How much does an airing shed cost? What factors influence project costs? How does a roof-only design compare to a fully enclosed design?
There is a growing trend towards on-farm airing sheds in the horticulture industry, particularly for onions and almonds.
Growers are looking to benefit from more control over product quality and improved storage and handling efficiencies.
On-farm storage is also proving valuable in the face of rising off-farm storage costs.
So, is an on-farm airing shed the right choice for your operation? Do the benefits outweigh the cost?
In this article, we discuss:
- Airing shed size and design suggestions for storing almonds and onions
- Popular sizes and prices
- Factors that influence airing shed cost
- Ways you can create a cost-effective design and reduce project costs.
How Much Does An Airing Shed Cost?
In 2025, the average cost to build an airing shed is around $170,000 (including GST, delivery and installation) with prices ranging from around $80,000 to $300,000 or more.
This does cover a wide range of airing shed sizes and designs.
The cost to build an airing shed will also vary if you are storing almonds or onions.
This is because almond airing sheds typically use a roof-only design, whereas onion airing sheds can include a mix of sliding doors and open bays – or the facility may also include a cool store section.
You see how the cost can vary from project to project in the price lists below.
Onion Airing Sheds
When it comes to choosing a size and design for your onion airing shed, there are a few points to keep in mind:
- How much capacity do you require?
- How high will you be stacking?
- How many boxes will you stack between columns?
- How will you load and unload the shed? Will you require a wide access point?
- How will you achieve adequate airflow through the shed? Will you use a mix of open bays, sliding doors and partial walls?
- Will you shed also include a cool store?
With most onion boxes being around 1.8m (W) x 1m (H), here are a few size recommendations:
- Standard 8m bay spacings work well when storing four boxes between columns
- 10m bay spacings work well when storing five boxes between columns
- A 6.75m eave height allows boxes to be stacked 6 high.
Onion Airing Shed Size & Price List
- A 32m (L) x 18m (W) x 6.75m (H) onion airing shed stores around 1,344 boxes and costs approx. $100,000 – $120,000.
- A 40m (L) x 18m (W) x 6.75m (H) onion airing shed stores around 2,280 boxes and costs approx. $120,000 – $145,000.
- An 80m (L) x 24m (W) x 6.75m (H) onion airing shed stores around 4,560 boxes and costs approx. $260,000 – $320,000
Please note that these price guides include GST, delivery and installation are intended as a budgeting tool to help you work out your airing shed cost. They do not take the place of a formal quote.
For accurate pricing for your project, call us on 1800 687 888 – or simply REQUEST A QUOTE.
Almond Airing Sheds
Wondering how much does an almond airing shed cost to build?
Let’s find out!
First up, we discuss some handy almond airing shed design and size suggestions:
- A “roof only” design with no walls enclosed is recommended for airflow.
- Choose a longer and narrower configuration. Because the angle of repose of almonds is around 35 degrees, to peak a stack any wider than 15m, a large conveyor is required to stack it up without covering the wheels of the shifter.
- Consider upsizing for additional weather protection on each side.
- Consider how much clearance height is required for machinery access – a 7.5m eave height is popular.
Popular Almond Airing Shed Sizes & Price List
Please note that these price guides include GST, delivery and installation are intended as a budgeting tool to help you work out your airing shed cost. They do not take the place of a formal quote.
For accurate pricing for your project, call us on 1800 687 888 – or simply REQUEST A QUOTE.
- 32m (L) x 15m (W) x 7.5m (H) almond airing shed costs approx. $75,000 – $90,000.
- 48m (L) x 18m (W) x 7.5m (H) almond shed costs approx. $120,000 – $145,000.
It is always important to understand what drives project costs up, what drives project costs down – and what provides the most value.
So, next up we discuss the top four factors that influence how much an airing shed costs to build.
Factors That Influence Airing Shed Cost
How much an airing shed costs to build is largely influenced by: size, configuration, design features and materials.
Below, we explain how.
1
Size
The size of your shed – whether it is an almond airing shed or onion airing shed – will directly influence the price of your project.
This is simply because the bigger the shed, the more material and labour required.
