What to Look for in Garages and Sheds

Everyone needs a garage or shed, and often people need both. Many homeowners, however, find themselves confronting a difficult choice: pay way too much to get garages and sheds, or else end up with a structure that is cheap and flimsy. Fortunately, you don't need to make this awful choice, as it's possible to find strong structures at reasonable prices. Here's what to look for:

1.  A specialist – Lots of companies manufacture garages and sheds, but most of them will charge too much and under-deliver. At Fair Dinkum, we dedicate ourselves to creating affordable, durable, and attractive storage buildings. Our experience and specialization means that we can deliver a better garage at a lower price. Always seek out a specialist!

2.  Fully engineered solutions – No matter what a builder may say, you don't want a structure that is built solely on gut instinct. It may seem simple to put up a pole barn-style building and the roof may stay up at first but, if it doesn't comply with building codes, it may be weaker than it looks. Always look for garages and sheds that have been drafted and approved by a real engineer.

3.  Cold formed steel – There are lots of great building materials for garages and sheds, but if you're looking for the ultimate combination of strength and price then you should start your search with cold formed steel buildings. Cold formed steel offers an almost limitless variety of styles, while reducing costs and resulting in a sturdy, low-maintenance shed.

4.  Style options – Any company that offers garages and sheds should be able to do so in a huge variety of designs; these can include American barns, Quaker barns, two-story garages, and barns with a rec room or sliding doors and porches—the list is almost endless. Even for simple structures like open-sided carports, your manufacturing company should be able to offer a variety of roof styles and options. They should also have a variety of colours, so that you can match your shed with any existing buildings easily.

5.  ShedSafe™ accreditation – ShedSafe™ is the gold standard of structural integrity for garages and sheds in Australia. It was first created following Cyclone Larry, which led to an alarming number of collapsed and failed sheds. The Australian Steel Institute decided to create an accreditation system for shed producers that follow safety and engineering best practices. So ShedSafe™ accredited structures are built to last.

What are you looking for in a garage or shed?