How Much Does A She Shed Cost?

Our first she shed cost approximately $3500 but there are many things that will determine the most pressing question about she sheds, “How Much Does A She Shed Cost?”. Let’s take a look at all of the details that determine the cost of a she shed.

Sheds can not only add beauty to your yard but a she shed shed, man cave, or garden shed offers a tranquil place to hang out, work, or relax with a good book. They can even be used as a studio or home office.

Whether you’re looking for a separate home office, a studio shed, or just want to have a special shed in your yard for extra storage, the costs of building one can vary. This shed building book is informative and it is a good place to start your research.

The type of materials used and the size of the shed are the two main factors. The final cost will be determined by the type of shed you build and the building materials you select.

I’m going to thoroughly cover the cost of wood sheds to the best of my abilities, but I’ll touch a bit on other types of sheds as well.

We have first-hand experience in building our own custom she-shed and also building a prefabricated kit shed. I have some photos to share as well. If you’d like to see the inside of the shed, check out my She Shed category.

She Shed Cost Factors

Here is a list of some of the most significant factors that will either increase or decrease the total cost of your new shed:

Type Of Foundation and Site Prep

The most common ways to build a shed foundation are pouring a concrete foundation or building the shed on a raised foundation.

A concrete foundation is more sturdy, but a raised foundation is generally easier for a DIY’er.

A concrete slab will generally cost a bit more. Since the slab doesn’t have to be perfectly finished, it’s really not too hard to do on your own.

Before you can build the foundation, you’ll need level ground so you may also have costs included to prep the site for building. You may also need to add drainage around the shed. we added some drainage near the kit shed.

The Shed Square Footage

The shed’s size will be a major factor in the overall cost of a shed. We went with the largest size our local zoning would allow and that was our determining factor. We didn’t want to pay for permits, contractors, etc.

If you’re planning to use your shed as a studio, the largest size allowable may not work for you. In this case, you would need to contact your local building department to discuss the price of building permits or have your contractor do it for you.

Labor

Labor costs will have a big impact on the overall cost of building your shed. If you build it yourself, (and you know what you’re doing) you can save a lot of money. Not everyone is comfortable with taking on quite a task and in many cases, you may not legally be permitted to do so.

If you’re not experienced with basic building skills, you may end up costing yourself more money in the end than if you hired a professional.

We had a neighbor that built a metal shed on his property without a permit. It was quite large and in his own backyard. It was high quality and looked great and aesthetically pleasing, but someone turned him into the city.

The city ultimately made him take it down because it was over the legal size!

Permits, Zoning, and Plans

Depending on your local building codes and zoning codes, you may need permits and a legal set of building plans in order to build your shed. Check with your local entities about the requirements for building a shed without a permit.

In our county, the building codes said a shed can be built without a permit if it is less than 120 square feet and does not require electrical or plumbing. You will need to research the building codes and zoning codes in your particular area prior to choosing a size for your shed.

Your homeowner’s association may also have a say in whether or not you can build one, the finishes you can use, and/or the size. Again, I am not a professional, so always check your local laws before building or consult with a professional.

You can buy shed plans or create your own. Shedplans.org has free shed plans. I haven’t used any of them but it’s worth taking a look at just to get some inspiration. I saw for only around $20 more, you can purchase their premium plans with a full cutting list and some support.

Framing

All of the lumber required to build your shed will be another significant factor. You’ll need 2 x 4’s for framing and plywood to enclose the shed or cover the roof in most instances.

If you want the shed finished inside, you must also budget for insulation and drywall.

If you’re converting an existing structure, you may save a lot of money on framing costs and foundation since you likely already have these items in place.

She Shed Roofing

The type of roof you choose for your she shed will also directly affect the price of the shed. Common types of roofing are corrugated metal or plastic, asphalt tiles, and regular roofing tiles.

We used corrugated metal over plywood to help keep a little more heat out and make it more leakproof, but our sheds are not finished inside, with the exception of paint.

Clear corrugated vinyl roofing will not require plywood underneath, but it may get too hot inside to work on warm days. The climate in your area may be a deciding factor when choosing roofing materials.

Shed Siding Cost

The type of finishing materials you use on the outside of the shed will also vary in cost. Common types are ready-made sheets of composite siding, tongue and groove, shiplap, stucco, corrugated metal or vinyl, and brick just to name a few.

