Advice needed to build a lean-to shed...

[jtpr]

I need to store my car somewhere for at least 3 years. It is a 1964 Austin Healey 3000 and is about 12x5 in overall dimension. I don't have a lot of money to spend (2 in college). I live in S. NH so snow is a factor.

I was thinking of a lean-to style shed on the side of my garage. 3 sides with the doors in the end, maybe about 15 x 8 or so. How difficult an undertaking is this? The floor could be deck like, or even gravel that I could cover in plastic. No windows or anything fancy. Any idea, very ballpark, what this would cost? $500, $1000, $2000? It should have clapboards to match the house.

Thanks, Jim

[Oren]

Is anything obviously wrong with using the current garage?

Oren "My doctor says I have a malformed public-duty gland and a natural deficiency in moral fiber, and that I am therefore excused from saving Universes."

[jtpr]

Yes, we have our 2 daily drivers in there. Without getting into a long discussion about it, suffice it to say due to out driveway plowing situation we can't put them in the driveway even if we wanted to.

-Jim

[Lawrence]

The floor could be deck like, or

Moderate difficulty. A shed style is the easiest roof style to construct. The detail where the shed meets the garage could make it tricky, however. The interface with the garage clapboards will be bit tricky since you will have to cut away enough garage siding to attach the support for your shed roof. You will also have to have metal flashing where the shed roof meets the side of the garage. So it's tricky.

How much it will cost depends on the exact details. You will save some money since the garage will provide support for half the shed. What type of foundation support you use on the remainder will affect the cost a lot. The cheapest will be if you use a pole type construction where you bury treated posts or poles directly in the ground. Any type of concrete footing will add a lot to the cost.

Clapboard is an expensive type of siding. You will have to buy plywood (or chip board) to attach clapboard to. That will add a lot. The siding and plywood will be a large part of the cost of this shed. You could save a lot by using a different type of siding. You could concievably use plywood siding and then upgrade to clapboard later.

The type of door you use will affect the cost. If you buy a real garage door that will drive up the price. If you use a site-built door you will save some. This is something that could also be upgraded in the future.

The type of roof will also affect the cost. Shingles will be expensive because you will have to buy plywood. A metal roof will save money because it does not require plywood to install.

Lawrence

[hallerb]

better check with city on permits....

have you thought of renting cheap garage somewhere?

they show up occasionally for 25 bucks in less desireable places, but if your not moving it inconvenience isnt a big problem

[Pat]

Because you want something that is relatively temporary, could you use something like this:

Cheap, easy, and probably wouldn't need a permit.

[Goedjn]

If it's going to be sitting unused for three years, take the tires off, drain all the fluids, remove the battery, stuff it full of bagged rice or other desicants, wrap it in plastic, like Permabag.com sells, stick it in a crate, and bury it on a well-drained hillside.

If you expect to be able/willing to get at it every six months or so for routine maintenance and to drive it around the block, then follow these directions:

Unless you have some future use for the garage/shed/barn, I'd look into buying or renting a railroad shipping container to park the thing in. A used one shouldn't be more than $2K, delivered. (if your town will let you do that at all.) If you *DO* have a future use in mind for the outbuilding, then build to that use. Cost depends on who's doing the work, and what your wind/snow conditions are in your area. CLapboard is expensive, though, so figure in the several thousand range.

The sensible thing to to would be to sell the damn thing, but nobody really expects the owner of a 64 Austin Healey to be sensible about it.

--Goedjn