Shed options

Just starting the process of designing a woodworking and hobby shed. I'm lucky I've got some good flat space in the backyard so am looking at building something around 12m x 6m. Height of wall at least 2.7m.

The shed will consist of 3 rooms. A large workroom 8mx6m, a small hobby room for my trains 4m x 4m and a 2m x 4m store room for tools, hardware etc. May use it for some timber storage as well.

The workroom will have a roller door, personal door and 1 window. This leaves me 2 full walls with no windows/doors etc. The hobby room will have 2 windows with internal door. Store room, no windows, 1 internal door.

I definately want this shed usable in Melbourne summers and winters. I'm planning on insulating (ceiling and walls).

I would prefer to build it myself as I'm not keen on the look of a colorbond shed in the yard.

The questions at this stage....

Slab or stumps? Slab seems simple. I'm guessing around $4k $5k to get a contractor in. Would anyone recommend going the way of stumps/bearers/rafters/yellowtongue board which I'd be reasonably confident of doing myself. Any idea what that would roughly cost for a floor that size?

Any idea roughly what a wood framed shed, weathertex type cladding, prefabbed trusses and colorbond roof would cost? I'd be able to most of it myself. How would it compare with the approximate $7k to $8k I've been quoted for a kit colorbond shed?

thanks

Well if you are cashed up, I would definately go for a slab. Sure, perhaps not as nice as a timber floor but much more durable for a work shop ( you nevr know what is going to be spilt or droped:doh: ). If you go for a timber construction shed and bulid it yourself you should get away for a lot less than 7k (more money for the floor:; and a beer fridge:2tsup: ) To estimate a price is hard as there is such a wide variation in material cost. You may have to shop around for a good price. Most of my house extension material came from Coldstream Timber (best price) Thats of course if you live outer estern suburbs.
Anyhoo good luck!

hi.....depending on the type of cladding u use ,how high your walls are,after insilation will you sheet it up then paint it inside and out,electrical work,window & doors.
i would say minamin you will spend is $9000.but it will be worth it for it is a much better option.stick with the slab:) good luck

thanks guys,
I'm finding it pretty hard estimating the cost for this. The time it takes me to build it, is not a major concern. I've waited 7 years for this, a couple of months in weekends to construct it is no big deal. I have a good mate who is a builder and he will order materials for me. I really want to be sure on timber vs kit steel before I talk to him.

In order of priority my considerations are
- looks
- comfort
- price

It must look good in our backyard. I feel I can best control this by scratch building. Some simple things like having eaves, wooden exterior door, reasonable windows and a hip roof go a long way towards this.

In terms of comfort, temperature control is real important. I need to keep the temperatures in a range that I can work in during summer and winter. I also am buiding a model railway (to go in the 4 x 4 room) which wouldn't hold up well coping with steel shed temperature changes. I'm real keen to line and insulate the shed properly. This will help keep dust under control.

In terms of cost, if I can build a shed for about the same or a bit more than a steel kit then I'll build it myself. If it will cost 2, 3 or 4 times as much I'll need to rethink my decision.

Im gunna say opposite on the floor, Id dearly love a wooden floor in my workshop. Sure a hard concrete floor is very durable but thats all it is, spending all day standing around a workbench or machines on concrete is hell on your lower body.
A wooden floor is well strong enough for a woodworking area, if your intending to have ultra heavy machinery brace directly under the machine with an extra footing and bearers. If you can get thick ply it will be ok but hardwood floor boards are better... dont use pine its to soft(could overlay it with masonite tho).
Another advantage with wood floors is your dust extraction and power(in conduit) can go under floor to your machines.

Any guides as to the comparitive cost of building a sub floor vs laying a slab. I've got access to a auger so digging the footings is just time, obvioulsy less site preparation for stumps.
If a 12x6m slab is around $4-5k (contracted), possibly $2-3k doing it myself but I haven't had much experience concreting. How much would a wooden subfloor run to approximately over this size? I've buiilt subfloors before at other peoples places so I'll able to do it myself.

I have had both wood and concrete floor, firstly wooden floor is much nicer to work and walk on but any heavy machinery vibrations is carried through the floor. I have a big lathe and it was originally on a concrete floor and wasn't bolted down, was able to swing big and unbalanced pieces without a prob.

When I built the wooden floor I put in extra stumps and doubled up on bearers and joists where the lathe was going. Tried it unbolted and bolted to the floor and the floor flexed to much to be able to put big stuff on.

I was able to get all my materials that I needed to build my floor at cost or trade prices and can say that there is not much of a difference in prices between concrete and wooden flooring.

