Choosing The Right Storage Building

Choosing The Right Storage Building

Choosing the right storage building for your needs is simply a matter of determining your needs, your available space, and then finding a building that fits those criteria. This page should help you do just that.

Determining the size of the storage building you need

Deciding your buildings size, will require deciding the buildings intended use, and by available space. If the building is to be used for the purpose of storage, the number of cubic feet of the material to be stored can be determined by some simple measurements, and some simple math. For workshop use, size should be determined by design and usability. The need for 200 square feet of space to be placed into an area no wider than 10 feet will require the building to be longer than it is wide. Whatever your buildings intended use, add at least 10 percent to the final size. Most people need more space than they initially expected.

Everyone wants to be sure their dollars go as far as possible. This page will give you some tips on how to do this when choosing and buying a storage building.

Your buildings purpose

Decide exactly what the purpose of the building will be. Will it be a workshop, an office, a play room, or just used for storage? Will it serve multiple purposes? Will it be a simple storage building? Knowing what your long term plans are will help with the decisions you will need to make throughout the selection process.

How much space you will need

Decide how much space you will need in order to reach your goal. If your goal is to store a certain number of boxes for a certain amount of time, and then use the storage building for a tool shed, you should figure the number of cubic feet of space you will need, and base your decision on that figure. Remember to add aisle space into the equation so that you can get from front to back. A note to the wise, always add 10 to 20 percent, you will be glad you did.

If your goal is long term storage, of course, the same things apply about the cubic feet. If your goal is to have a workshop, the number and type of tools and equipment, and the space to safely use them should be considered. Again, adding 10 to 20 percent for expansion is a good idea. I have never known anyone to say, I wish I had gotten less space!

Your storage buildings location

Decide where you want to place your storage building. If you already know the size you need, available placement space may help you to determine the buildings configuration. What I mean is this: If you have decided that you need 200 square feet of floor space, but a 10 x 20 storage building is too long for the space you have available, perhaps a 14 x 16 building would fit into the available space more readily. There is always a solution.

Storage building accessories

Decide what extras you will need. This is a function of the buildings purpose. Do you need to add a workbench to the building? If you plan to work in the storage building during the heat of summer, or the cold of winter will you need insulation to moderate the temperature? How about ventilation, or a cutout for an air conditioning unit? Will you need extra space above floor level such as a loft? How about extra shelves? Planning on storing and maintaining power mowers or all terrain vehicles, you might need a roll up door, and a ramp. Tailor these things to suit your needs, and you will be able to make a better decision.

Your storage buildings type

Decide the type of building you will need. This is also a function of the purpose of the building. If your goal is a small tea room for your Japanese garden, you might want to get a small wooden structure that will weather naturally. For almost all other applications, the more weather resistant the materials the better.

Storage building materials

Composite shingled roofs look great, for a while, but they will need to be replaced regularly over the years. The same is true of wood siding. Steel clad buildings seem to weather more gracefully, and as a result, stay functional for a longer period of time.

Storage building longevity

When choosing a building the longevity should be taken into account as a part of the value. Maintenance costs should also be considered. If the building is going to last half as long, before needing to be replaced, and during that short life, add to the over all cost per year by $500.00, the value has decreased. If that cheap wooden structure with the shingled roof you picked up for $1500.00 dollars costs you $500.00 per year to maintain, and only lasts for a quarter of the time that the $3000.00 building, your bargain is not really a bargain. Materials matter!

See also:

• Renting Or Owning Storage Space
• Choosing The Right Storage Building
• Portable Buildings Need And Uses
• Utility Building Shopping Buying Placement

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