Hit 15 different shed configurations before I found one that worked for my yard

I kept trying those premade plastic sheds from the big box stores, but none of them fit the weird slope in my backyard. After sketching out 15 layouts on graph paper, I realized a lean-to design against my garage wall gave me 40% more useable space for half the cost. Has anyone else had to scrap a bunch of plans before landing on the right setup?

3 comments

3 Comments

johnson.river2d ago

Ever notice how everything good takes way more tries than you'd expect?

val_ramirez2d ago

Man, @dylan463 is absolutely right about the math thing. I got so caught up in the excitement of finally getting a shed that fits that I probably exaggerated the numbers a bit. My first sketch was basically a cardboard box on a hill, so anything was an improvement. I actually used gravel and blocks for the lean-to because I'm too cheap and lazy to mess with concrete. Took me three tries to get the blocks level though, my backyard slope is basically a ski jump.

dylan4633d ago

You're off on the math there. A lean-to against a garage wall probably saves you from building three walls instead of four, which cuts material cost, but it doesn't automatically give you 40% more space for half the cost unless you were building a way smaller shed before. The real win with a lean-to on a slope is you can let the roof follow the grade without needing to dig out a level pad or pour an expensive foundation. I found that out the hard way after my third attempt, so I feel your pain on all those failed sketches. Did you have to pour new footings for the lean-to or did you use gravel and blocks?