Is your garden becoming a storage unit for all of the wonderful tools and garden appliances that you just couldn’t live without? The perfect solution for this problem is a garden shed. Garden sheds can come in a multitude of prices and designs—everything from a centerpiece to a completely hidden natural, even underground storage unit and from less than $500 to well over $10,000.

Your specific needs for storage, space usage, as well as preference of size are all things you will need to consider when choosing your garden shed. Price range, materials and visibility of the shed are secondary issues you will need to consider when picking out your garden shed.

Garden sheds are limited only by your imagination. Doghouses can become gardening barns that store not only your garden supplies but also double for the kids’ playhouse and pet headquarters. Gazebos can be beautiful as well as functional by building them up enough to provide storage space below the flooring of your sexy, lovely Southern Gazebo. Your niece’s springtime wedding is a perfect excuse to consider a lovely gazebo.

Outdoor structures can have water and electricity added to make a basic garden shed into an adult playhouse for the family photographer (with a dark room), a space just for you and a space just for your spouse. Wouldn’t it feel great to tell him to dump all of his golfing equipment somewhere other than the doorstep. Send him to the shed first!

The basic types of garden structures that you may want to consider for your needs are:

• Simple, basic garden shed
• Gazebo or other Southern style structure with storage
• Barn, animal headquarters with added storage
• Kids’ playhouse with garden storage for the adults
• Studio—an adult playhouse with space for hobbies as well as storage
• Pool house or cabana with additional storage for gardening.
• Protection from the elements with no storage such as a three sided structure with a roof or even an arch with ivy growing all over and a table beneath the protect the gardener.

In general, garden sheds can be as simple or as complex as the desires of the gardener. Simpler garden sheds may only protect the gardener from rain while working outside. This may mean a natural cover (such as ivy) growing over an archway with a rustic table beneath to provide working space for the gardener.

Less complex garden sheds can also be as simple as storage units with no electricity, lighting or additional water supply or as complicated as your home with a bit of flair not normally afforded in our homes.

Whatever your hobby may be, it can become a part of your storage concept. The storage shed can be a place for you and your spouse to create the artwork you have dreamed of creating or complete those life long projects you have been promising yourself for the last 10 years. Anything from restoring cars to photographs can be tackled with the appropriate planning ahead of time.

They can also be as complicated as the home associated with the garden! Some people don’t want the garden shed to be visible so they make a great, grand effort to conceal the entire storage barn.

Invisible sheds are becoming more and more popular. Natural materials used in both the building of the shed and the planning of the surrounding garden can accentuate the beauty of the shed or entirely hide the shed.

Most garden sheds will not need a building permit. In most areas, buildings that are 100-110 square feet will not require any sort of building permit. To be sure, you should give your local municipality office a call.

If there is something required, be sure to ask if there are any associated fees. Additional questions you may want to ask are what sort of requirements are necessary (such as property surveys) and are there additional government charges to hook up to electric or water supplies.

As much fun as the planning and even the building process is when picking out your garden shed, there are certain less fun issues to consider. Depending on the type of material used for the structure, remember to check on appropriate finishing and maintenance. Your zone’s weather conditions may play a factor as well as tendency toward natural disasters – everything from mud slides to tornadoes and hurricanes need to be considered in the US.

You should also check on the warranty for the shed or storage unit and what the warranty will cover. Some basic daily activities that the consumer may do can negate the warranty. Keeping animals in the building and using certain cleaning products can negate the warranty so make sure you understand what the warnings are that go along with the warranty.

Don’t let a sale or salesperson rush you into something you aren’t prepared for. Take your time in selecting, research the materials used, the company making the product and the warranty associated with the product before you buy. Have fun with your new adult sized toy!

by Julie-Ann Amos, professional writer, and owner of international writing agency www.ExquisiteWriting.com

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