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The DIY Shed Kit Revolution: Are They Worth the Savings and Effort?
Choosing the right shed for your backyard can feel like a bigger project than the shed itself. With so many sizes, materials, layouts, and price points, the biggest question usually becomes: Should you buy a pre-built shed or build one from a DIY shed kit?
If you’ve been researching DIY shed kits vs. pre-built sheds, you’ve probably noticed that today’s shed kits are more advanced than ever. Companies like Best Barns deliver pre-cut lumber, engineered trusses, primed siding, and detailed instructions that let you build a structure that genuinely feels like a small building on your property, not just a storage box.
This guide walks you through everything you should know before choosing, including cost, durability, assembly difficulty, timeline, and long-term value. If you’re brand new to DIY projects, don’t worry, this article is written for you too.
Key Takeaways
- DIY shed kits cost significantly less than pre-built sheds
- Best Barns kits offer stronger materials and better long-term durability
- You gain full control over layout, features, and interior use
- Kits fit yards that pre-built sheds can’t access
- Assembly is beginner-friendly and highly guided
- Pre-built sheds only win on convenience and speed
Table of Contents
- Understanding the Two Options: What You Actually Get
- Your Yard Determines More Than You Think
- How Much Space You Actually Need
- DIY Shed Kits vs. Pre-Built: What the Cost Difference Really Looks Like
- What DIY Shed Kits Are Really Like to Build
- Durability and Build Quality: Where DIY Kits Usually Win
- Timing and Project Control: DIY vs. Pre-Built
- Material Matters: Wood, Resin, Metal, and Engineered Materials
- So, Are DIY Shed Kits Worth It?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Understanding the Two Options: What You Actually Get
Before comparing advantages, it helps to understand what each option truly offers.
A pre-built shed arrives at your home fully constructed. The installation team lowers it onto a prepared base, and once it’s in place, you can start using it immediately. This is the fastest, most hands-off option, but also the most expensive.
A DIY shed kit, especially one from Best Barns, arrives in multiple packages containing all pre-cut structural components. You follow step-by-step instructions, assemble the walls, raise the roof, and install the siding. The process is more involved but gives you a true building experience, not a flimsy plug-and-play structure.
With today’s shed kits, you’re no longer “building from scratch.” You’re assembling a precision-manufactured product that was engineered to fit together accurately, even for beginners.
Your Yard Determines More Than You Think
Before you even decide between DIY or pre-built, it’s worth taking a few minutes to look at your backyard. Placement influences everything. The size you can choose, the type of shed that works best, and even whether a pre-built shed can be delivered at all.
If your yard has narrow gates, fences, trees, or tight corners, a pre-built shed may not fit through. You might need to temporarily remove fence panels, which can increase cost and hassle.
DIY shed kits avoid this entirely. Since the kit comes in manageable, component-sized packages, you can carry everything through a side yard or even up a slope without heavy equipment.
It's also important to check for drainage. Watch how water flows through the area during rain. If water pools where you plan to build, you may need to level the ground or add gravel before construction. This matters for both DIY and pre-built, but with DIY you have more flexibility to adjust the site before you assemble anything.
How Much Space You Actually Need
It’s easy to underestimate how much storage space you’ll need. Many homeowners buy a shed thinking it will be used only for yard tools—until bicycles, holiday bins, furniture cushions, sports gear, and project supplies suddenly fill the entire space.
If you want your shed to remain useful over the long term, it’s usually smarter to go a size bigger than you think. Pre-built sheds lean toward larger footprints because smaller units are harder to transport fully assembled. DIY shed kits offer more variety in both small and large sizes.
Best Barns kits are especially flexible here. You can choose compact structures like the Handmade Haven Mini or larger workshop-size layouts like the Homestead XL or Planner’s Paradise sheds. If you’re planning a creative workspace, studio, or hobby shed, having control over headroom and loft placement becomes a real advantage.
DIY Shed Kits vs. Pre-Built: What the Cost Difference Really Looks Like
Sticker price doesn’t always tell the full story.
A pre-built shed includes labor, delivery, lifting equipment, and transportation costs, all bundled into the final price. The larger the shed, the higher those costs climb. You’re paying for convenience, but convenience is not cheap.
DIY shed kits eliminate that entire layer of cost. You pay for materials and the engineered system that holds the structure together, but not for the labor to assemble it. Homeowners often save 30% to 60% by choosing a kit instead of a pre-built unit of the same size.
