Pre-built "Amish" Sheds

[alex3610]

I'm in the market for a back yard shed. As much as I would love to try and build one myself I have absolutely no time to do it so I am going the pre-built route.

I've visited about 5 different shed lots now in my area (Richmond, VA) and they are all built either in Lancaster PA or out around Harrisonburg VA. The biggest difference so far seems to be in the floors.

Two places use LP Products shed floor which I think is 3/4" OSB sheathing with a coating on the top side that is supposed to protect the flooring. From looking underneath however it appears to be regular OSB. Anyone have experience with this stuff?

The other places either have OSB, plywood, or an option for pressure treated plywood. My gut tells me to go with the pressure treated plywood but I really don't have much experience here. The shed is most likely going to sit on concrete blocks over dirt or maybe a few inches of crushed stone if the budget will allow.

My house was built with 6.5" single bead vinyl siding and it looks like the HOA is going to make me match it on the shed. Most of these guys seem to want to do anything they can to keep from special ordering siding but it doesn't look like I'm going to have much of a choice. They all want about 400-500 over the cost of a standard vinyl building which sounds high to me. That sound like a rip off to anyone else?

 

[Kaizen]

Pre-built "Amish" Sheds

No need for pressure treated if it’s on blocks and sheathed properly. (No leaks)
That increase in price is to scare away people from the idea.

To clarify...pressure treated plywood for the floor is not needed but all other joists need to be pressure treated. I keep mine off the ground 6 inches and it works well due to air circulation

 

[theoldwizard1]

A proper foundation is key to long life !

 

[alex3610]

No need for pressure treated if it’s on blocks and sheathed properly. (No leaks)
That increase in price is to scare away people from the idea.


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Kind of what I figured on the vinyl. Unfortunately if the HOA says I gotta do it I don't have much of a choice. Beaded siding is really pretty common around here as are neighborhoods with HOA's so you would think this wouldn't be that big of a deal but who knows.

 

[readhead]

The LP floor sheeting with the coating is treated for insect resistance. I am a Tuff Shed dealer and that is what they use. If it is built offsite and transported vinyl siding does not travel down the road very well.

 

[glentre]

Alex,

I also live in the Midlothian area and looked at lots all over the Richmond area about 15 yrs ago when we needed a shed. Ended up using a company in Mechanicsville on Rt 360....don't know if they are still there but they carried a huge selection of sheds at the time.

The company set our shed on concrete blocks.............just slid it off the tilting flatbed truck onto the blocks and made minor adjustments using pressure treated wood shims. The floor is plywood over 2x4 joists and with three treated 4x4's perpendicular to the joists resting on the concrete blocks. No problems with it in all the years we have had it.

The company gave us the option of choosing our own siding which we specified to match the house. It was an up-charge but I don't recall how much.

Glen

 

[CJM8515]

had one that was delivered in pieces and erected on site 20 years ago. We put down a base of 1/4 red river rock (since we had some left over) and it came delivered on 4x4 posts as a base. So far no rot in 20 years.

 

[gemniii]

I'm in the market for a back yard shed. As much as I would love to try and build one myself I have absolutely no time to do it so I am going the pre-built route.
<snip>
Two places use LP Products shed floor which I think is 3/4" OSB sheathing with a coating on the top side that is supposed to protect the flooring. From looking underneath however it appears to be regular OSB. Anyone have experience with this stuff?

The other places either have OSB, plywood, or an option for pressure treated plywood. My gut tells me to go with the pressure treated plywood but I really don't have much experience here. The shed is most likely going to sit on concrete blocks over dirt or maybe a few inches of crushed stone if the budget will allow.
<snip>

A proper foundation is key to long life !

I'm in the process of getting a 12x20 in Alexandria, Va. After looking at floors I've decided to go with Advantech OSB. I had planned to go with PT plywood but I've bought several batches of PT plywood and have had the exterior skin come unglued revealing LARGE voids. I would like to use marine plywood but that's just TOO expensive.

Also I plan on painting both sides with several layers of paint.

