Heard a guy at the lumber yard price out a shed at $11k and nearly choked

I was grabbing 2x4s on Tuesday when this older fella was telling the clerk how his quote for a 10x12 shed with a metal roof came back over $11,000, and he was trying to talk himself into just building it himself. He kept saying 'it's just a box, how hard can it be' which got me thinking about all the hidden costs I always forget, like gravel base, damp proofing, and the 3 trips to the hardware store for missing fasteners. Has anyone here actually tracked their real cost per square foot on a small build, and did it come out closer to the DIY dream or the pro quote?

2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

2 Comments

benb212mo ago

Tracked every penny on my 10x12 last summer and it came out around $6,800 with me doing all the work. That includes the gravel, the pressure treated lumber, metal roof, and yeah, three extra trips for stuff I forgot like joist hangers and the right size lag screws. Biggest surprise was the little stuff, flashing, sealant, door hardware, it adds up way faster than you think. Still saved maybe 35% off the pro quote but my time on weekends was basically free, or at least I told myself that. If that guy is decent with tools, I'd say go for it, just budget for the annoying bits and don't rush the foundation.

2

linda3352mo ago

Did you include the cost of tools you had to buy, or was that a separate line you just ignored to feel better?

6