Help with new shed

[Snoopy]

Have just found this forum and subscribed immediately! We have just bought a new place with half decent size backyard and the better half granted permission for a shed to be built. OK, so at this stage I'm feeling pretty happy about the world in general and especially the wife. However, there was a catch, or to be more accurate, a budget... $10,000, including the slab, and the landscaping (for the entire yard), and she wouldn't mind a small swimming pool, and gardens, and a deck, and maybe a water feature.........

At this stage I was still confident, until I started getting some quotes. I've had one for the kit alone for over $16G! Another guy, who was much more resonable, would build my home away from home for me for $14G (if only I had the cash). The cheapest kit I've had quoted was still over $11G, and none of these include the slab.

Suddenly my sheddy dreams have shrunk to the size of something you can pick up at bunnies and carry home on your roof-racks.

I need help.

I have decided that the palace I had in mind is still possible, but I will need to design and build it myself from the "raw" materials. I am pretty definite on all metal construction. What I'm having trouble finding is someone/thing that can tell me all the section sizes I will need to use to build an 6.5m W x 8m L double bay single span with upper mezanine level for storage (read lounge, fridge, TV, lighter equipment and all those really nice offcuts that you just can't throw away).

Does anyone know of a book, site or ancient hindu oracle that can help me with this. I can do the drafting for council approval no problems (have CAD, will travel), but cant find the required specs.

Thanks in advance, and congratulations to you all for a great forum.

[Pulpo]

A few suggestions:

Have an engineer spec the plans you draw up.

I found a company from the trading post that did steel frame sheds and houses, they can work from your plans or they have ready made. Your own plans do not need to be engineered drawn.

You could also look at second hand sheds, you really need some help in, dismantling, transporting and errection.

I bought a 2nd hand shed for around $3,500 including additional costs new around $10,500.

Finally you could buy some Australian Standards books on steel.

This will tell you if 'x' span length you will need this thickness, style, total load factors etc.

Good Luck

[Geoff Sims]

WOW

Expensive over there in Sydney.

I have a 6m x 9m garage with roller doors front and back which I built from a kit purchased from a firm called Jarvis and Rogers in Maddington, WA. The complete kit, including every last nut and bolt cost me $3800.00. Mind you that was three years ago, but I still reckon I could get it for less than $4500 now. They even submitted plans and got council approval for me. I spent an extra $1500 for the slab.

Of course there is no mezzanine and only 2300 clearance under the trusses, but that's what I wanted. At the time, they were selling 12m x 7.5 m garages at $5500.00, but I didn't have the room.

All colorbond too!


Might even be worth your while getting a kit shipped over from here.

Cheers

[joez]

Hi Snoopy,


I built my shed about 2 years ago, its a colorbond 7Lx5Wx4H (m) Shed.

When I submitted my plans to the council they asked for the engineering specs which I got from the manufacturer. From memory they ran to about 20pages.

If you'd think it will help , I can photocopy the specs and post you a copy??


Joe

[Snoopy]

Thanks for the advise guys - and I would not be at all surprised if the WA units are cheaper as I have seen some on the net and looks to be that way. I would like to do as suggested and get an engineer to spec plans, but prices I have seen are a little scary - anyone know someone? Lastly, Joe, thanks for the terrific offer. I see your shed is 4m high, do you have a mezanene (spelt how?) or just like the space. The info I really need is sizes for the mez. floor beams and I would not like to waste your time unless your plans had this. If they do I would love to get a copy.

I guess I'm the sort of guy that likes to get all the info then nut it out and tweek things for myself - but as my wife often has to point out this is not always the most efficient/productive way to do things. (Very satisfying though!)

Thanks again for your help.

MEZZANINE

[Barry_White]

Hi Snoopy

If you want a good price for a good shed try here.

www.ezyframe.com.au

They send sheds to W.A. and all over Aus and can arrange to have it built.

They are in Quirindi NSW and have a builder in Sydney

[soundman]

sounds a bit steep to me as well. you need to shop arround.

a couple of lesson i learned.

don't ask for any thing unusual.
make sure they put plastic sheet under the slab
insulate the roof
make sure you get enough electricity & heaps of power points.
3 metre eave clearance is great.
don't even think about building a steel shed from first principals unless you are a real steel man.
I took my brother's (a real steel man) advice & had a shed company supply & errect mine.
About 7 years ago it cost me $7500 for a 9m x 7.2 m shed with a 9m x 3m awning errected including earthworks and scraping a 50m driveway to it including removal of several large trees.

I have a mate errecting a similar shed as we speak about that size I ask him the details.

cheers

[joez]

Hi Snoopy,

I dont have a mezzanine, and my plans dont show one. I went for the highter Workshop , so that one day I might be able to use the extra height as storage. But so far I haven't done anything about it.


Joe

[Snoopy]

Thanks for the feed back people - and also for the spelling correction whoever that was. I regret that I am the product of the 1970's NSW public education system.

Joe, thanks for the offer but I won't waste your time as I don't think your plans will have what I need.

Soundman, I have no probs with building shed from scratch as I have a brother and father who have built more of them than I care to remember. My brother currently completeing new shed on his property near Yass - features approx 18m x 9m laser leveled steel float floor (used vibrating screed - new on market and very good) fully lined and insulated, solar passive, etc, etc. He builds/prepares racing cars for a living so he is alot fussier than I am when it comes to these things.

If anyone else has any ideas I would love to hear from you. As I am very busy at work I have not had much time to work on all this so at the moment my plans are going nowhere. The longer I leave it the more annoyed I get with not even being able to find, let alone use any of my toys. Also there is the risk of my wife withdrawing the funds as things like kitchens and bathrooms take on higher priorities.