Then I might get a kit to put on top.

 

[aunsafe2015]

I'm in the process of getting a 12x20 in Alexandria, Va. After looking at floors I've decided to go with Advantech OSB. I had planned to go with PT plywood but I've bought several batches of PT plywood and have had the exterior skin come unglued revealing LARGE voids. I would like to use marine plywood but that's just TOO expensive.

Also I plan on painting both sides with several layers of paint.

Then I might get a kit to put on top.

What company are you using? Or building yourself?

 

[JimVonBaden]

What company are you using? Or building yourself?

I'm interested too.

 

[aunsafe2015]

I'm interested too.

A company named Stoltzfus Structures delivers pre-built sheds to northern VA. Build on site, too. "Amish Built" is another. Seem to have decent reputations but I've never actually seen anything built by either of them. I am thinking about having one of them build a garage for me, but I'd have to take care of all permits and probably the site work, foundation, and slab, and then they would just do the building itself.

 

[JimVonBaden]

A company named Stoltzfus Structures delivers pre-built sheds to northern VA. Build on site, too. "Amish Built" is another. Seem to have decent reputations but I've never actually seen anything built by either of them. I am thinking about having one of them build a garage for me, but I'd have to take care of all permits and probably the site work, foundation, and slab, and then they would just do the building itself.

That is what I am looking for, and extension to my garage, 12X16. I already have the slab.

 

[njride]

A company named Stoltzfus Structures delivers pre-built sheds to northern VA. Build on site, too. "Amish Built" is another. Seem to have decent reputations but I've never actually seen anything built by either of them. I am thinking about having one of them build a garage for me, but I'd have to take care of all permits and probably the site work, foundation, and slab, and then they would just do the building itself.

I got one from stoltzfus structures about 13 yrs ago. Really love it. Plywood floors and they had an option for extra floor joists to strengthen the floor, which i did since i keep 2 motorcycles in there. The only thing i would say is absolutely have a proper foundation so the shed isnt just sitting on gravel. I didnt and now the bottom of the t111 has a lttle water damage. Also the shed settled a little in one corner over time. They recommended how much stone i should get and it turned out i needed at least 50% more.

I remember when they delivered it on this huge rollback trailer the kid seriously looked like he was 15 yrs old. He backed that truck up right next to a major busy road and threaded it through the barely big enough section of fence i took down like a boss, first try.

For what i paid for it i could not be happier, its built miles better than the garbage at home depot. I just wish they had not recommended to basically just put it on the ground. If it was up off the ground i think it would last my lifetime easily.

 

[mod34]

Alex, go with the pt plywood. the larger the shed, the plywood will hold the load better. if the shed is smaller, LP will be just fine. I bought a 14w x 32L garage style shed a few years back and I was very impressed with the strength difference between the two. 12x20 with LP flooring, on mostly level surface - doors would bind. 12x20 with pt plywood floor, on a very unlevel surface - all doors opened as they should - NO binding! the pt plywood floor just felt more solid when walking thru it - no bounce. the floor in my shed is 3/4 pt plywood. I am VERY happy with my shed and am sorry I did not buy one a whole lot sooner. I bought my shed from: Heritage Structures, LLC - Shippensburg, Pa. 717-414-0807. hope this info helps.

 

[alex3610]

Alex,

I also live in the Midlothian area and looked at lots all over the Richmond area about 15 yrs ago when we needed a shed. Ended up using a company in Mechanicsville on Rt 360....don't know if they are still there but they carried a huge selection of sheds at the time.

The company set our shed on concrete blocks.............just slid it off the tilting flatbed truck onto the blocks and made minor adjustments using pressure treated wood shims. The floor is plywood over 2x4 joists and with three treated 4x4's perpendicular to the joists resting on the concrete blocks. No problems with it in all the years we have had it.

The company gave us the option of choosing our own siding which we specified to match the house. It was an up-charge but I don't recall how much.

