Choose the Right Storage Shed for Your Backyard

• How will you use your shed? Storage, workspace, or something else?
• How will moisture, soil, slope, fencing, trees, property lines, or other elements on your lot affect the location of the shed?
• Is appearance important? Do you want your shed to match the architecture of your house or be a garden centrepiece?
• Does your neighbourhood homeowner’s association have rules governing the placement, dimensions, or aesthetics of a shed?

• Property lines: Review a current survey. It should list all boundaries, structures, fence lines, encroachments, and easements. Walk your property and compare what you see with what’s listed on the survey. You don’t want to make the mistake of building a shed that straddles a property line, sits within a drainage or utility easement, or violates local property setback requirements.
• Obstacles: Will trees, hedges, wires, a septic bed, rocks, water, or other obstacles interfere with construction, clearance, or access? Consider how the landscape and surrounding foliage may change throughout the year and over time.
• Utilities: Call local authorities to identify utility lines near your building site.
• Grade and soil: Ideally, you want a level site with good drainage and firm soil. Building your shed on a grade or at the bottom of a hill can lead to moisture problems, including mould and mildew on items stored inside. If your site slopes steeply (more than 12" from one side to the other), or drainage is an issue, you’ll need an appropriate foundation.
• Aesthetics: How would the shed look from a neighbour’s vantage point? If you belong to a neighbourhood homeowners association, are their rules governing the placement, dimensions, or aesthetics of a shed?
• Other considerations: Proximity to water, electricity, or propane; natural light; ventilation; the ability to deliver construction materials to the site; and space for a ramp if you’re planning to store a lawn mower or other rolling equipment.

1. Gather all the items you would like to store inside your storage shed: lawnmower, bikes, shelving units, workbench, etc.
2. Lay these items out on a square on the ground. Make sure there is plenty of clearance for you to navigate and rearrange the items within. We suggest adding 12 to 36" of extra space to allow for walking.
3. Using a tape measure, measure how much space these items occupy as they rest on the ground.

Storage sheds are available in a variety of materials, and each comes with their own pros and cons. Evaluate each option to choose the one best suited to your needs.