Do construction and maintenance type work for long enough, and you will get to see what works, and what doesn’t, that is, if you pay attention.

Storage buildings, barns, garages, and shops have evolved, and the days of the old rusty “tin” building are about over, except in photographs and memories. The evolution of utility buildings has happened because of the materials used to build them, and increasingly, the material of choice is steel.

Longevity

Steel is the structural material that industry is built on, and it is becoming common in residential building as well. The steel itself is not anything new, but the major force in this trend is the coating. Better methods for galvanizing and painting have come about, and with them the durability and longevity of the products have increased.

Warranty

A side effect of this longevity and durability is manufacturers warranty. Over time, this has increased.
Warranties vary from one company to the next, but it is not unusual to find buildings with a rust through warranty of 20 years or more.

Prices

There are a multitude of pre engineered steel building manufacturers actively working in the marketplace today, a fact that has increased competition, and resulted in lower prices, and higher standards for the consumer, so prices are great! With prices at about the same level, or lower in some cases than in previous years, the market looks great for the consumer right now.

Maintenance

Another positive for prefab steel buildings over other types is the issue of maintenance. Modern steel buildings require very little of it, especially when compared to their wooden or composite counterparts. No regular painting an resealing is required.

Versatility

Prefab steel buildings can be constructed in many configurations, and can be used for shops, barns, garages, carports, storage buildings, and even housing. The list is as large as your imagination!

Sources for prefab steel buildings

There are a lot of companies that will be happy to sell you a steel building built to your configuration, and we have a recommendation based on the volume of business done, customer satisfaction, and ease of acquisition. See: Steel Buildings for more information.

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If you are renting storage space from a public storage company, you are throwing away money! That may sound blunt, but it is true. I have known people who spent $1200.00 or more a year for several years, storing $600.00 worth of material. It does not make sense, and there is no way to spin it so that it does. Even if you used a rent to own contract to get out of public storage, it would make a lot more sense than continuing to pay for, well, really, nothing!

Income tax returns

Credit cards

Rent to own

Work together with a neighbor

Savings

Banks

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Don’t miss these incredible deals! Double markdowns and free delivery on all outdoor products, including storage buildings and storage building accessories! Don’t wait, these prices can’t last forever!

We have made it simple to buy. See our Buying Storage Buildings Online for simple, straightforward instructions and information on the purchase process. If you are shopping from the list on this page, you can go straight to the section titled: “To learn more about the storage building, or to buy the storage building” and follow the instructions there.

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Before you get started choosing a storage building, there are a few things you should research. Some states, counties, cities, and neighborhoods have rules and regulations regarding the types of buildings, and the placement of buildings within their jurisdictions. It is important to know what these are at the very start of this process. You wouldn’t want to do all the work of planning and buying only to find out that the building you bought, or the place you where you put it, violates local laws or ordinances.

Home owner associations and storage buildings

Some home owners associations have outdated rules about the types of materials that can be used for storage buildings inside their communities. This restriction usually requires wood storage buildings as opposed to steel buildings. We feel that this is an outdated rule. The point of contention is rusty sheet metal. Most painted steel used for storage buildings today is galvanized, and coated with a paint and a process that guarantees 20 years or more against rust through. If your HOA has this regulation, you will probably have to live with it.

Some communities have regulations concerning the height of the buildings, restricting the height to a level near the height of the fencing. Many manufacturers market buildings specifically built to target such markets.

There are other considerations, such as access for emergency equipment, and power line positions, which may have an effect on the placement of the building.

We suggest calling or emailing all local governing agencies including your county, parish, city, or home owners association before choosing your building.

Please let us know about the rules and regulations concerning storage buildings in your area. We would love to have you share your information with our readers in the comments on this page.

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There are many lease to own programs offering everything from home electronics and appliances to automobile tires and wheels. Almost anything from homes to computers can be rented with an option to buy. While some of these programs may not be desirable, there are some that can be of huge benefit under the right conditions.

