Can we talk about spending $400 on a premade shed kit vs building from scratch?

I was dead set on building my own 8x10 shed until I priced out lumber and hardware and realized the kit saved me about $150 and three trips to the hardware store, has anyone else found the kits are actually worth it?

3 comments

3 Comments

evah402mo ago

Oh man, I feel this in my bones. That "saved about $150" part really hits home - after three trips for the right nails and a missing 2x4, I honestly would've paid extra just for the convenience. The kits are way more practical than I wanted to admit.

henry_hernandez2mo ago

My brother-in-law actually read me this article about how people who build stuff from scratch end up spending way more on tools and replacements than just buying the kit version. It was some study from a home improvement magazine, and they said the average DIY project that starts as "custom" ends up costing like 30% more than if you just bought the pre-made thing. Your story about the three trips and missing 2x4s is basically the textbook example of that. Ive done it too - built a whole deck myself and by the time I rented the nail gun and bought the extra fasteners I forgot, I couldve just paid someone to do it. The kits save your time and your patience, even if it hurts your pride a little. So yeah, your mileage may vary, but I think youre onto something.

markl752mo ago

Yeah, that "30% more" line hit close to home for me too.