Stucco is an option that would likely be the most expensive option for a shed but also more weather resistant and would require less upkeep. Most home DIY’ers are not experienced in installing stucco so you may need to hire a professional for installation.

Trim

You’ll likely need trim boards all the way around every edge of the shed for a finished look.

Drainage

Depending on the location of your shed, you may need to add rain gutters and drainage. We added rain gutters to ours since they are a part of our backyard. The gutters are tied into our backyard drainage system.

She Shed Flooring

If you don’t want to get fancy, you can just use painted plywood for your floors. Another option is to leave bare concrete or stain the concrete.

If your shed is temperature-controlled, hardwood floors are an option. If not, the hardwood will likely buckle. Vinyl plank floors can also buckle.

If the floor is sturdy enough, tile may be an option. Tile on a raised foundation will likely need additional framing, concrete piers, and joists to support the additional weight.

Electrical

If you plan to use your shed as a home office or studio, you’ll need electrical wiring installed by a licensed electrician to accommodate light fixtures, ceiling fans, outlets, light switches, and heating and air conditioning.

If you live in a mild climate, you may be able to get away without some of these features. Electrical work should only be installed by a professional.

Light Fixtures

Again, light fixtures may be necessary. Alternatively, skylights can be used to provide plenty of natural light. I won’t get into skylights much in this post. It’s so hot in our area and I knew skylights would eventually leak.

Although I would love to have them for the light, we opted out because we didn’t want the additional maintenance.

Climate Control

If you need climate control, you may have to have these professionally installed. If your electrical panel is equipped, portable units, like a window air conditioner or small heater, may suffice.

You don’t want to overload a circuit for safety reasons so be sure to have an electrician determine whether or not your electrical panel can allow for portable heating and air conditioning units.

Doors and Windows

The number of doors and windows you choose will also affect the finished cost. Consider checking with local salvage companies to find suitable options. We found French doors in great shape that only needed paint and new hardware on an online marketplace. We did also purchase new door knobs.

We bought one new window with a vinyl frame (not recommended) and found one glass window with a metal frame at Lowe’s that a customer ordered but did not pick up. It was not a common size so we got it dirt cheap for around $100.

The reason I don’t recommend the vinyl windows is that the one we got doesn’t slide well and the frame warped a bit from the heat. It doesn’t leak, but I wish we had bought another glass window.

In regards to salvaging windows, old single-pane windows are not the best option for insulation purposes. They can also tend to “sweat”. Old, single-pane windows might be more suitable for a greenhouse.

You can also consider contacting a local window installation contractor to see if they have decent used windows that they may have removed from a home.

Paint

Finished or not, you’ll need to paint the outside of a wood shed at a minimum with high-quality weather-resistant paint. You will also need paintbrushes, rollers, paint trays, tape, gloves, and possibly a paint sprayer. We used approximately 5 gallons to spray the inside and outside of one shed.

Be sure to spray your shed prior to putting on the roofing or you’ll have to scrub overspray off of your brand-new corrugated metal roof with a scrubber. Ask me how I know…. By the way, I was not the one painting, but I was the one scrubbing.

Plans

If you don’t know how to draw up your own plans, you may need to pay someone for the design or buy shed plans that are suitable for your city, zone, etc.

Tools

If you build your own shed, you’ll need basic tools like hammers, saws, drills, a chop saw, and other hand and power tools required for installation.

Type of Shed

We haven’t even talked about other types of sheds yet. Other options that can be significantly less are metal sheds or vinyl sheds. Both options are not always suitable for windy or hot areas. Vinyl sheds also fade over time and can even crack.

Brick sheds are also an option. I would imagine this would be the most costly type of shed to build. They can be a lot more sturdy and very resistant to rainy weather.

Extra Shed Costs – The Nicle and Dime Materials

I wish we had a dollar for every time we went to the store to get the little things that tend to nickel and dime you to death! Screws, nails, caulking, flashing, rain gutter fittings, and boards that are cut wrong add to the extra costs of building a shed.

Landscaping

You may want to landscape around your shed and if so, this will be an additional cost.

Decks or Walkways

You will likely want a patio, deck, or walkway to go around your shed. The costs will vary depending on the size and materials used.

We started with just a shed and I can tell you that stepping out onto the dirt was no fun. We eventually added an inexpensive paver patio out front and then added the covered porch.

We didn’t know it would be at the time, but this ended up being our favorite placed to sit in our yard.

Rome isn’t always built in a day, so we did a little bit at a time as we could afford to do so.

