Sunday, February 22, 2009

Free Shed Plans

Lately, I've been looking at those pre-built sheds that you see at various businesses along the highways. You know, the ones that proclaim "Rent to Own!". I've checked them out and it is tempting; you can buy them upfront or plop a couple hundred bucks down and then make monthly payments of less than $100 per month for some, even decent sized ones, and after 36 months it's yours to keep. They are nice, too.
I would like to have one because I currently live in a small house, and there is barely room for my office inside. There is also no room for my ham radio gear, and I would really like to set up a station again. A nice 12'x20' wooden shed would solve both problems.
The problem is, when you start crunching the numbers, the total price you would eventually pay is just too high. I mean, I had just about decided to buy one. They deliver the building in just a few days, and set it up for you. But in the end, I couldn't bring myself to commit to spending $6000 for a shed. Especially one I can build myself for a quarter of that, or less.
I have built my own sheds, too. In fact, I have designed and built my own sheds, and while they were functional, they sure didn't look like much; and in some cases I ended up spending more money, time and effort than was really necessary. I still like designing stuff for myself, but on anything more than a very simple structure, buying a good set of plans can save more than their purchase price in saved time and materials, not to mention eliminating mistakes that could come back to haunt you in the final product.
Well, I have found one of the best sites I have ever seen for shed plans, and all kinds of other stuff too, like doghouses, picnic tables, barns, decks, even boats. Furthermore, two sets of basic shed plans, one for an 8'x10' and the other an 8'x12', are free just for visiting the site.
Check it out.