Glen

If they are still there today that was probably either Valley Structures or Byler Barns. I checked out both of them, both building nice stuff. Byler was significantly more expensive than just about everything else I've looked at. I really liked Valley the only concern I had with them is they don't use a Mule to deliver the shed and I could have an issue getting a 12x16 on a trailer around the side of my garage Valley quoted me a 10% up-charge over the base building price for special order vinyl siding.

At this point I'm leaning towards the pressure treated flooring (both joists and plywood). Still contemplating if I will just do the blocks right on the ground or if I can try and get a load of gravel down (and compacted) underneath it.

 

[gemniii]

What company are you using? Or building yourself?

Was mainly looking at kits, I've 3 sons between 30 and 40 yrs old I hope to corral as a workforce.

I'm mainly concerned about the foundation and floor.

A company named Stoltzfus Structures delivers pre-built sheds to northern VA. Build on site, too. "Amish Built" is another. Seem to have decent reputations but I've never actually seen anything built by either of them. I am thinking about having one of them build a garage for me, but I'd have to take care of all permits and probably the site work, foundation, and slab, and then they would just do the building itself.

Note that only

Sheds and playhouses over 256 square feet

require permits in Fairfax County, per https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/landdevelopment/when-permit-required.

Used to be 150 sq feet when I built a shed here in 1986.

 

[glentre]

If they are still there today that was probably either Valley Structures or Byler Barns. I checked out both of them, both building nice stuff. Byler was significantly more expensive than just about everything else I've looked at. I really liked Valley the only concern I had with them is they don't use a Mule to deliver the shed and I could have an issue getting a 12x16 on a trailer around the side of my garage Valley quoted me a 10% up-charge over the base building price for special order vinyl siding.

At this point I'm leaning towards the pressure treated flooring (both joists and plywood). Still contemplating if I will just do the blocks right on the ground or if I can try and get a load of gravel down (and compacted) underneath it.

Alex,
While we haven't had any problems yet, I would also go with the treated ply floor and joists to be safe. We have termite monitoring stations around the shed but no activity so far. Ours was bought in 2000 from a company called Crowders in Mechanicsville which does not seem to be in business any longer. Maybe one of the folks you mentioned bought them out. Ten percent up-charge for custom vinyl looks like a must do for you if you have a HOA watching you. If the shed is close to the house, you will be glad you did it.

Glen

 

[alex3610]

Alex,
While we haven't had any problems yet, I would also go with the treated ply floor and joists to be safe. We have termite monitoring stations around the shed but no activity so far. Ours was bought in 2000 from a company called Crowders in Mechanicsville which does not seem to be in business any longer. Maybe one of the folks you mentioned bought them out. Ten percent up-charge for custom vinyl looks like a must do for you if you have a HOA watching you. If the shed is close to the house, you will be glad you did it.

Glen

Not only the HOA, but my own OCD also comes into play as well. Surprisingly the HOA it turns out had records from 10-15 years ago when the previous owners resided the house (was originally hardboard) so I now know the exact manufacturer, model and color which is still produced today. Having that information, and knowing that I can make it match the house perfectly, I'd never be able to look at it if it didn't match.

 

[Kenstone1]

I didn't and now the bottom of the t111 has a little water damage. Also the shed settled a little in one corner over time. They recommended how much stone I should get and it turned out I needed at least 50% more.

That water damage comment jogged my memory...

I've bought 2 Tuff sheds that the walls were pre-built/painted at the factory.
The installers laid the walls down flat to repaint them prior to standing/installing, so I asked them to paint all the edges too, and the bottom twice.
Most sheds don't have gutters and the water dripping off the roof splashes up under the edge of the siding causing damage if it's not painted.
The floor joists on a Tuff Shed are galvanized steel, so there's that...

 

[blair683]

I haven’t read this entire thread but I can tell you my expierence. I bought my 12’x20’ four years ago. I have since moved it two times. It has always been on a level base of #57 limestone. The exterior walls is painted LP Smartside with a shingle roof. It has a single garage door and a man door with a single window. It has the taller 8’ walls and gambrel roof.