Building From Scratch vs. A Prefab Shed Kit – Our Personal Experience

The first shed we built was a custom-built shed with our own custom design and it is almost exactly 120 square feet. We built the shed on a raised foundation. To put this in simple terms, we built the floor frame and installed it on concrete pier blocks.

This shed cost us around $1000 – $1500 more than the second shed we built, but it also looks like it cost more. The quality is visually better.

Our second shed was a bit smaller and was built using a shed kit. The kit arrived flat on a large pallet and we hand-carried all of the supplies to the area where we built the shed in our backyard.

The kit did not include the foundation. We opted for a raised foundation again. The kit was an 8 x 12 shed kit from Costco. Prices vary over the years but in 2023, the average cost of a similar kit was selling for $3999 installed and around $2500 for a do-it-yourself kit. Both of these options are unfinished on the inside.

Ask a lot of questions when buying prefab kits. Some don’t include paint, roofing, or the foundation. You can find similar shed kits at Home Depot or Lowe’s.

We found that custom sheds cost more, but the overall quality of our custom shed is nicer than our shed kit. We still love the shed kit. We use that one as a storage shed. The custom-built shed is my she shed.

Should You Hire Someone?

There are several reputable shed builders that can handle all of this for you and provide you with a well-built shed. They know more about the legal aspects and can generally save time on the project.

My husband and I build things all of the time so we were comfortable with the project. My dad also helped when needed.

If all of this sounds like more than you’re willing to take on, consider hiring a professional.

At the time of posting, I used an online calculator for a local shed building company and a kit shed about the size of ours was $4700 installed. This will vary from year to year and according to your own specifications.

A Note About Tongue and Groove For Siding

We used tongue and groove for siding on our custom shed. We liked the overall look but it required us to caulk every single seem on the outside. Yes, every single one.

We also used two coats of very good quality paint at the advice of the man at our local lumber yard. He said with a shed we could get by using tongue and groove but it may leak a bit.

He was right. On one end of the shed where the sun hits, the caulking will pull apart in the summer and light shines through. When it rains, if we don’t reseal it, it leaks a little bit down the wall and then it tends to swell back shut.

This requires some upkeep but so far it’s only been on the one end so we know to watch for it. I just thought I should mention that. Shiplap was more than twice the cost but it would have been a better option.

Another option is the large composite panels that give you the look of siding but they come in 4 x 8 sheets rather than 5″ x 8′ individual boards.

So How Much Does A She Shed Cost?

In our experience, $2000 is the least amount that we spent on a shed, not including landscaping or any of the extras. Since we built them both, there were no labor costs involved. The larger shed was around $1500 more.

Depending on how quickly you want things built, whether you want landscaping, climate control, etc., your shed could cost well over $30,000. There’s a pretty wide range between a stand-alone DIY shed and a custom-built shed of your dreams with all the bells and whistles.

Other Important Things To Consider

Be sure to find the perfect spot for your shed. Make sure your shed isn’t blocking a view you love. Alternatively, use it to block something that you don’t want to see. If you get a lot of wind in your yard, consider building it as a wind block, or as a shady spot, so you can sit out in front of it.

We had no idea how much we’d sit in front of our shed, but as it turns out, the wind block and shade make it our favorite place in the yard. Both sheds also cover a lot of ground in our yard that we no longer have to maintain and we love that as well.

We wish we had moved our custom shed over about 6 feet to block the neighbor’s house instead of our view. This was a lesson learned.

To help you decide, walk around your yard and close one eye. Hold up your thumb out in front of you and use it as a guide as you look through one eye to find the perfect spot. That may not make sense so go try it and maybe it will.

An Awning

We ended up adding an awning after building our custom shed and we have no regrets. You can see in the pictures that this is our cozy spot. We love having the extra space when family members visit away from the direct sun and wind. We are contemplating extending the awning.

The custom shed is used as my own space to display and photograph a lot of things you see here on my blog. It’s a quiet space for me to decorate and record videos. I use it as a craft room and studio.

Whether you use your backyard shed as a guest house, private retreat, storage space, art studio, or just a special place to hang out, I hope you enjoy your own shed as much as we do.

This post may not have given you the exact answer you were looking for but I hope it gave you enough food for thought. If you’d like to see interior pictures of my she shed, you can visit my Fall She Shed or Christmas She Shed post to see photos. Thanks for visiting!

If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to ask them in the comments. I review them regularly and will get back to you!

~ Denise