Rent to own storage buildings

Renting to own utility buildings is one place where lease purchase makes sense, especially if any of these conditions exist:

• You are currently renting storage space in a public storage unit.
• You need the building for business purposes.
• You have credit issues.
• You want to avoid credit issues in the future.

When is lease to own a good option?

To avoid perpetual rent

If you are renting something that you really need, it would be better to pay a little more to rent that product with the option to own it rather than renting it to perpetuity. Leasing storage space at a self storage, public storage, or mini storage facility costs money that will never be regained. However, a rent to own storage building will eventually belong to you, and you will come to a point where the building is paid for, and there will be no further costs.

Business and taxes

Lease purchase also makes sense if you are using the product for business. Rent to own storage buildings, if used for home office, or home business purposes can, in many cases, be written off as a tax deduction for business.

Past credit issues

If your credit is less than perfect, you can rent to own without having a credit check, and without worry of further credit problems in case of default. In most cases, if you realize you cannot continue to pay for the building, or no longer need it, you can call the supplier, and have them remove the building at no further expense to you.

Future credit issues

Most rent to own companies do not report to credit agencies unless you ask them to. Some rent to own programs will allow you to pay the remainder of the buildings cost off at any time, without having to pay the remaining rent. This offers a big advantage over most banks and home improvement loans.

Keep in mind that a lease purchase agreement will probably require you to pay almost double the cost of the building. If this seems excessive, you should also keep in mind that you would be paying interest if you borrowed the money from a lending institution, and that most programs will allow you to pay the building off early without penalty, and without paying the remaining rent. This makes the higher cost of the rent a little more palatable.

Please take note: If you are considering the purchase of a storage building through rent to own programs, or any other way, be sure to check your local Storage Building Regulations.

There are many other situations where rent to own may be the best option. Feel free to mention any that you can think of in the comment section.

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The most important part of any project is the planning and preparation stage. This is doubly true for storage building placement. The placement of your building will effect many different elements of your property. Getting the right location for your storage building is very important. When trying to determine the best location for a building in your lawn and landscape consider these ideas:

Laws and regulations

Check local laws and regulations and be certain that you are not violating any ordinances in your city or neighborhood. Depending on where you live, there may be state, county, city, and home owner association rules. These are usually only minor problems, but they should be dealt with at the earliest stages of the process.

Lawn care

Consider how you mow. If you want to mow between your new building and it’s nearest obstacles, like fences, trees, landscape beds, and other things that might exist on your lawn, you need to sure to leave enough space to get the mower between them. Having a patch of ground that is just a little too narrow to mow can be a little frustrating. Leave plenty of space for safe mowing without having to risk bumping the building or adjacent plants or structures.

Landscape issues

Make sure you have room to work and use any equipment that you may need to move between the building and your landscape elements.

Shade and light

A fairly large object in your lawn will produce shade in some areas where it did not exist before. If you have heat loving, sun loving plants near your planned location, being sure that there will be enough sunlight to allow them to thrive will be an important consideration. There is also a good chance that the storage building siding will produce a good bit of reflective heat on one side. Shade loving plants, and tender plants adjacent to the building could suffer from this. Give due consideration to these elements before deciding on placement.

Irrigation needs

Your storage building will have an effect on your irrigation. If the building is placed between irrigation heads, part of your lawn and landscape may not get the water they need. In such cases, it may be necessary to move and adjust some irrigation heads to compensate for the addition. Make sure your building is not placed on top of any heads.

Solving storage building placement problems before placement

If you are having trouble conceptualizing the storage building and it’s final position, there is a simple way to help you visualize the effects of final placement, and make adjustments before the building is placed. Simply determine the buildings floor dimensions, add an extra foot or so to each side to make up for eave overhang, and start measuring on the ground in the place where you want to place the building. You can use wire flags from a hardware store, or even flour from the grocery store to mark corners and outline the building. After this, you can check the irrigation to see what might need to be moved or adjusted. You will also be able to determine whether the building will block a favorite view, block sunlight to important plants, or bake other elements of your landscape. This will give you the chance to discover potential problems and make placement adjustments without having to move an actual building.

