A garden shed is often the largest and most expensive structure in a home garden. It is also the project where the buy-versus-build decision carries the most consequence — a poor choice can cost thousands of dollars and years of frustration. Shed kits have improved dramatically in quality and variety over the past decade, but custom builds still offer advantages that no kit can match. This guide lays out what you actually get with each path.
Before choosing between a kit and a custom build, clarify what the shed needs to do. A structure for storing garden tools has different requirements than a potting shed with electricity, running water, and a workbench. The tool storage shed can probably be a kit. The full potting shed may need to be built. Thinking through the end use first prevents the common mistake of buying a kit shed that needs to be immediately modified to actually work.
Shed Kit Categories
Resin and Plastic Kits ($300–$1,200)
The most common shed kits sold at big-box stores. They assemble without any construction skills, require only basic tools, and need no foundation beyond a level gravel pad. They are lightweight, never need painting, and resist insects and rot. The tradeoffs are significant: they are not especially attractive, they can become brittle in extreme cold, and the internal storage options are limited to what the kit includes. Wall-mounted shelving, hooks, and pegboards may not attach well to plastic walls.
Resin sheds work well as tool corrals in utility areas of the garden. They are not good choices if aesthetics matter or if you want to use the shed as a workspace.
Wood Frame Kits ($800–$4,000)
Pre-cut lumber, hardware, and siding panels shipped as a kit with assembly instructions. Quality varies enormously. Entry-level wood kits use thin panels and minimal hardware. Higher-end kits use proper dimensional lumber, quality roofing, and solid hardware. Assembly typically takes a weekend for two people with basic carpentry skills and a power drill.
Mid-range wood frame kits produce an acceptable shed for most garden storage purposes. Premium wood kits can look quite good and last 20–30 years with proper maintenance. The limitation is always customization: you get what the kit was designed to be, and meaningful modifications require construction skills you might as well use to build from scratch.
Metal Shed Kits ($400–$2,500)
Galvanized or vinyl-coated steel panels on a steel frame. They are durable, low-maintenance, and resistant to fire and pests. They are also not pleasant to work in during summer (they get extremely hot inside), difficult to insulate, and visually utilitarian. Metal kits suit utility storage in parts of the garden where appearance does not matter.
Custom Build: What It Actually Involves
A custom-built shed is a small building. It requires a foundation (concrete slab, concrete piers, or pressure-treated skids depending on size and local code), wall framing, roof framing, sheathing, roofing, siding, and finish work including doors, windows, and any interior fitting. This is genuinely more complex than most garden projects. Someone with intermediate carpentry skills and a reasonable tool inventory can complete a basic custom shed in two to four weekends. Someone with no construction experience should expect to spend considerably more time or hire help for at least some phases.
Cost to Build Custom
A simple 8x10-foot custom shed built from scratch with new materials costs $1,200–$2,500 depending on material choices and regional lumber prices. A 10x12-foot shed with a workbench, window, and better siding runs $2,000–$4,000. A larger, better-finished shed with electrical, proper insulation, and quality roofing can reach $5,000–$10,000 before any contractor involvement.
These numbers assume you supply the labor. If you hire out any phase — framing, roofing, electrical — costs increase substantially. A fully contractor-built custom shed in the 10x12-foot range typically runs $8,000–$18,000 depending on materials and region.
Permitting: The Factor Most People Ignore
In most jurisdictions, any structure above a certain size (commonly 100–200 square feet, but it varies) requires a building permit. Some areas require permits for any permanent structure regardless of size. Others exempt small accessory buildings entirely. Failure to obtain required permits can create problems when selling the property, complicate insurance claims, and in rare cases result in required demolition.
Check your local zoning and building department requirements before purchasing a kit or beginning a build. This applies equally to kits and custom builds — the permit requirement is based on the structure, not how it was assembled.
Where Custom Builds Win
- Unusual lot shapes or sizes that no standard kit dimension fits
- Specific aesthetic requirements — matching house siding, roof pitch, or trim details
- Functional requirements like electrical, plumbing, HVAC, or heavy workbench loads
- Desire to use salvaged, reclaimed, or specific sustainable materials
- Larger size requirements (most kits top out at 12x20 feet)
- Integrated design with the rest of the garden landscape
Where Kits Win
- Speed — a kit can be assembled in one to two days
- No construction skills required for many kit types
- Predictable total cost with no lumber price volatility
- Simpler permitting in some jurisdictions (some classify kits differently)
- Adequate for pure tool storage without workspace needs
The Hybrid Approach
Some gardeners buy a kit shed and then customize it substantially: adding a proper floor, interior shelving systems, exterior paint to match the house, window boxes, and other details. This can produce a much better result than the kit suggests at a lower cost than a full custom build. The limitation is structural — you cannot easily change the footprint, roof pitch, or wall height of a kit.
A simpler version of this hybrid thinking applies to potting benches and storage within the shed, which is covered in detail in the potting bench article in this series. The same principle applies to any outdoor structure: buy the parts you cannot easily build and build the parts that give you the most control over the result.
Planning Around the Shed
A shed is not just a box — it is an anchor for the organization of the surrounding garden. Where it sits affects drainage, sun exposure, access paths, and the aesthetic center of gravity of the entire space. Before finalizing a shed decision, think through how it connects to the rest of your garden layout. The companion planting guide reflects a similar systems-level thinking: individual choices connect to and affect everything around them. The seasonal planting calendar is worth reviewing too, since a well-placed shed can become a key tool in managing season extension with good interior storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a permit to install a shed kit?
It depends on your jurisdiction and the shed size. Many areas require permits for structures larger than 100–200 square feet or any permanent structure with a foundation. Check with your local building department before purchasing or building.
How long does a wood shed kit last compared to a custom build?
A quality wood frame kit with proper maintenance lasts 15–25 years. A well-built custom shed using quality materials and proper construction techniques can last 30–50 years or more. Entry-level kits typically last 8–15 years before significant repair or replacement is needed.
Can I wire a shed kit for electricity?
Yes, but it requires routing conduit from the main panel to the shed — work that typically needs a licensed electrician and a permit regardless of whether the shed is a kit or custom built. The shed kit itself does not affect the electrical installation.
What foundation does a shed need?
Resin and small wood kits can often sit on a level gravel pad. Larger wood and all custom sheds should sit on concrete piers, a concrete slab, or pressure-treated timber skids. The right choice depends on shed size, local frost depth, and soil conditions.
Is it cheaper to build or buy a shed?
For small to medium sizes, quality kit sheds and custom builds often cost similar amounts when you include your labor time honestly. Custom builds are almost always more cost-effective for larger structures where kit options become scarce and expensive.