Five Top Regrets When Building a New Shed… and How to Avoid Them

Hindsight is a wonderful thing, and highly frustrating at times too! When building a shed, there are some common components people wish they’d done differently. Luckily, you have the chance to avoid making these same mistakes – simply read on.

1. BUILD WITH MORE HEIGHT

Everyone has a budget in mind and when designing a shed it’s easy to fall into the trap of limiting the shed height in order to save money. The height of your shed is particularly important when it comes to moving large vehicles or equipment around, storing big items, installing roller doors (which always hang down from the ceiling), or allowing for a mezzanine level.

Extra height very rarely has a significant impact on the building design or cost, so ensure you talk this feature through in detail with your KiwiSpan licensee.

2. DON’T SCRIMP ON SIZE

It’s important to remember that sheds are designed based on the external measurements – if you provide measurements needed to house your belongings internally, then the external size will need to be bigger to accommodate framing and cladding. People often regret getting a shed that’s the bare minimum size as they end up having to squeeze their items in – they haven’t always allowed enough space to open doors and manoeuvre things around. An extra metre or two can make a huge difference in the usability of your new shed.

3. OPT FOR QUALITY

There’s nothing more disappointing than watching your brand new shed show early wear and tear. That’s why KiwiSpan design sheds with a heavier gauge steel to better withstand harsh weather conditions and the bumps and scrapes of daily use. Our sheds are made with heavy duty bolts for stronger connections too. It all comes down to having a shed that is durable and long lasting – a better investment over time.

4. CHOOSE A CLEARSPAN DESIGN

Many people regret the decision to build a shed that doesn’t have clear spans. Clear spans offer wide open spaces with more internal room top to bottom – meaning you have greater manoeuvrability, more space for storage, and increased visibility within the shed. Plus, with fewer places for birds to roost, a clearspan design can help to prevent birds roosting in your shed.
KiwiSpan can build sheds up to eighteen metres wide without needing obtrusive centre poles or bracing – creating much more usable space on the same building footprint. The lesson here is that a building of the same dimensions doesn’t always offer as much usable space – it’s a big eye opener for some people planning a new shed.

5. CONSIDER DELAYS

When dealing with unpredictable factors, timing isn’t guaranteed. Your project can be delayed by a number of things including…

• The weather; wet and windy weather can put construction on hold and cause delays if materials get too wet.
• Council; resource consent, building consent, and site inspections can all take longer than expected due to your local council’s capacity and changing regulations.
• Financing; it can take longer than expected to get finance approved as the banks have more lengthy processes and tougher rules in place than they used to.
• Construction related; whether team members get sick or you request changes to the scope that delay things with new quotes or new trades, unexpected construction delays happen too.

Every project is different in terms of the challenges faced – going in with an understanding of what may possibly happen ensures you have realistic expectations and don’t get stuck needing your shed before it’s fully completed. At KiwiSpan, our team will communicate any timing changes as they come up, and are always available to you for discussions on the progress of your project.

There you have it, the top five ‘I wish I’d known’ topics we hear about. To avoid these common mistakes, it’s very beneficial to have a clear idea of how you’ll be using your new shed – that way our team of experts can help you ensure it functions as needed without incurring unnecessary costs.

When you’re ready for a discussion about the options, contact your local KiwiSpan licensee. Our experts can help you understand what you really need and customise your shed design accordingly

Whether it’s a storage shed, workshop, farm shed or an industrial building, KiwiSpan has a customised shed solution for you. Contact us HERE today to get the ball rolling on your next project.