Loan Shed Cost Estimator
A shed has three honest prices depending on who sweats: a kit you assemble, a prefab dropped off a truck, or a custom build framed on site. Enter the footprint and pick the route — get the range for each decision, foundation caveat included.
Sizes run 8×10 (lawn gear) to 12×20 (workshop). Many towns allow up to 120 sq ft without a permit — the default here — but setbacks and HOA rules still apply; check before the truck arrives.
How it works
Per-square-foot installed bands by route: kit $15–$30 (kit price plus your weekend, floor kit included in the band), prefab $30–$55 (built in a factory, delivered whole or panelised, sited on your pad), custom $55–$95 (framed on site to match the house — real roof, real siding, real door hardware). The foundation is the shared caveat: a gravel pad runs a few hundred dollars; a concrete slab adds $5–$9 per sq ft and is not inside these bands.
Method & worked example
Method: Total = footprint area × route band: kit $15–30 per sq ft (you assemble), prefab $30–55 (delivered built), custom $55–95 (built on site). Foundation, electrical and interior finish are outside the bands.
Worked example: A 10 × 12 ft prefab shed: 120 sq ft × $30–55 = $3,600–$6,600 sited, mid-band $5,100.
When to use this
- You are choosing between a kit weekend, a delivered prefab and a site build.
- An HOA or spouse requires the shed budget in writing first.
- You are checking a shed company's per-foot price against the route bands.
How to use it, step by step
- Enter the footprint: length × width.
- Pick the build route honestly (your weekends are an input).
- Read the range, then budget the pad separately.
- Check permit/setback rules for your size before ordering.
What the inputs mean
| Input | What it is | Typical values |
|---|---|---|
| Footprint | Length × width in feet | 8 × 10 gear; 10 × 12 standard; 12 × 20 workshop |
| Build route | Kit, prefab or custom band | Kit $15–30; prefab $30–55; custom $55–95 per sq ft |
Another worked example
An 8 × 10 ft kit shed: 80 sq ft × $15–30 = $1,200–$2,400 for the kit route, mid-band $1,800 — plus a floor if the kit omits one and a gravel pad to stand it on. At this size the kit's price advantage over prefab ($2,400–$4,400) is one weekend of your labour, priced plainly.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 10 × 12 shed cost?
Prefab, delivered and sited: $3,600–$6,600, mid-band about $5,100. The same footprint as a kit runs $1,800–$3,600 plus your labour; custom-built on site, $6,600–$11,400. Route choice is a 3× price decision on the same square footage.
How much does an 8 × 10 kit shed cost?
$1,200–$2,400 for the kit route at 80 sq ft — plus a floor if the kit lacks one, and a pad to put it on. Metal and resin kits sit at the low end; wood kits with real shingles at the high end.
Prefab or custom?
Prefab wins on speed and price for standard storage — it arrives Tuesday and stores things Wednesday. Custom wins when the shed must match the house (HOA), fit an odd footprint, or carry a real workshop's loads and wiring.
Do I need a foundation?
Something flat, level and drained — yes. Gravel pad minimum for kits and prefabs; concrete for custom builds and anything with heavy equipment. A shed set on bare dirt rots its skids and racks its doors within a few seasons.
Do I need a permit for a shed?
Commonly no under 120 sq ft (some places 200), but setbacks from property lines, height caps and HOA approvals still bind. The permit office's one-page handout is the cheapest research in the whole project.
🏗️ Shed today, addition tomorrow?
When the project outgrows storage, the Home Addition Cost Estimator prices bump-outs, room additions and second stories by the square foot.
What foundation does a prefab shed need?
A level gravel pad at minimum; concrete where frost heave or heavy loads apply. Delivery crews will shim small imperfections, but a pad out of level by inches becomes doors that never close right.
Can a shed have electricity?
Yes — a subpanel or a single circuit run by an electrician, permitted. It moves the building toward workshop pricing; this estimator's bands cover the storage-grade shell, with electrical as the owner's add.