Building on a Budget

Would you like to have functional and nice-looking garden buildings without spending a lot of money? There’s no reason why a limited budget should prevent you from having an enjoyable and useful garden.

By contributing some labour, salvaging building materials you can reuse and planning carefully, building on a budget is entirely possible.

Budget Ideas

First off, a budget garden shed usually means you should opt for self assembly. While it certainly might be nice to walk into a completed shed without doing any work, you can save a great deal by adding your own “sweat equity.” When you provide the labour, you don’t have to pay someone else. You can easily find do-it-yourself plans for perfectly functional and attractive wooden sheds. Another option is to have pre-fabricated garden sheds delivered to your garden that you can assemble yourself.

Using reclaimed materials is another way to ease the budget pain of garden sheds. Reclaimed materials don’t always have to be more expensive. The best way to find budget building materials is to find a nearby demolition or house clearance and deal directly with the contractor. He will often be happy to have the materials removed and will be more likely to help you get the most for your money.

Garden Sheds to Help Save the World (and Your Wallet)

Building on a budget doesn’t stop with the choice of garden buildings or type of construction. You can continue saving money if you plan to be more eco-friendly. Having less impact on the environment doesn’t always cost more.

For example, adding a green roof (or living roof) to your garden shed can result in savings because it lasts longer, has lower maintenance needs and provides more effective insulation.

Another way to get the most for your money is to add rainwater harvesting systems to your garden sheds. A simple, inexpensive water butt can provide free water for your plants and other outdoor needs. Not only are you unaffected by hose pipe bans, you will save money by not using water from the mains.

The key to budget-friendly garden buildings is getting value for your money. It’s not necessary to find the cheapest materials. Perhaps you can opt for different types of construction – for example, wooden sheds can be built with overlap cladding, which is less expensive than tongue-and-groove.

Or perhaps you can find an acceptable lean-to design that allows you to build your wooden shed with one less wall. Budget garden buildings require a little imagination and creativity, but you’ll also feel an enhanced sense of accomplishment and pride when you’re done.

When you’re building on a budget, you might be tempted buy garden sheds made from uPVC and other manmade materials. Sometimes these ready-made sheds offer a significant saving. But they rarely blend very well with your garden. Remember you will be looking at your garden shed for years to come, long after the pleasure of saving a few pounds as worn off.

The need for planning permission may not seem like a consideration when it comes to budget. However, you should always confirm that you have all the necessary planning permissions to construct your shed or any other garden buildings. Nothing is more disappointing or more expensive than having to remove a structure that doesn’t comply with planning regulations. Even though most garden sheds don’t need special permission, it’s certainly better to be safe than sorry.