Even if you decide to hire help to assemble your DIY kit, you typically still come out ahead because the bulk of the cost savings comes from replacing factory labor with home labor.
Where your savings get even better is in long-term value. Pre-built sheds are often constructed with lightweight materials that are designed to survive the delivery process more than decades of weather. Best Barns sheds use full framing, real lumber, engineered trusses, and LP® SmartSide® siding; materials you’d expect from a small cabin or workshop.
What DIY Shed Kits Are Really Like to Build
If you’ve never built a structure before, don’t let that intimidate you. Modern DIY shed kits don't require advanced carpentry skills. Most owners compare the experience to assembling a large piece of furniture, just on a bigger scale.
You follow illustrated instructions. Components arrive pre-cut. Materials are labeled. You’re not guessing or improvising. The structure is built in a sequence of steps: floor, walls, roof framing, siding, roof panels, and doors.
Smaller sheds can be completed over a weekend. Medium builds take a few days. Larger lofted or two-story kits can take a week or two, depending on your schedule.
You will need common tools, nothing specialized. A drill, hammer, level, ladder, tape measure, and square are usually enough. Best Barns designs their kits so homeowners with minimal experience can complete them. Some models require a second person to help lift wall sections or align roof trusses, but that’s about as complicated as it gets.
Durability and Build Quality: Where DIY Kits Usually Win
One of the biggest differences between DIY kits and pre-built sheds is longevity.
Most pre-built sheds are designed to be lightweight enough for a truck to transport. That means thinner siding, lighter framing, and materials chosen for portability but not durability.
DIY kits don’t have that limitation. Best Barns kits use:
- SecureTruss™ framing
- TimberPrestige™ Eurowood
- LP® SmartSide® siding
- Full framing that can be insulated, wired, or finished
You’re essentially building a scaled-down structure similar to a small cabin or workshop. It's not unusual for kit-built sheds to last decades longer than their pre-built counterparts.
Timing and Project Control: DIY vs. Pre-Built
Pre-built sheds often take months to arrive and install. Manufacturers have long waitlists, and your installation must fit within their schedule, not yours.
DIY kits give you control over the timeline. The kit ships much faster, and you assemble it when you want. If you’re trying to finish a shed before a season change, or before a home project, DIY is often the faster route.
There’s also less risk of backyard damage. Pre-built sheds require forklifts, trailers, or heavy dollies to roll across your yard. DIY kits arrive in small, manageable bundles that won’t tear up your lawn or garden.
Material Matters: Wood, Resin, Metal, and Engineered Materials
Wood sheds look great, but they require maintenance and can warp or rot over time. Resin sheds are low maintenance, but they can’t handle insulation, electrical work, or interior finishing. Metal sheds are economical but prone to dents and rust.
Best Barns kits strike the balance: real wood framing with engineered LP® SmartSide® panels that resist moisture, pests, and weather. You get the look of wood with the longevity of a treated composite panel.
This gives DIY kits a long-term advantage over resin or metal pre-built options.
So, Are DIY Shed Kits Worth It?
If you want to save money, personalize your layout, and build something that feels substantial, the answer is almost always yes. DIY shed kits offer stronger materials, better structural integrity, and far more customization than most pre-built sheds.
A pre-built shed still makes sense if you need instant storage or want zero assembly. But if you’re willing to spend a couple of weekends building something, you can create a shed that’s tailored to your backyard, built with premium materials, and often costs hundreds, or thousands, less than a comparable pre-built unit.
Have any questions or would like to place an order? We'd love to help! Chat with our friendly customer service team by calling 1-844-945-3625, chatting in on our website or email us at customersupport@wildoaktrail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Are DIY shed kits cheaper than pre-built sheds?
Yes, DIY kits can save you 30–60% because you're not paying for labor or factory assembly.
Are DIY sheds hard to build?
Most homeowners can assemble one with basic tools and one helper. All components are pre-cut.
Do DIY shed kits last longer?
Often, yes. Kits like Best Barns use stronger materials than many pre-built sheds.
Can I customize a DIY shed more than a pre-built shed?
Absolutely. You choose door placement, windows, finishes, and interior layout.
What’s the biggest drawback of a DIY kit?
The time commitment. Pre-built sheds offer instant setup.
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