Options & Choices
This section is spread over 5 different pages to help you find the information you're looking for in record time.
- Options and Choices (this page)
- Benefits of a Shed
- Storage Sheds (Specific to needs and functions of storage sheds.)
- Sheds & Studio Designs (Focusing on the exterior look and feel of the building as well as interior functionality.)
- Price & Considerations (This page explains all the components that go into a shed, why you need them and how they affect the price.)
Dimensions
Any shed built with dimensions that total less than 107.5 square feet does not generally require a building permit, unless you live in the city of Vancouver or in Surrey. Most sheds are built with this in mind and are therefore, less than 107.5 sq. ft. However, when you factor in the cost of materials, labour efficiency, non-permitted size restrictions (108'sq), and the most bang for your buck, there are two sizes that make the most sense, in our opinion.
Do to COV-19 and labour shortages we are encouraging clients to choose from one of the set sizes for storage sheds listed below. In addition to the sizes below, we of course our still offering our full design build option for fully finished studio, exercise, office, and workshop sheds.
- 8'9" x 12'3" (Interior Size: 8'x 11'6). (Maximum size not requiring a permit according to bylaws.)
- 8' x 12' (Interior Size: 7'3" x 11'3"). (Most cost efficient use of materials and labour.)
Some smaller sized sheds that may not give you the most bang for your buck but will still make efficient use of labour and materials are:
- 8' x 10' (Interior Size: 7'3" x 9'3"). (Great for small backyards)
- 8' x 8' (Interior Size: 7'3" x 7'3"). (Cost efficient and great for smaller backyards)
However, the size of the backyard and the existence of buildings or trees currently on the property may necessitate a customized shed size. We have amazing carpenters and designers working for us, so if you need a custom size or design, you've come to the right place. Please note that due to costs and scheduling reasons we normally do not take on projects with exterior dimensions of less than 8' x 8'.
Metal Roofing
We encourage most of our clients to choose metal roofing because it is far more durable than asphalt shingles or cedar shakes. Illustrated below is the most common diamond rib pattern, however there are other styles of metal roofing available. When we meet with our clients for a free consultation we always bring a samples book with us to look over.
Asphalt Shingles - Roofing
As previously mentioned, we generally recommend metal roofs to clients because of their durability. However, we realize that you might prefer that the roofing on your shed matches what is on your house. In these cases we gladly install asphalt shingles to match the existing shingles on a house. The shingles shown below are architectural shingles that are stronger than traditional three tabs shingles, and provide a more cottage-like and feel look to your shed.
Siding - Fibre Cement Plank Siding (James Hardie)
Hardi siding is a low maintenance option compared to traditional wood siding. It is designed to look like regular bevel cedar siding. It does not rot, crack or split like cedar siding does over time. The Hardi plank siding comes in 24 different pre-painted colours from the factory. It can be installed year round and looks great year after year. However, like everything exposed to the UV of the sun, it does need to be repainted at regular intervals. Hardie ColorPlus Technology finishes come with a 15-year limited warranty.
Siding - Wood
We offer a number of different siding options to our clients. The first sample shows our plywood board and batten option. This is the most economical of all the choices. Duratemp is another common choice for sheds and is fairly economical. Cedar siding, whether board and batten, bevel or channel, is always beautiful but more expensive. We can also clad your shed in Hardi Fibre cement siding, Hardi shakes, or Hardi panels should you desire that striking option.
Exterior Doors
We use exterior grade doors on all of our sheds to make sure that the only things that go in and out are humans! Exterior grade doors and windows keep the insects and rodents out. The first four doors are in the $300 price range, while the French doors are more expensive. We can also custom build any cedar door style that you would like, at an additional cost. Your shed door can be keyed to the same key as your home for an additional cost as well.
Windows
We use a wide variety of window sizes in our sheds. It comes down to what our customer wants and the purpose of the shed. The most common window we use in our sheds is the casement window.
