Suggestions for a lockable storage shed/workshop I could get asap?

[bushcraftlearner83729]

Although I had the romantic idea of making everything myself with my own wood it doesn't seem practical at the moment as I want storage and space to work immediately.

Looking at probably around 10ft x 10ft and lockable. The tools won't be worth anything but I want to feel stuff I put in there is safe as I want to store other stuff that I have crammed my van with, which is overflowing. My van needs to be relieved. The locking doesn't have to be super secure just to know when I go back there that it is still intact to know the contents would not have been tampered with since last visit.

Oh also important criteria are that I would be able to carry it myself, in bits, from the entrance to wherever on the site. Also be able to put up with hand tools and able to move it if I want.

Also want to be cheap and as such don't mind longevity suffering for it but want the above criteria met. Don't mind if it lasts a couple of years and any more a bonus with a mind that I will have learned some better skills to replace or fix it by then.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Metal shed.

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Wooden sheds are going to be rather immobile. No windows mean no one can see in so more secure.

You might find someone selling a used shed on eBay.

 

[Herman30]

Edit! Wrong criteria.

 

[Falstaff]

Cheap sheds are a waste time and not remotely secure, decent sheds are expensive, 2nd hand ones usually have issues (speaking from experience of all three). All of them are heavy and a pain to move on your own.
See if you can get hold of some second hand corrugated sheeting or boarding and make your own frame from 2nd hand timber - see allotments for examples!.

 

[Falstaff]

Thinking on it, do you actually need a shed, or a large horizontal lockable box on the ground ? - builders Safe Vault style. I've noticed some allotments have moved to large secure "coffins", some are buried into the ground, presumably watertight. Much easier to make and secure.

 

[bushcraftlearner83729]

Metal shed.

Metal Sheds | Steel & Metal Garden Storage Sheds | Free UK Delivery

Shop our range of steel and metal sheds for sale. Metal garden storage sheds are available with free UK delivery in a variety of colours, styles, and sizes, including 6x4 and 8x6.

www.shedstore.co.uk

Wooden sheds are going to be rather immobile. No windows mean no one can see in so more secure.

You might find someone selling a used shed on eBay.

Yes I saw high praise for asgard sheds. They seem expensive but if moveable probably money well spent.

Might get a more mid range one though, will see.

Someone wrote to me recently that being in a metal shelter (this was in regard to corrugate iron shelters at eh time but seems same idea would apply) they would be concerned about lightening striking it.

Doesn't seem very likely does it? Given how many people drive vehicles and also live in vans and motorhomes and have not read or heard about any such increase in danger to any notable degree at least.

 

[August Landmesser]

If you settle on a metal shed, put it where you can see it from your bedroom window but as far way from the house as possible because the noise from rain hitting a tin roof when you're trying to sleep will drive you round the twist. If your priority is storage it may be worth considering buying a non running/spares or repair van, they're cheep, secure and don't need assembly or a prepared surface to place them on. It will buy you time while you decide on something more permanent.

 

[August Landmesser]

If your priority is storage it may be worth considering just buying a non runner/spares or repair van, they're cheaper than a cheap shed, secure, don't need assembly or a prepared surface to put them on. It will buy you some time while decide on something more permanent.

 

[bushcraftlearner83729]

If you settle on a metal shed, put it where you can see it from your bedroom window but as far way from the house as possible because the noise from rain hitting a tin roof when you're trying to sleep will drive you round the twist.

Not a problem for me considering I have been living in my van full-time for over a year! I actually find the tinkling quite relaxing when tucked up in bed. Had the whole gamut up to full on pelting it down many a time. There are youtube videos dedicated to the sound of rainfall on various surfaces.

If your priority is storage it may be worth considering buying a non running/spares or repair van, they're cheep, secure and don't need assembly or a prepared surface to place them on. It will buy you time while you decide on something more permanent.

Yes I have been given this suggestion elsewhere. Fits the bill of price and security perhaps but not being able to move it easily would be the big drawback here. Also, as there is no access except into the gate I wouldn't be able request it be delivered down to the other end of the land, where I would want it, without hiring in a tractor or something, which I don't want to do. Even if affordable it would churn up the land I would think. I guess I would not be able to push it!

If it was just left by the gates I think the locals likely wouldn't be best pleased as they would start to get images of it becoming a scrapyard, especially given those old tyres I was trying to find a use for in another thread! I am an outsider to the area so want ingratiate myself to the natives.

 

[just_john]

Thinking on it, do you actually need a shed, or a large horizontal lockable box on the ground ? - builders Safe Vault style. I've noticed some allotments have moved to large secure "coffins", some are buried into the ground, presumably watertight. Much easier to make and secure.

This was going to be my suggestion. Your much more likely to get something secure this way.

I had a small metal shed from a decent brand and even cats on the roof would bend it, absolute pish. We moved and left it there

 

[GreyCat]

Asgard sheds come in bits but the bigger the shed, the better the surface required (flatness, solidness) for successful build.

The smaller bike store ones can be assembled by one person in spite of what the instructions say. The big ones really do need 2 people. You could carry the bits one at a time.

(We have 2 bike stores and one large shed from Asgard, bough over a 7 yr period. Each of the 2 bike stores I built on my own. Large shed took 2 of us).

GC

 

[August Landmesser]

If you have land and a local farmer with a telehandler a 40ft shipping container may be an option. comparable cost to a decent metal shed, way more secure and you can hide your old tyres behind it.