Having said that, some configurations are more cost-effective than others. This means a shed with a larger square metre area could cost less than a shed covering a smaller area.
We will discuss this next.
2
Configuration
There are several ways that the shed configuration can influence your airing shed cost.
Firstly, as a rule of thumb, a longer and narrower shed is more cost-effective than a wider and shorter shed.
This is because there is more steelwork and labour involved in increasing the shed width, compared to simply adding on another bay.
Secondly, a roof-only shed configuration will cost less than a fully enclosed configuration or a shed with partial walls and/or doors.
However, it is worth keeping in mind that extra width and design features like sliding can add to the functionality of your airing shed.
This leads to our next point – design features.
3
Design Features
How you choose to customise your airing shed design will impact the price that you pay.
For example, features such as sliding doors, cantilevered canopies, and double bay openings will all add to the final project cost.
However, it is important not to sacrifice functionality for some short-term cost savings
Our building consultants are available to provide advice on achieving a functional and cost-effective airing shed.
For example, if you require a wide access point, they may suggest using an open gable rather than a double bay opening.
Or you may find a cantilevered canopy provides additional weather protection without having to upsize the span. This is also a great way to avoid inconvenient column placement.
4
Materials
Materials such as structural steel and cladding are essential for a shed project and therefore contribute to your airing shed cost.
The main material costs to be aware of are:
Structural Steel.
An Action shed frame is made up of heavy-duty UB columns and an open web truss construction.
This makes the frame about six times heavier than a purlin shed alternative (learn more here), and as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.
Additionally, the steel market and global steel prices are volatile, which directly impacts the cost of structural steel. You can learn about 2025 steel prices and how they could affect your project here: What Will Steel Prices Do In 2025?
Shed Cladding.
Generally, zincalume cladding is the most cost-effective; however, Colorbond cladding may be required for council permit approval. Or it could be a smart finishing touch.
Here’s a handy comparison of your cladding options – Colorbond Versus Zinc Versus Galvanised Cladding (Pros, Cons & Prices)
Corrosion Protection
Every Action shed frame is fully hot-dip galvanised after manufacturing to provide the best possible corrosion protection. While hot dip galvanising has the highest initial cost, it is the most effective way to protect your shed from rust and has the lowest long-term cost.
We don’t recommend cost-cutting when it comes to corrosion protection, and you can learn why Action sheds are fully hot-dip galvanised in the video below.
That’s an overview of the main factors contributing to the cost of your airing shed.
So, how can you save money on your project? How can you get the best value for your money?
How To Save Money On Your Project & Create A Cost-Effective Design
There are several ways you can reduce your airing shed cost without sacrificing quality or functionality.
First up – starting with a standard span size.
1
Start With A Standard Span
It sounds simple, but starting with a standard span size, where practical, is a proven way to create a cost-effective shed design.
This is because the standard span range, developed over twenty years, saves time and therefore money in the manufacturing stage.
You can learn all about the range here – What Are The Standard Spans For Farm Sheds?
2
Use Standard Bay Spacings
Like using a standard span, choosing a standard bay spacing can help streamline and speed up the drawing, engineering and manufacturing stages of your project.
As the saying goes, “time is money”, so time savings can create cost savings.
Popular bay spacings for airing sheds include 8 metres, 8.5 metres and 10 metres.
The best bay spacing for your airing shed will likely depend on how many boxes you are stacking in each bay – or the machinery access you require.
3
Choose A Cost-Effective Configuration
As we mentioned earlier, some configurations are more cost-effective than others.
A long, narrow “roof-only” design is arguably the most cost-effective option available.
This can then be customised with:
- Sliding doors for access and airflow
- Gable infills or partial walls for weather protection
- Provision for the shed to be extended in the future
But first and foremost, make sure your shed design addresses storage and access requirements so you aren’t caught short.
So, that’s a wrap on airing shed cost, factors that influence prices and how you can create a cost-effective design.
We hope this discussion has been helpful!
Ready to get your airing shed project underway? Curious about cost-effective sizes? Wondering how much it would cost to incorporate a cool store?
Book a project consultation. Call us on 1800 687 888 – we would love to hear from you.
