Building and Construction, Customer Relations, Operations, V8I6

DIY: Customers Don’t Know What They Don’t Know

(Photo courtesy of Pixabay)

There will always be those who are entirely capable of the “do it yourself” approach to shed building. 

Then there are those who only think they are. 

The same logic applies to all DIY projects—if you don’t have construction experience, then you probably shouldn’t consider DIY. Otherwise, it can be a viable and relatively inexpensive option.

It’s understandable why a homeowner would consider building it themselves. 

When making an apples-to-apples comparison of the same size and style of sheds, it can be less expensive to build a DIY shed compared to hiring a contractor. Many handymen also enjoy the hands-on process of building something from scratch, as well as having complete control over the creative process. 

They can also choose to add customized options such as shelves, benches, hooks, lofts, extra windows, etc., and can build the shed to perfectly match their needs.  

However, the DIY approach can become a decidedly unpleasant experience if expectations don’t match reality. 

Building a shed from scratch requires a great deal of know-how when it comes to construction, materials, and tools, as well as knowledge about building codes. 

And if something goes wrong, the owner only has themselves to blame. An owner will also have to research building codes and neighborhood association bylaws in the area.  

Joe Webb, project manager with Barnyard Utility Buildings in Clover, South Carolina, says it’s difficult to measure the true cost of DIY when there is re-work or certain intangibles to consider. 

Still, there are obvious advantages if done correctly. 

Webb oversees his company’s operations from its manufacturing/sales headquarters in Clover, including 11 retail locations in North and South Carolina. 

“Dollar-wise, it’s going to be less than if you hired us,” Webb says, “and if you want top-shelf materials on everything, then it might be beneficial to DIY. You can hand-cut every board and make sure it’s to your liking and specification … if a board has a knot you can throw it out, etc.”

Another benefit of DIY—no waiting time. 

“You can go out and buy the wood yourself, have some friends come over, and have your shed built in one weekend,” he adds. “That was an attractive alternative during the pandemic since people would have to wait for months due to the backlog of work.”

Of course, the DIY approach could also be turned into a learning project for the family. And the site’s location could be another factor to consider, as a shed builder might tack on a fuel stipend, or delivery times could be longer, for a remote site. 

“That’s especially true in the mountains where you could have extra leveling and traveling fees, and a one-day job might become a two-day job,” Webb says.

A WORD OF WARNING

Not everyone has the necessary skillsets, or the tools, to build a DIY shed, so it can evolve into a nightmarish process for the non-skilled homeowner. Any mistakes will likely result in additional expenses as they’ll have to purchase more materials. 

“And not everyone has the time,” Webb says. “You’ll have to source it all yourself and do it all yourself. Then, if a shingle falls off or if a door gets stuck, it’s all on you because you built it.”

Alternatively, should a company such as Barnyard Utility Buildings do the work, a customer will have the benefit of a five-year warranty, plus additional manufacturer warranties. 

Barnyard’s installers are also insured, which means should there be an accident or injury a customer won’t have to file a claim on their homeowner’s insurance policy. 

“The end result: it’s a simpler process and comes with a lot more peace of mind,” Webb adds. 

Lenny Stahl, CEO of Dakota Storage Buildings in Milbank, South Dakota, says it’s hard for the shed builder to compete with the free labor enjoyed by a DIYer, but many customers go that route without a full realization of what they’re getting into. 

Typically, Dakota will assemble its buildings in-house and deliver them across an area spanning southward to Omaha, Nebraska, eastward to western Wisconsin, and westward to Rapid City, South Dakota. 

“A DIYer who is not a professional and will often cut corners … and as a result, they won’t do a professional job,” Stahl says. “After all, people don’t know what they don’t know. 

“The only thing they know is the price.”

By choosing a shed builder, the customer benefits from the expertise of a professional company with several years of experience. As such, the builder knows what works and what doesn’t work. 

“There’s also service after the sale … we put quality products into our sheds that will not give us callbacks, and they’re constructed in a way that won’t get callbacks,” Stahl says. 

“After all, I’m a consumer at times, too, and when I go to a company, I’m looking for peace of mind.”

The other benefit—shed builders provide a turnkey solution. 

“You don’t have to spend your weekends and evenings trying to put it together, doing things twice, etc.,” Stahl says. 

It’s tough to measure just how many potential customers are choosing to construct their own sheds rather than coming to a professional builder. 

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Webb noticed several homeowners hiring contractors to build their sheds who weren’t necessarily experienced in that market. That’s because a lot of the “big box” stores were out of supplies such as concrete, treated wood, decking boards, and OSB. 

“They weren’t DIYing it, per se, but were using contractors to do those improvements,” he points out. “Our business also shot up like crazy.”

Looking ahead, Webb thinks that more customers will desire turnkey solutions rather than doing the work themselves. Most just don’t want the hassle. 

“A lot of people go to our website because we’ll post articles about DIY, and we lay it all out and tell them what they have to do,” he adds. 

“That gets a lot of traffic, which turns into a lot of customers. They come for DIY info, and they leave with a quote from us to build them a storage building.”

GO OR NO GO?

If a customer still isn’t sure whether to buy or build their own shed, there are a few key questions to ask: 

What’s the budget? If it’s a small budget, what type and size of shed can they afford to buy? Can they afford high-quality materials to build the shed? If they have a small budget and can only afford to build a shed but would prefer to buy, there’s no harm in waiting until they can afford the shed that works best for them.

What are their skills? Do they have the skills required to build a shed? If not, are they willing to put in the time and effort required to learn those skills? Do they have tools and materials, or will they need to buy or rent tools?

What do they need the shed for? If they need a simple tool or garden shed, it may not be too difficult to DIY. But if they’re looking for a multi-purpose outdoor building, large storage shed, or at-home office, they might want to work with the professionals instead, unless they have significant construction knowledge.

However, as Webb says, using a shed builder will be simple for customers and provide a lot more peace of mind.

DIYers will always be out there; some will know what they’re doing, but many won’t. 

However, structures built by professionals will most likely be around a lot longer with a lot less hassle, and customers need to know that.

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