 

[bushcraftlearner83729]

Thinking on it, do you actually need a shed, or a large horizontal lockable box on the ground ? - builders Safe Vault style. I've noticed some allotments have moved to large secure "coffins", some are buried into the ground, presumably watertight. Much easier to make and secure.

Well I have vacillated between the two ideas of one, getting a smaller one, like you suggest, for secure stuff I don't want tampered with while then either building or buying a none security important other structure for shelter and work in good time. Or two to buy a bigger one right away which would serve both purposes or security and shelter.

 

[bushcraftlearner83729]

Asgard sheds come in bits but the bigger the shed, the better the surface required (flatness, solidness) for successful build.

The smaller bike store ones can be assembled by one person in spite of what the instructions say. The big ones really do need 2 people. You could carry the bits one at a time.

(We have 2 bike stores and one large shed from Asgard, bough over a 7 yr period. Each of the 2 bike stores I built on my own. Large shed took 2 of us).

GC

Yes I read some of your posts on asgard sheds on another older shed thread.

They look great security wise but I think I don't even need that level of security being out in the country. I want a modest level and don't think it worth paying the premium price for those sheds for security that is not that essential.

Just want it to be lockable to know it contents have not been messed with. Maybe a more budget metal shed?

 

[bushcraftlearner83729]

If you have land and a local farmer with a telehandler a 40ft shipping container may be an option. comparable cost to a decent metal shed, way more secure and you can hide your old tyres behind it.

Yea I know this is the classic rural solution.

Don't know anyone here and prefer to 'go it alone' for this one as I don't think it the best thing to ask as an introduction.

 

[bushcraftlearner83729]

Thinking on it, do you actually need a shed, or a large horizontal lockable box on the ground ? - builders Safe Vault style. I've noticed some allotments have moved to large secure "coffins", some are buried into the ground, presumably watertight. Much easier to make and secure.

Can you explain why it is much easier to make these more secure?

Looking them up now and might be interested in this idea. Prices seem to vary though but comparable to larger cheap metal sheds so have to weigh up if it is worthwhile since security is not absolute paramount.

 

[hughtrimble]

The locking doesn't have to be super secure just to know when I go back there that it is still intact to know the contents would not have been tampered with since last visit.

I'm not sure I really understand this - the only way to ensure things don't get nicked or tampered with is for them to be secure...or for no one to know that they're there.

What sort of site are you putting this on? A shed of any description will be a visual attraction and if it's remote then people can spend plenty of time getting inside it without being disturbed, whether that's through the lock or more likely through just breaking the door/panels.

The horizontal storage suggested may be less visually obvious and thus be less of an attraction.

Given you've said what you're trying to store isn't valuable, maybe a box with a suitably rough looking/concealing tarp will do the trick.

 

[GreyCat]

Also consider: when you're not about, locked shed = "something valuable in here."

When I had an allotment, I inherited a ramshackle shed from the previous user. I reattached the door, covered the leaky roof and parts of the walls with biggest holes in with pond liner (I had some lying around) to make it watertight, painted it with some wood treatment stuff I had left over (a fetching shade of sea green ) and put a bolt on the door purely to hold it shut- but never locked it up. Wasn't much point as the walls could have been pushed/kicked in with only minor effort.

I was the only person on the allotment who never had anything nicked from their shed, because there was nothing attractive in there. In fact, the door was only ever even opened once .

If someone has undisturbed time and incentive, anything can be gotten into. Just some types of structure will take longer to breach (and attract more attention through noise) than others. The store not being visible and/or having stuff in there that is (a) unattractive and (b) doesn't matter if it's nicked is a good route to avoid stress.

PS I had stuff in there like a spade in there that I bought from Screwfix for a few quid and old stuff I was re-using. Not worth a bean to a thief.

GC

 

[Glow_worm]

Not wanting to put a downer on things, but I think we established in another thread that you don't have permitted development rights to place any kind of structure, temporary or otherwise, on the agricultural land, so any shed would need to be in relation to the management of your one acre of woodland.

You may find yourself needing to justify the shed- and it's contents- to planning inspectors, so keeping things small, unobtrusive and simple will be worthwhile.

 

[Stew]

Also consider: when you're not about, locked shed = "something valuable in here."

When I had an allotment, I inherited a ramshackle shed from the previous user. I reattached the door, covered the leaky roof and parts of the walls with biggest holes in with pond liner (I had some lying around) to make it watertight, painted it with some wood treatment stuff I had left over (a fetching shade of sea green ) and put a bolt on the door purely to hold it shut- but never locked it up. Wasn't much point as the walls could have been pushed/kicked in with only minor effort.

I was the only person on the allotment who never had anything nicked from their shed, because there was nothing attractive in there. In fact, the door was only ever even opened once .

If someone has undisturbed time and incentive, anything can be gotten into. Just some types of structure will take longer to breach (and attract more attention through noise) than others. The store not being visible and/or having stuff in there that is (a) unattractive and (b) doesn't matter if it's nicked is a good route to avoid stress.

PS I had stuff in there like a spade in there that I bought from Screwfix for a few quid and old stuff I was re-using. Not worth a bean to a thief.

GC

My allotment shed is t locked for the same reason. I have a tent peg for a lock. Allotment shed thefts are a huge and constant problem.