Storing chemicals on the farm? Wondering about the cost to build a chemical shed?
Farm chemical storage sheds, like fertiliser sheds, have been very popular over the past twelve to eighteen months.
The importance (and convenience!) of having safe and secure on-farm chemical storage is becoming much more widely recognised.
Not only that but there are also storage regulations in place that need to be met. You can learn about many of these in our article – How To Safely Store Chemicals.
The Victorian Farmer’s Federation Making Our Farms Safer project also has some informative resources. These include a hazardous chemical handling and storage guide and a risk assessment tool for spraying pesticides. You can access these here.
As well as the legal requirement of chemical storage, you might be curious about the cost.
Is a chemical storage shed expensive? Will it be cost-prohibitive? Or affordable?
You never know until you ask!
How much does it cost to build a chemical shed?
That’s exactly the question we answer in this article! Consider this the ultimate price guide for farm chemical storage sheds.
As well as discussing the cost to build a chemical shed, we also explain the different factors that will influence the price of your shed.
And for the budget conscious we have included some ways you could save money on your chemical shed build.
Let’s get into it!
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Chemical Shed?
The average cost of a chemical shed is approx. $90,000 including GST, footing concrete and erection.
Please note, this is an average price, and it does cover a number of different size chemical sheds.
Use the price list below for an indication of how the cost can vary between projects.
Chemical Shed Sizes & Prices
Here are some of the sizes that have been popular for chemical shed builds and an approximate price range for each size.
Price estimates include GST, erection costs and footing concrete.
- A 16m x 12m x 6m fully enclosed chemical shed with sliding doors costs approx. $60,000 – $80,000.
- A 24m x 12m x 6m fully enclosed chemical shed with sliding doors costs approx. $75,000 – $95,000.
- A 24m x 15m x 6m fully enclosed chemical shed with sliding doors costs approx. $90,000 – $115,000.
- A 32m x 18m x 6m open front shed with one bay enclosed for chemical storage costs approx. $115,000 – $135,000.
- A 40m x 24m x 6m open front shed with one bay enclosed for chemical storage costs approx. $160,000 – $195,000.
We hope these price guides help with your budgeting. But remember they are only guides. For an accurate costing of your chemical shed, please request a quote and we’ll be in touch!
Now, let’s look at the main factors that determine the cost of a chemical shed build.
Factors That Influence The Price Of A Chemical Shed
There are three main factors that contribute to the cost of a chemical shed. These are shed size, shed design and the materials used for the shed build.
Let’s start with the shed size.
1. Size
The size of your shed will directly impact the cost of your project.
This is simply because the bigger the shed the more materials and labour will be required. And vice versa.
However, there are some requirements to keep in mind when choosing a chemical shed size. For example, the bunded floor slab is required to hold 25% of the total storage volume or 110% volume of the largest container, whichever is the greatest.
We’ll discuss shed size (and potential cost savings) in more detail further on in this article.
2. Shed design
The shed configuration you choose, and the custom design features you include will both contribute to the shed price.
When it comes to configuration, a fully enclosed, lockable shed with sliding doors and ventilation is usually recommended. This is because it is the most effective way to protect chemicals from exposure to heat and sunlight.
This configuration is also typically the best way to meet storage regulations and requirements such as ISCC compliance.
When it comes to customizing your chemical shed, inclusions like sliding doors, ridge vents, whirlybird vents, concrete slabs, canopies or a wash bay area will all increase the project price.
However, some of these features such as access points, ventilation and concrete slabs will actually be a requirement.
And many of the features that aren’t a requirement such as a canopy or a wash-down area usually make the shed more functional. So, the benefits will often outweigh the cost.
3. Materials
Materials are essential for any shed build, chemical shed builds included. And being a key component, they can contribute significantly to the project cost.
The main material costs are structural steel, cladding, corrosion protection and concrete slabs.
- Structural Steel
Our sheds are manufactured from Australian-made steel including heavy-duty UB columns and open web trusses.
This means that the steel price increases and decreases directly impacts the cost of our shed builds.
Australian-made steel also typically costs more than imported steel.
You can learn about 2023 steel prices in this article – Are Steel Prices Decreasing?
- Cladding
Similarly, the cladding on our shed builds is also Australian-made and the price is influenced by the steel market.
The three cladding options we offer are zinc cladding, galvanised cladding and Colorbond cladding. Zinc cladding is the most cost-effective and is used for most of the farm sheds we build.
But if corrosion protection is a high priority for your shed, it may be worth opting for the more expensive galvanised cladding or Colorbond cladding.
- Corrosion Protection
Corrosion protection is incredibly important for farm sheds including chemical sheds. And the best way to keep your shed rust-free is to hot dip galvanise the frame.
However, while hot dip galvanising is by far the most effective steel coating, it is also the most expensive, having a much higher initial cost compared to alternatives like paint or pre-galvanizing.
And, because our sheds are fully hot dip galvanized after manufacture, you can expect to pay more for an Action Steel shed than a shed with a paint or pre-galv coating.
Having said that, hot dip galvanising has the lowest long-term cost. And we don’t recommend compromising on corrosion protection!
- Concrete Slabs
The other material cost to consider for a chemical shed is the concrete slab.
And, as we have already mentioned, a bunded floor slab with a drainage point is a requirement. So there are no shortcuts to be taken here.
For an idea of how much the slab will cost for your chemical shed, we usually recommend allowing approx. $150/m² for a bunded slab.
Now that we have a good understanding of the factors influencing chemical shed prices, let’s look at some potential cost savings.
How Can I Save Money On My Chemical Shed?
Here are the two areas you can save money on your chemical shed build without sacrificing quality and still meeting storage regulations.
1. Shed Size
There are several ways to make sure you are getting the best value for money when it comes to shed size.
Number one, increase the height of your shed and take advantage of it. Pallet racking is one way to do this, and it also helps avoid stacking shuttles and containers on top of each other. Remember, liquid chemicals should not be stored above solid chemicals!
The other way is choosing a standard size span.
You might have heard about our standard size spans before, but here’s a refresher.
Our standard span range has been designed specifically for farm sheds, so they are practical and functional. Popular standard spans for chemical sheds include 12 metres, 15 metres and 18 metres.
The real advantage of these spans is that they help ensure your shed design is cost-effective. This is because a truss jig does not have to be set up specifically for your project, saving time and money in the drafting and manufacturing stages.
Another cost-effective way to increase the overall size of your shed is to install a canopy. For a chemical shed, a canopy often works well installed over sliding door openings and outdoor working areas to provide additional weather protection.
A canopy typically costs between $110 and $150 per square metre.
2. Configuration
An open-front shed with one or more bays dedicated to chemical storage is usually more cost-effective than building a standalone chemical shed.
But as we have already discussed, it is important the shed still satisfies chemical storage requirements and is still covered by your insurance policy. So make sure these points are addressed before committing to a design.
So that’s a wrap on the cost to build a chemical shed! We hope this has been a useful article!
Here are some other articles that might be relevant to you.
- How Much Do Farm Shed Permits Cost?
- 50 Of The Best Farm Shed Photos In 2021
- How To Prevent Spray Drift
- How Manage Fatigue At Harvest
For more farm shed resources, check out our Learning Hub.
Disclaimer: The prices included in this article are approximate only and are subject to change. They are intended only as a budgeting tool. For a more accurate costing, please request a formal quote.
