Get the most out of your limited space with a customised shed
When awkward spaces combine with constraining requirements, customisation is often the best option. Go with an off-the-shelf model, and you may end up with a shed that sticks out like a sore thumb — not to mention far less storage space than you could have otherwise had. On the other hand, just a little customisation is often enough to create a shed that blends into your yard while providing you with the storage space you need.
At Col Western, we consider the space, factor in your requirements, and work together to come up with precisely the right solution for your unique situation. To give an idea of our process, let’s walk through an example of a custom shed we recently built and installed.
The process starts by considering the space:
This space is a perfect candidate for a custom shed. Notice that, in addition to the space itself being rather cramped, the fence and the back wall of the house aren’t parallel. Customizing a shed to fit into this awkward narrow will, in the end, provide much more storage space.
Of course, everyone has slightly different requirements. In this case, our owner indicated that he needed at least five meters length to fit in kayaks and surfboards. He also wanted to refrain from blocking light to the bathroom window at the back of the house, as well as not imposing on his neighbour with excessive height. Beyond that, he wanted some space for firewood, plus the capacity to hang tools and install shelves inside the shed.
After a quick site visit, we came up with a proposal. The owner requested some minor changes, and, after a few back-and-forth emails, we settled on this site plan:
Perhaps the most important point to note about this design is the angle of the side door on the 6.1 meter long shed. Given the space we were working with, the only way to easily get kayaks and long boards in and out of the shed would be with that custom angled door. The custom door really is essential to maximising the utility of this space, so it’s a make-or-break feature for this project.
Also note that we decided to build a second, smaller shed for wood storage (in the bottom-right corner on the site plan). Here’s a picture of the woodshed as installed:
For the woodshed, we decided to go with an open front and partially open back. The roof is enough to keep the wood dry, while keeping the shed open exposes the wood to air. Under these conditions, green wood will take about a year to season.
Taking a step back, here are some photos of the main shed under construction at our factory:
For custom jobs like this, we always assemble the main structure while it’s still in the factory. This is to ensure that the angles and measurements perfectly match the site. Components are then broken down and shipped to the site. For this shed, it took two weeks from the time we got the order to the time we were ready to dispatch.
On the day of installation, our crew started by clearing the space and laying down a bed of crushed rock. Crushed rock is an effective way to level the site while ensuring sufficient water drainage. With our pre-assembled panels and ready-built floor, total installation time was under five hours. Here’s our crew, hard at work:
And here’s the completed custom garden shed:
This customer went with a corrugated steel sheet profile as it matched elements of his house. Steel sheets in combination with the steel frame are also a good choice for minimizing maintenance while maximizing lifespan.
Another important custom feature for this shed is the roof overhang at the fence side of the shed is minimal. This means the shed can be positioned close to the fence (within 150mm) while still allowing water to drain from the roof to shed side of the fence.
Note the shed roof has no overhang. This allows the shed to be placed very close to the fence (just 15cm) while still ensuring water drain from the roof onto the owner’s property.
To finish off the project, the owner later self-installed tool boards, attaching them to the steel frame of the shed:
Col Western is proud to offer a range of customisation options for your garden shed project. Our friendly professionals will make sure you get the perfect solution for your space. Contact us to find out more.