Buying a shed

Purpose

What exactly do you want your shed for? Be clear about this. Is it essentially for storage, or will you ever want to sit in it? Do you need windows? Do you want to work in it in winter?  Do the contents need to be protected from damp?

Size

Work out what you want to do in your shed, and what you want to put in it. A sit-on motor mower perhaps? A desk and comfy chairs?

And how much space do you have in the garden? What size of shed would fit comfortably? Measure it out on the ground before you buy.

Materials

Sheds can be made of sheet metal, or plastic (or PVC or vinyl) panelling. But most often they are made of wood, with overlapping weatherboard or shiplap timber.

Visual appeal

Sheds come in all sorts of styles, from a basic box shape with pent (sloping) roof, to miniature Swiss chalets, log cabins with verandas, and hexagonal gazebos. If your shed is going to be a highly visible feature of your garden, it is worth paying extra money to get an attractive, well-built design.

Fittings and accessories

Do you want electric lighting in your shed? Do you need power points? Remember that you cannot install a toilet without planning permission.

If you are going to use the shed in winter, you will need to consider insulation, double-glazing and heating to keep out the cold.

Consider also how you are going to deal with security. Theft from sheds is commonplace.

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