When I purchased it I had the option of plywood floors or treated 2x6 floor. I went with the plywood floors. I have spilt oil on it a few times and it’s has gotten wet a couple of times. So far it has held up great. It started out as a little workshop for me until I built a garage. Now it is strictly storage.

The taller walls are a must. You can have a loft and still walk under it. I paid $4,150 delivered for it. It was a little cheaper because it was a model already built and sitting in the lot.

 

[gemniii]

I haven’t read this entire thread but I can tell you my expierence. I bought my 12’x20’ four years ago. I have since moved it two times. It has always been on a level base of #57 limestone. The exterior walls is painted LP Smartside with a shingle roof. It has a single garage door and a man door with a single window. It has the taller 8’ walls and gambrel roof. <snip>

That's what I'm wanting to do. How difficult is moving it?

 

[blair683]

When I needed it moved I called the place that I bought it from. They moved it to a different part of my property for $175.

 

[alex3610]

I just found another builder that's about 100 miles away but more reasonably priced and more willing to work with me. (Good's Garden Sheds of Rustburg VA).

So far they are the only ones that will actually credit me the cost of their vinyl siding ($227.98) and then I would simply supply them with my specific siding as needed. The other quotes were between a 500 and 600 upcharge. My only issue now is that Revere Building Products won't sell cash and only sells to established accounts so I need to find a contractor that will make the purchase for me.

These folks also offer multiple flooring choices. 5/8" exterior grade plywood, LP Products Shed floor (OSB with coating/treatment), and 5/8" pressure treated plywood. The LP floor is a whopping $0.06 per square foot upcharge and the PT Ply is $0.61/sq ft. They are also going to upgrade from 2x4 @ 16" center joists to 2x6 12" on center for $0.39 a square which I think is a no brainer. I just need to figure out which floor choice. The lady said lots of people have been happy with the LP and some people have had issues with the PT warping or shrinking and swelling over time.

Their standard wall sheathing is 7/16" OSB, but for $0.37 per linear ft (About $20 on my building) you can get the silver radiant backing. I don't know if it does a damn thing for heat but the reflective nature I think is worth it alone from a lighting perspective.

Between their lack of gouging on the vinyl and very reasonable option prices they are coming in quite a bit cheaper than everyone in my area even after factoring in an extra delivery fee of $150. Not to mention they build a taller peaked roof that will not only better match my house but also give me more loft storage.

 

[CJ7VFR]

I bought my shed from Pequea Sheds and Gazebos back in 2012. They are up in Lancaster PA. Here is their website:
http://www.pequea.net/index.html

They deliver to PA, NJ, VA and the surrounding area.

They can build just about anything you want and customize it anyway you wish. They make sheds, gazebos, out buildings, garages, you name it. Their website shows all the upgrades and other custom items you could want from higher walls, different style doors, different windows, ramps for sheds, and on and on.

Below is my shed. It is 10x16 with 6 inch higher walls, overhangs on the gable ends, a 6 foot wide double door, a 3 foot wide people door, larger gable vents, 3 windows, all pressure treated flooring, a loft inside and they custom painted the shed, doors and trim to match my house along with using the same color/style roofing shingles as my house.

The actual owner of the company delivered my shed to my house in NJ. He did the delivery all by himself and placed the shed exactly centered on my pressure treated 6x6 base. I filled the base with 3/4 inch stone.

Jim

 

[alex3610]

I bought my shed from Pequea Sheds and Gazebos back in 2012. They are up in Lancaster PA. Here is their website:
http://www.pequea.net/index.html

They deliver to PA, NJ, VA and the surrounding area.

They can build just about anything you want and customize it anyway you wish. They make sheds, gazebos, out buildings, garages, you name it. Their website shows all the upgrades and other custom items you could want from higher walls, different style doors, different windows, ramps for sheds, and on and on.

Below is my shed. It is 10x16 with 6 inch higher walls, overhangs on the gable ends, a 6 foot wide double door, a 3 foot wide people door, larger gable vents, 3 windows, all pressure treated flooring, a loft inside and they custom painted the shed, doors and trim to match my house along with using the same color/style roofing shingles as my house.

