What Size Shed Do I need?

Taking Stock Of What You Have

If you are replacing a shed:

Maybe your shed has seen better days and it’s just time for something new. This is a great time to reevaluate your storage needs. Take a few minutes to walk out to your shed. Do you have a good organization system in place where everything has a home? Is everything easy to access, reach, and remove? Then maybe a direct size replacement is the way to go. At the same time, it’s never a bad idea to consider just a little more space. Also, great work on keeping things tidy!

If you’re like the rest of us, your shed may have become the “I’ll deal with this later” dumping ground (that most of us haven’t dealt with.) If that’s the case, you will either need a larger shed, better organization, or less stuff.

This is also a great time to consider what else you would like to move out to your shed. Personally, my snowblower is taking up too much valuable garage space, especially considering how infrequently I use it. If I had a larger shed, it would be great to move it there.

Don’t Have a Shed?

If your home or garage is overflowing and a new shed is the solution to your storage problem, consider what you plan to put in it.

Large Items

Just like packing a car for vacation, you should always start with your large items first. Right away, think about things like (but certainly not limited to) lawnmowers, snow blowers, power tools, power washers, and bicycles. These are going to dictate the absolute minimum size of shed that you need. It could be worth trying to measure the footprint of each item and draw out a map to play with how you want to lay out your large items in your shed. If you are a visual person, it could be worth arranging them all out in your yard to see how much space they take up.

As you are doing your planning, make sure that you account for a path to easily access all your stuff. You don’t want to have to unpack and repack everything you have stored, every time you want something that’s in the back of your shed.

Have Lots of Small Stuff?

Small items can take up a surprising amount of space, especially if you don’t have a good system for storage. A smart idea to consider when getting a new shed is to have a shelf, shelves, and/or loft added. Perhaps you should also consider adding a workbench to your shed. These are popular options for a lot of people who purchase sheds from Stoltzfus Structures and are a great way to economically add extra functionality to your shed. I would also consider buying some stacking storage totes. They are a cheap way to maximize your space and protect what you are storing.

Consider Your Property

Take some measurements

Prevent future headaches and ensure that your shed fits seamlessly into your space. Get out your tape measure to see how much available yard space you have. Make sure that there is enough room, not only for the shed itself but also for easy access to and around it.

My grandfather loved to go to public auctions. If something was cheap, there’s a good chance it was coming home (independent of whether it was needed or useful.) Apparently, everything that he had must have sparked joy because he never threw anything out. With that, he had several adjacent sheds on his property filled with these … treasures.

These sheds sat a little too close to each other. Not only was it a challenge when you tried clearing out the weeds and brush that grew up between them, but because they were sitting too close to each other, they didn’t allow for good airflow. Moisture was constantly trapped between the sheds, and the bottoms of the adjacent sheds prematurely began to rot. His love for a good deal lives on through me, but I’ll try to avoid his lack of thoughtful storage solutions.

Shed Delivery

Stoltzfus Structures’ delivery drivers are exceptionally skilled at getting our structures into tricky spaces (check out our Driver Obstacle Course Challenge Video), but that doesn’t mean that we can get everything everywhere. It could be worth considering a smaller shed if its delivery onto your property is a potential barrier with a larger size.

If you do have an especially difficult space to get to, with too many obstructions where our specialized equipment still can’t get your small or large shed into its desired place, having your structure built on-site is always an option, but understandably, this will cost more.

Shed Sizes

Depending on the type of shed that you would consider from Stoltzfus Structures, you could get something as small as 6’x8’. If you just need storage for a few garden tools and a push mower, this could be a great and economical solution. But if you have more to store, either now or potentially in the future, you should consider something larger. Our sheds go as large as 14’ x 40’.

Budget Considerations

Balancing Size and Cost

When choosing a shed size, it’s always important to balance your wants and needs with your budget. Naturally, larger sheds will cost more, but choosing a size that’s too small might cost you more in the long run. Whether you end up replacing your smaller shed with a larger one or adding another smaller shed, it could have been a more budget-friendly option to get a larger shed the first time. Also, when planning your budget, always consider the cost of site prep, permits, and delivery.