Note: Please check with your local authorities for Storage Building Regulations before purchasing a building.

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You have found your “just right” storage building, financed it in a way that doesn’t blow the family budget, carefully planned the placement of the building so that it doesn’t cause problems with your lawn, landscape, or maintenance activities, and have it assembled, delivered, or built safely and securely in your own back yard! Congratulations! That may have seemed like a lot of work, but the work isn’t over yet.

Storage building maintenance

With anything you buy or build, there is always some maintenance involved. Storage buildings are no exception. Some storage sheds, particularly the painted metal buildings, like steel storage sheds, are pretty easy to maintain. Some, like wood or composite wood type materials require a little more maintenance to stay in good condition and protect your belongings for the long term. We recommend making a checklist, and setting up a schedule to check the things on your list. This may seem like a lot of time, but it will only take a few minutes each month, and can save you a lot of time and money on repairs and losses as the building ages. When you find something that needs to be done, set a time to repair it, get whatever materials you need, and do that little job before it becomes a much larger issue.

Common storage building maintenance practices

There are some maintenance practices that are common to all types of buildings, one that is often overlooked is leveling.

Leveling

If your building is set up on blocks, you may need to level it up on occasion. If you notice sticking doors or windows, or separations, it could be that the building is slightly out of square because it is no longer level. Checking for level can be done with a common “spirit level”, and any problems can usually be corrected by driving a tapered “shim” under the low area until the spirit level bubble is centered.

Cleaning

Dirt and grime can cause a building to age prematurely, periodic cleaning with mild detergents, and no abrasives will make it last longer, and look better throughout the life of the building.

Moisture control

The elements are the enemy of most building materials. Moisture can cause rust, corrosion, and rot. Keeping your storage building sealed against moisture is one of the most important activities for you buildings longevity, and the safety of it’s contents. Make sure that all fasteners are snug, all joints are sealed, and all weatherstripping is in good working condition.

Metal buildings

Metal buildings require little maintenance, usually consisting of periodic cleaning, “snugging up” fasteners, checking for leaks and applying a little silicone sealer when and where it is needed, checking door and window seals, and replacing weatherstripping where needed, and a little touch up paint if you do find a scratch or nick. For cleaning use a mild detergent, and rinse thoroughly. Do not use abrasive cleaners as these will thin the protective coatings.

Vinyl and plastic buildings

Vinyl requires little care, like painted metal, periodic cleaning, fastener checking, and properly sealing seams, joints, and doors and windows will be the major issues. As with metal buildings, use a mild detergent, and no abrasives.

Wood and wood composite buildings

Wood building maintenance is a little more difficult than other types of buildings, and the problem is almost always the same: Keeping moisture out. In high humidity, wood takes on moisture and swells, when the humidity is lower, wood releases moisture and shrinks. This constant swelling and shrinking can have an adverse effect on your building. When wood gets wet, and stays wet for a time, it is susceptible to fungus and other elements that can cause rot. There is no such thing as “dry rot”. If wood has rotted, it was exposed to moisture at some time. The goal for maintaining any wood structure is to keep the moisture out. That is what paint, wood sealer, and caulk or for. The same practices required for other building materials apply to wood and composites, but they will also need to be resealed or painted at least every 18 months, and preferably every year for maximum longevity. Check all seals and seams, and caulk as needed. Check the weatherstripping and replace as needed.

These practices will only require a little time, but will increase the longevity of your building, and save it’s contents from unnecessary damage.

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Storage buildings have an important place in modern suburban and rural life, but, you ask:

Do I need a storage building?

Let me start off by saying yes, you need a storage building! At least you need one if you have any of these issues:

You are renting storage space from a public storage facility.