The actual owner of the company delivered my shed to my house in NJ. He did the delivery all by himself and placed the shed exactly centered on my pressure treated 6x6 base. I filled the base with 3/4 inch stone.

Jim

That's a nice looking building. Where in Central NJ? I grew up in Mercer County. Not many flat yards around here like that.

 

[CJ7VFR]

That's a nice looking building. Where in Central NJ? I grew up in Mercer County. Not many flat yards around here like that.

Thanks. The best part about the shed was talking over the customized features I wanted. The owners said I could pretty much have it anyway I wanted it as long as they thought they could do it that way. If they didn't think they could do something I wanted, they told me right then and there before everything was final. But all of the stuff I wanted they did.

And I was born, raised, and still live in Mercer County in Hopewell Township! Where did you grow up?

Jim

 

[6PTsocket]

Thanks. The best part about the shed was talking over the customized features I wanted. The owners said I could pretty much have it anyway I wanted it as long as they thought they could do it that way. If they didn't think they could do something I wanted, they told me right then and there before everything was final. But all of the stuff I wanted they did.

And I was born, raised, and still live in Mercer County in Hopewell Township! Where did you grow up?

Jim

They look really good. I'm in Jackson. Anything over 100 sq ft requires concrete footings and is taxable. That means it is a 10 x 10 or 8 × 12. I think that is all I need anyway to get the snow blower and tractor and pressure washer and garden trailer out of the garage. I see they don't show much in gambrel roofs. I guess you can just go with taller walls. That shed with the metal roof is really nice. I didn't see any prices. My neighbor just got a T111 10 x10 from a place on rt 9 in Howell. They erected it on site in about 3 hrs. End double doors, no windows, gambrel roof, a couple of shelves. $1700. I wonder what kind of prices the Lancaster guy gets? If it sounds workable, it will make a nice ride and I can swing past Stoud's brewery and restaurant.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Matt M PA]

If you're still looking...I'd recommend Stoltzfus Structures or Horizon Structures. Both at the same facility in Atglen PA. They build both my shed and detached garage. VERY pleased with both.

 

[Cheepbeer]

FWIW, just cause it's Amish, doesn't mean it's any better. Usually the only difference is Amish built means they used a gas powered compressor to run the nail guns.

 

[east_tn_emc]

Watched the "repo man" come and take the one my neighbor (across the street) had apparently missed a few payments on. Emptied it out and had it on the rollback truck in just a few minutes.

 

[6PTsocket]

If you're still looking...I'd recommend Stoltzfus Structures or Horizon Structures. Both at the same facility in Atglen PA. They build both my shed and detached garage. VERY pleased with both.

How far afield do they deliver?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

 

[Matt M PA]

6PTsocket...their site is mysheds.net or horizonstructures.com. I just don't know how far they routinely deliver...but do know that some projects have been delivered far.

I have worked with both...and have a great repoire with both. Perhaps a phone call is in order?

 

[CJ7VFR]

FWIW, just cause it's Amish, doesn't mean it's any better. Usually the only difference is Amish built means they used a gas powered compressor to run the nail guns.

That can be true. If you can look at actual samples, as well as look at how the sheds are built and using what materials are being used where, you can get a better idea of which company makes the best shed for your price range.

When I was shopping for my shed, I looked at several shed builders close to my home, but all of them, which were not "Amish", seemed to scrimp on the actual construction of the framing as well as using particle board for the roof sheathing. Any leak at all in the roof and particle board will be ruined quick.

Also, almost every non-Amish built shed I saw around me had the framing at 24 inches on center. I didn't want that.

I wanted a shed that used real plywood (pressure treated as well as non-pressure treated), pressure treated flooring, and also used house type construction methods like 16 inch on center framing and other items.

The Amish sheds seemed to have more of those features than the non-Amish sheds, at least around my area where I live. That, and the actual amount of customization I could get from Pequea, as well as the fair prices, was why I chose to go with them.

They even color matched the paint on the walls, trim and doors of the shed to my house so I didn't have to paint the shed myself. And they only charged me an extra $50 to do that. I thought that was very reasonable.