Financing

Stoltzfus Structures has financing options that can make it easier to afford the right size structure the first time, without compromising on its quality, size, or functionality. For more information on our financing options, check out our Financing Page or talk to one of our specialists by calling us at 610-593-7700.

More Than A Shed

Sheds are often considered just that, sheds. I’d suggest that you think outside the box a little bit. There are countless ideas for how you can use your new shed and depending on what your vision is, that will greatly influence the size of the shed that you decide to purchase.

According to HomeGuide.com, the cost of just a 200 square foot addition to your home averages between $25,000 and $50,000. A shed might be able to meet or exceed the same need and be a much more economical option.

A shed can easily function as a:

• She-shed (of course, shed is literally in the name)
• Man cave
• Home Office
• Home gym
• Sunroom
• Golf Shed
• Astronomy Shed
• Greenhouse/Shed Combo
• Workshop, and so much more.

I’d love to have a home arcade, but for some (admittedly very reasonable) reason, my wife really doesn’t want Skeeball in the living room or a pinball machine in our bedroom. Perhaps one of Stoltzfus Structures’ Home Offices or Man Caves could be a great solution. Additionally to make the process so much easier, Stoltzfus Structures sells these specialized structures so you can enjoy them with their intended purpose on the day of their delivery. You don’t have to deal with the challenges of renovating your shed yourself. Check out some of the shed types above for some inspiration on how your shed can be more than a shed.

Also, with updated and modern designs and styling, right away, your shed that’s more than a shed doesn’t really need to look or feel like a shed.

Future-proofing Your Decision

Zero-turn mowers: they are big, and for the size of my small yard, entirely unnecessary. That doesn’t mean that I don’t want one. By default, my wife has me beat on this argument because we literally wouldn’t have anywhere to put it. Maybe it’s time for me to consider a larger shed… With a zero-turn mower, I could be done mowing in record time. Not impressed by that prospect? Neither is she.

Obviously, I have my own aspirations for what I’m hoping to one day store in my shed. Make sure to account for what you might need to store in the future.

Selecting a slightly larger shed than you currently think you need can be a smart move. It provides flexibility for future expansions and changes in how you use your shed, saving you from having to upgrade sooner than expected.

Too Much Shed?

Can your shed be too big? Believe it or not, there are a few reasons why you might not want to purchase the biggest shed you can.

Consider:

• The layout of your yard and its aesthetics: Having a shed completely dominate your space might not be the most beautiful option.
• How much storage you need: If you just need a place for your mower and gas and have plenty of unused storage in your garage, basement, or attic, again, buying the biggest shed probably isn’t the most prudent decision.
• Giving up yard space: If you have a large yard with plenty of space to put a shed, this probably won’t be a major factor for you, but if you already have a small yard, you probably don’t want to give up more space than you need to.

Local Restrictions

It’s not always as straightforward to get any sized shed placed or built on your property. Make sure that you look into:

• Local Zoning Laws and Regulations: There can be restrictions on the sizes and heights of structures that you are adding to your property.
• HOA Rules: Homeowners Associations can also have regulations on the size, placement, and even color of your shed.

Visualizing the Space

Before you make a final decision, take the desired size of your shed and outline its footprint in your yard using stakes and ribbon or string. This can really help you visualize how it will fit and how much space you will have left.

Still Not Entirely Sure?

Choosing the right shed size requires careful consideration. Sometimes it’s just nice to talk to someone who has guided hundreds of other people to get the right shed or structure for their specific needs.

Our team at Stoltzfus Structures is here to help. We live and breathe sheds — day in and day out. And with that wealth of knowledge, we can make sure that you get the right size of shed for your needs.

Give us a call at 717-593-7700 to talk with a Shed Specialist today.