From memory the cost of particle flooring for a 9 x 6m was about $1k(use 22mm instead of 19mm), stumps, bearers and joist were just under the $1k with me supplying some of the logs for milling (worked part time at the mill then so only paid cost price). Factor in another $5-800 or more for cost of auger and bits & pieces.

I did all the work for wood floor so labour was nothing which will be the same in your case.

Just had a concrete slab done for the same shed just before Xmas and paid $3600 without me having to lift a finger.

In all honesty the floor that I would really like, would have been built from steel stumps, bearers and joist with hardwood T & G flooring but would have cost me over $5k.

So took the concrete option and use rubber matting where required

DJ. Thanks for the info. I hadn't really thought about weight and vibration. I guess you had a pretty big lathe. I've a typical machine collection which doesn't extend to real heavy equipment as yet, although I'd like a combination jointer and thicknesser in the near future..
Anyone else had similar problems on a timber floor like this? I guess also, anyone had problems with slabs cracking when using heavy vibrating equipment on them?

Still leaning for a timber floor but I guess I have to ensure I specify a weight load on it in my design.

I have a 19mm thick floor using pineboard flooring. It is sitting on steel UB's and a matrix of steel purlins. It is the top floor of a two storey construction with a rumpus room underneath. It has the advantage of being very flat, easy to keep clean, no concrete dust etc. Not cheap but a very good floor and flat enough to do layout/assembly on. It is going to cost a lot more than 7K to build no matter how it is done. A friend has just ordered a 9x7 mtr shed and it will stand him over 30K by the time it is finished fully lined, on a slab with all electrics. This is in Sydney but I would say melbourne would be close.

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Originally Posted by Mini

A friend has just ordered a 9x7 mtr shed and it will stand him over 30K by the time it is finished fully lined, on a slab with all electrics. This is in Sydney but I would say melbourne would be close.

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PARDON????

strike me bloody roan!! If a 9x7mtr sheds gonna set him back 30K thats 30 thousand dollars whats it made off for cryin out loud!!! shyte I built a 9x6mtr one less than a year ago and so its its set me back 5000 for the shed delivered ad 2000 for the concrete slab... so factor in another 1000 for electics and say another 2 for insulation (if I were to want it which I dont) and it would set me back possibly 8 - 9K!! A damned sight short of 30K!!

Sooo Ive got a contrete floor... its a year old roughly no sign of cracks or anything like it... the pad is 4in thick with reo... the shed itself is a kit job that me and the lads whacked up in a weekend fit of madness :doh:

If I had my druthers and had the cash Id go wooden floors... do the thick underlay plus thicker than usual floor boards of Jarrah or such... Id also if I was more energetic than Ive become :C build it myself using telephone poles for the uprights and structural timbers including the roofing bearers and railway sleepers as stumps then clad it in a hardwood

But 30K??? geez must be gold lined :o :roll:

My 6x12 slab c0st over 4K 3 years ago, the shed was 5.5K delivered, $1200 tp put up, 30 metre trench from the house to the shed for the cable was $600 and mates rates for a sparky was 12 antenna installations (about 2K), that was for a single power point in the shed, the rest is to follow.
Must come to WA for cheap concrete.

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Originally Posted by Wild Dingo

PARDON????

strike me bloody roan!! If a 9x7mtr sheds gonna set him back 30K thats 30 thousand dollars whats it made off for cryin out loud!!! shyte I built a 9x6mtr one less than a year ago and so its its set me back 5000 for the shed delivered ad 2000 for the concrete slab... so factor in another 1000 for electics and say another 2 for insulation (if I were to want it which I dont) and it would set me back possibly 8 - 9K!! A damned sight short of 30K!!

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If you want to submit a written quote for that you have the job:2tsup:

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Originally Posted by Mini

A friend has just ordered a 9x7 mtr shed and it will stand him over 30K by the time it is finished fully lined, on a slab with all electrics.

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Chris, I take it that this is without your friend lifting a finger except to sign the dotted line.

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Originally Posted by djstimber

Chris, I take it that this is without your friend lifting a finger except to sign the dotted line.

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Yes, that's right. Unfortunately he has handicaps and at his time of life (mid 60's) ha wants to use it not spend time building. Priorities have to be balanced and time is his enemy due to his health and ability as they will get worse. He is absoulutely the cleverest person I know and is one of those people who can do anything at all. I saw him build a desk using my Triton and the result was the best joinery I have ever seen, astounding would be a good word.

Sounds like he has his priorities right. If I had the money I would've paid someone to do mine to but it's not always possible, so good on him and I hope he gets alot of enjoyment from it