This is about the best reason I can imagine for buying a storage building. If you are paying monthly fees to someone else to keep your stuff, there is a pretty good chance that those monthly fees would pay for a storage shed with the same amount of space for a years worth of fees.

Your garage is so full that you can’t get your car inside.

Most people use their garages to store the things they don’t need immediately, but can’t part with. If you have trouble parking in your garage, you need a storage building.

Your home business home office has become to large for your home.

Moving your home office, or at least some of those boxes of files stacked in your bedroom into a utility building is a great option.

You have children.

Your teens are taking control of almost every screen in the home for wii. Your preteens are immersed in Hannah Montana. Creating a family game room or television room a few steps from your home could be a wonderful way of maintaining your sanity.

You do your own lawn, garden and landscape care.

Tools and equipment need safe secure storage out of the weather if you plan to keep them around, and in good working order. Even if you use your garage to store such things, it is a good idea to store fuel and pesticides in a location away from your home for safety reasons. If you are an avid gardener, you probably need a potting shed, and a place to store fertilizer as well.

Your health.

If you have little space for exercising and exercise equipment inside your home, and are tired of paying those expensive gym fees, you need a home gym. If your exercise equipment is stored in your garage, or has stuff stacked on top of it in your bedroom, a storage building can become a home gymnasium with a minimum of work.

You have a clutter problem.

If you have piles and stacks of gadgets and gizmos in corners and in closets throughout your home that you can’t bare to throw away, give away, or garage sale away, you need a storage building to store it away.

There are hundreds of other reasons, the few listed here cover most homeowners. The fact is, that almost everyone in the United States could use a little more storage space for something.

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Buy Storage Buildings Online

There are many options when you need a storage building. You can go to your local dealers’ lot and have a look around, you can get plans and build one yourself from scratch if you have the skill and patience, you can get a kit from a hardware store, or department store, and you can even buy online.

Each option has it’s good and bad points, and one type does not fit all. A lot depends on whether you want to spend time and energy as opposed to money, or what level of skill and knowledge of construction methods you posses. Let’s concentrate on one of these.

Storage building buying options

You have looked through your options and decided to buy rather than build.

You have sorted through the different purchase options, and decided on buying a kit rather than having an assembled building trucked to your site.

Buying storage buildings online

So now you have decided that you want to buy a storage building, but you want to be sure that storage building purchase is done safely and securely, or without missteps or mistakes. The purchase process is normally pretty easy with most sites online, but there are always questions about the online buying process, so we thought we would make it as straightforward as possible, using the storefront that we like. Our example is one of the most common types of stores for online purchases. There are other types of stores that may differ significantly from this one, but it would be impossible to cover them all.

Here are the steps for buying a storage building online:

• When you arrive on a coupon, merchant, or product page, like the one here, you will usually find a green or tan line.
• Above the line, there is a search box you can use if you already have product or category of products in mind.
• In the green or tan line, there will be a link to the general category. Example: Outdoor.
• Below the line, you will find a list of sub categories. Example: Accessories, Cannopies & Covers, Childrens Play Area etc.
• Below the category listings there is a list of brands under the name: Browse Brands
• Below the brand list is a list of pages listed numerically
• Below the page listing is the product listing with photos and short descriptions.

To learn more about the storage building, or to buy the storage building

• To learn more about the product, or to purchase the product, simply click on the photo or link beside the photo, and it will take you to a secure page complete with a photo of the item, and more information.
• Below the photo you will find a shopping cart which will include the existing price, and a number in the box. Simply add the number of products desired, and click “add to cart”.
• You will see 3 blue buttons, clicking on one of them will allow you to:

1. View the cart
2. Continue to check out
3. Continue shopping

• Once you have checked the cart, and clicked on checkout.
• You will be taken to a secure page where you can safely fill out the appropriate credit card payment information and, delivery information.
• From there, simply follow the directions on the page to finish up, and your product order will be processed and sent shortly.

Remember, that this is only an example, and some online stores will be different.

Please feel free to browse our online store for the best prices, and free delivery for our readers!

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