Jim

 

[b-boy]

After looking at floors I've decided to go with Advantech OSB. I had planned to go with PT plywood but I've bought several batches of PT plywood and have had the exterior skin come unglued revealing LARGE voids. I would like to use marine plywood but that's just TOO expensive.

Advantech OSB is really good stuff. I used it in a few applications. I left a piece outside for the last month to see what would happen to it. It looks exactly like it did when I left it outside. It's been raining and snowing quite a bit too.

 

[b-boy]

When I needed it moved I called the place that I bought it from. They moved it to a different part of my property for $175.

I have a funny story about this.

I had a psycho neighbor that was foreclosed on (thank God) a few years ago. He was a real piece of work.

The bank took his house. It sat empty for almost 2 years. He would sneak in and take whatever he could out of the house. He took light fixtures, pipes, bathroom fixtures, even doors. He basically stripped the house of anything valuable.

He had a really nice Amish-built shed he'd purchased a few years before he went belly-up. It was a big shed. It was tall and had a loft.

One morning during the winter, I left for work really early. I heard a bunch of noise from next door. I noticed that the front part of his fence was knocked down. I saw headlights pointing out from his back yard. I could see an old white Buick grill sticking out of the fence. He hooked the shed to the bumper of the Buick, and was dragging it out of the yard on the skids. Basically, he was stealing his own shed in the middle of the night.

When I got home I went over to his yard. You could see the skid marks the shed left all the way to the road.

He'd somehow managed to get another house about 1 mile away from his old house and he'd dragged the shed to the new house on it's skids in the dark. I don't know how the cops didn't catch him doing it, but he did it.

Like I said, he was a piece of work. He still owes me $700.

He did almost get arrested once when he tried to steal his fence. He showed up with a trailer and started removing sections of the fence. The neighbors called the cops. The cops threatened to arrest him unless he put the fence sections back up. After that, if anyone saw him in the neighborhood they called the cops immediately.

 

[Bretny]

If you want to see how the "amish" build something you should type in Jayco factory tour into you tube. You will think different of many amish built things.

 

[CoogarXR]

I got my 10x16 from Sheds Direct. They have a sales lot nearby and gave me a good price for a cash deal. Threw in the ramp and everything.

I never really paid attention to what the floor is made of. It's some type of wood slats with a coating on it. Here's a pic before I loaded my hoard into it:

 

[madmaxnj]

Another vote for Stoltzfus structures (mysheds.com). I did a lot of research and they had the best product for the price. Not the cheapest, and not the most expensive. LP Smartsiding walls, and I forget the specifics but some kind of engineered floor surface. I still coated the floor with Drylock and the interior framing too since I'll park my quad in there after plowing the driveway. I'm also going with them for building my 24x32 garage. Very nice to work with.

 

[mjeff87]

PO (or anyone else in the greater Richmond area).......

Check out Village Shed Store down in Dinwiddie. That's were I got my shed from. Amish built, trucked down here and they installed it in my backyard. I have an old thread on here about it but all the pictures are dead thanks to Photosuckit. I have a VERY unlevel rear lot where I wanted it to go, and the Shed Store guys (Lonnie is the owner) built me a deck to set it on.

I'm in an HOA also, and had to match the siding, trim and shingles to my house....all of that was done at no upcharge. It didn't come with gutters, though, so I had to add them (hindsight I probably could have optioned that in for a few $$$ more). I still need to build a ramp for it, but I love what I ended up with. 10x14, came in right around $1800.

Here's a pic from when it was first installed several years ago.

Jeff

 

[gemniii]

They look really good. I'm in Jackson. Anything over 100 sq ft requires concrete footings and is taxable. <snip>

And I thought Fairfax County Virginia was restrictive!
When I built my first shed here in '84 150 sq ft was the "permit limit", but they've changed it to 256 sq ft

<snip>

Here's a pic from when it was first installed several years ago.

Jeff

How do keep the grass short? Lawnmower on a rope or goats?