mice get in and the roof leaks despite new roof felt  :?   I think rather than cobbling up an old one I would have preferred a new one. Penny wise, pound foolish  

[Tom Netall]

I'm going for one of those B&Q overlap ones.

At 6'x 4' it's not that big I know, but big enough for the essentials (and a bucket :oops: )

At £105, I think it's reasonable, and if you can hijack a pensioner on a Wednesday you can get 10% off that  

Now which way should I align it ? N - S or E - W  :scratch:

Tom

[noshed]

I got a B&Q cheepie and just strengthened it with scrap wood. When you put up a few shelves inside it sort of braces the whole thing and obviously gives you space to put important things like your collection of ice cream tubs.
Mine is 3 years old now and going fine - it cost £99 plus about £10 for slabs to put it on.

[eeyore]

a shed is pretty easy to build - so much so that i think those ebay plans are something of a con - the only tricky bit (appart from getting the wood) is making and hanging t' door but even this isnt rocket science.

Its likely that someone here can help you out if you need it ( i would but you are a tad far away) but if not you could ask over on the ukworkshop forum , who are a nice bunch (i'm a  member there too) and i'm sure you'll shortly have more advice, plans and offers of help than you need...

as to getting the wood you could just buy it from jewsons or b&Q but if you want to keep costs down you could alternately source it from freecycle or  locally out of skips and from pallets etc.

[Cheshire Phill]

Thanks all for the suggestions...I think Ill probably end up buying one (new or 2nd hand), because right now I'm not quite skint, and I want to spend all of my available time (not that much, with a job, kids and golf!) working the land, and the plot hasn't been worked for a year or so...

Will let you know once sorted...slabs already there, and my re-claimed greenhouse to put up too...

DD (Tom head) - your shed is MASSIVE...and pretty awesome, but looks like it took a while and a few folk to put up...think it would not be allowed on my lotty, max 50 sq ft area and 7ft height limits.

Are most plots restricted similarly? I'm thinking 8 x 6ft is as much as I can do both for height and area...

Cheers,

Phill

[Sir Lance-Allot]

Just got back from B&Q with an 'ex demo' 6x4 for £40!!

Atthis time of the year a few quick calls to Homebase and B&Q can reap rewards.

A couple of years ago our local homebase had 3 flat packed sheds 'for a good home' just on the floor outside the shop!!!!

[Sir Lance-Allot]

Here is my cheapy!

[merky587]

I got my shed from Shedstore, built my own base from sand and slabs. Its not budged in three years.

[grendel]

in twenty years I have owned 3 sheds - 2 I built and one came with the house (lasted 2 years before being rebuilt) my current one is just getting to the point we want to rebuild again, but at nearly 15 years old, and homebuilt from scrap thats acceptable.
I sketch a rough plan to get an idea, then just go ahead with building
Grendel

[kegs]

He's probably sorted now as the original post is three years old!