[goatmanmitch]

I'm considering getting one, plank wood sides, plank floor, two large beams underneath, metal roof, wide door and a window. Probably the 8x12, maybe the 10x10.

Looks decent, $1450 delivered. Price seems reasonable, thoughts?

Also, the frugal side of me has often considered making one of these. Anyone do this? Price of materials? Glad you did or was it barely worth the effort?

[RAJ7395]

Link?

[Brian Baker]

My mother still has her Amish shed that was built 20 years ago.

2x4 framing, plywood walls and roof, exterior walls covered with woodboard "panelling", exterior edges of walls and doors framed out with 2x4's, barn shaped roof is shingled, and there are two eaves on either end. I think it's a 12x10. She also paid a little extra for a thicker plywood floor (I think it's 1" thick) knowing my father and I were going to put heavy car stuff in there (like engines on engine stands). It's sitting on 6x6's that are sitting on a concrete pad. I painted it right after it was built, 2 coats of Sears Weatherbeater...and haven't touched it since. Great quality at a great price and they built it on site.

[gregneun]

The Amish have to send a drawing by buggy currier, there's no link or graven image of the shed for that matter. The only light source is a wooden farmer's match struck on the jeans covering your behind.

[Half-Inch Stud]

We got mennonite-built shed andchicken coop. The shed & coop was "last year's display model, so we got such a deal. They delivered both for $50.

Another place nearby has the "Amish built sheds, coops" for almost 2x. Quality of buils&materials is fine, but the coop design was looking tedious for daily cleaning. So, the point would be to look-for & get exactly what you're gonna need.

[goatmanmitch]

HIS, this would definitely fit the bill.

RAJ7395, fair question about the link- gregneun, good response. But I put Amish in quotes for a reason, it is just out in front of some guy's house. I don't think it was built by the Amish, I just said that to convey the style and the way it was built.

Any opinions about price?

[Brian Baker]

Now that I think about it, Mom's shed is closer to 25 years old and still holding up. The guy that came out to her property was the real deal, Amish, Menonite, whatever...not some dude using "Amish" as a marketting schtick.

[goatless]

Anything "Amish" built is pure marketing. It's likely that no Amish were involved, but even if they were, it wouldn't matter. I spent a few years living & working out in Wayne and Holmes counties in OH where the Amish population is second only to Lancaster, PA. Just like any other population group there are true craftsman and total hacks. And contrary to the way they are portrayed, most Amish use modern power tools the same as you or me.

That being said, if looks good then the price doesn't seem too bad. Yes, you could build one and probably save a few bucks. They're not hard to build, as long as you're reasonably handy. I can knock one out in an afternoon, but your experience may vary.

[Simple Man]

Originally Posted by goatless

Anything "Amish" built is pure marketing. It's likely that no Amish were involved, but even if they were, it wouldn't matter. I spent a few years living & working out in Wayne and Holmes counties in OH where the Amish population is second only to Lancaster, PA. Just like any other population group there are true craftsman and total hacks. And contrary to the way they are portrayed, most Amish use modern power tools the same as you or me.

That being said, if looks good then the price doesn't seem too bad. Yes, you could build one and probably save a few bucks. They're not hard to build, as long as you're reasonably handy. I can knock one out in an afternoon, but your experience may vary.

I agree. There is a large Amish population next county east. Lots of them work in the trailer factories. I've seen more hacks than "craftsman". These same ones smoking cigarettes on break. Using generators and powertools at home.

[Formulabruce]

Make sure it has at least a 4 pitch roof, and the plank bottom isnt rough cut pine ( its kiln dried). Put the shed way up in the air and spray the bottom with motor oil before you put it in place and should last a long time. Keep it at least 1 "Cinder" block high off the ground.
I have Amish relatives and Quaker relatives in PA that make these. I am just saying that not all is "fake Amish" and check the quality, but you usually get a good value if its real.

[Sidponcho]

Don't be afraid to build it yourself. It would be a fun project and you could cusomize it the way you want. And you wouldn't need much for tools:

saw horses
Circular saw
4' level
speed square
hammer and nails
chaulk line
string and a string level
staple gun

[Cliff R]

+1

I built a 12 x 16 about 10 years ago in one weekend without any drawings, or really anything but a pad, pencil and idea. Total cost with siding and shingled roof was around $1000.

I used three 6 x 6's under it and "bull-nosed" the ends so it would be considered "mobile" (no permit required).

Framed the floor with treated 2 x 6 outer and 2 x 4's on 16" centers.

3/4" tonge and grooved flooring, conventional type 8' walls on 24" centers, double top plated. Made my own trusses from 2 x 4's, OSB roof and shingled it.

The biggest expense came from the T-111 siding, next time I'd OSB the side walls and use use cheaper vinyl siding.

Since I made my own trusses I had room to put a small "loft" in it to throw stuff overhead.

I built it without any assistance in one weekend, then shingled it the following Monday. You can get more building for a lot less money doing it yourself, and really don't need much much than a couple of saw horses, tape measure, square, saw, hammer and materials.....Cliff

[The Boss]

I've built a few of them over the years - they never take much time. Figure out how big you need and then go one size larger. 8x12, 12x16, 12x20, 16x24 - the 2 & 4' increment is critical in lumber - it's the most efficient.

Too bad you aren't closer, I just took 3 truck loads of good used (and some new) windows and doors to Habitat for free. Units that came out of houses I was working on or were mistake/changed customer orders. Any lumber yard will have a "dog pound" area for mistake orders - you can usually pick them up there for pennies on the dollar, or if you have a local Habitat store you can buy them there.

[Old Blue 66]

I built a 10X10 from scratch about 15 years ago at a house I use to own. I started with no plan and just built waht I wanted. It came our great and as I pass the old thouse, the shed is still there so I must have done some thing right. I had a lot of fun builing it.

Now for the disclaimer. I had no idea what the hell I was doing. Never built anything like it before. I was very lucky to have a neighbor (an very good hobbiest carpenter) who once he saw waht I was doing showed me the right way to do everything. If I didint have his help this would have been a total trainwreck.

The point here is make sure that yo uhave some experiance in building before you start out on this project.

[GT182]

I built a 12x16 back in 1991 for 1200.00 with 2x4 studs, and all put together with coarse thread drywall screws. T-111 walls and 3/4" pressure treated plywood floor, all set on 4 16' 4x4s. The only thing I should have done different was make a barn stype roof for storage and 8' walls. I put on a metal roof, Americana style, with their rubber gasketed 1/4" head screws in the ridges of each sheet, and metal cap. Roof will last a lifetime. When we sold the house up North in 2005 it still looked new. I even even after taking it all apart and moving it 4 times. Plans are easy to draw up on your own.

Just think of what you want and what you'll be putting inside. I had room for my Harley, Kubota garden tractor (60" mowing deck) workbench and toolbox. I even put in a door int he back to drive the Harley in and drive it out the front.

Those Amish sheds are built with 2x3s and I wouldn't give 2 cents for one of their overpriced sheds. I have one now in my backyard now that came with the house, and it's a piece of crap. Walls are all rotting out and the bottoms and so are the gable ends. The Amish use the cheapest materials they can and overcharge you for the crap they make.

[Old Goat Racer]

Permits vary. I lived in a community that required a permit for anything over 150 sq. ft.
So I built a shed that was 10x14. It was always filled with Pontiac parts.

[Old Goat Racer]

Do the amish pay taxes on their sales income?

[70KGOLD]

Go to Lowes or Home Depot tell them what you want and they will give you a price on materials.