Are you planning a new farm shed build?
Researching farm shed prices? And shed builders?
The planning stage is an important step when building a new farm shed. This is true whether it is a hay shed or a more involved project such as a grain shed or shearing shed.
And one of the key details – and often the deciding factor – when buying a new shed is price.
But price shouldn’t be the single deciding factor.
Farm shed quote inclusions and exclusions also need to be carefully considered.
And not all farm shed builders are equal.
So, you have done your market research and you are ready to compare farm shed quotes.
Where do you start?
Are there any hidden costs? What services are included? What does the fine print say?
Here’s a comprehensive checklist to follow when comparing farm shed quotes, prices – and companies!
Comparing Farm Shed Prices Checklist
First up is GST!
1. GST
Don’t be caught out!
This is probably one of the most important points to check off this list.
Unfortunately, despite it being a legal requirement, some farm shed builders do not include GST in the total quote amount.
This can make a significant difference when comparing prices. And it can also be an expensive mistake to overlook this, particularly on high-dollar value projects.
2. Expiry Date
Keep an eye on when your farm shed quote expires.
And make sure your signed contract is honoured!
Before you commit to a shed builder, it would be worth asking whether you will be charged more if material prices increase after you have signed up.
Action Steel quotes are valid for 30 days. And if you sign up for your shed within this period, the amount on the quote is the amount that you will be invoiced.
There can be some exceptions to this though, which we like to be upfront about.
These are:
- If the erector hits rock and additional footing concrete is required
- If you make any variations to your project after signing up
- Farm shed permits are usually an additional cost because they vary between projects and shire councils.
Rest assured, if you are building a shed with Action Steel and material prices increase during this time, you will not be charged more.
Unfortunately, this is not the case with every farm shed manufacturer. So, when you are comparing farm shed prices, make sure you know where the shed company stands on this.
3. Footings
Another project cost to keep in mind when comparing farm shed quotes in footings and the footing concrete.
On some farm shed quotes it is not always immediately obvious whether this is included in the total quote amount.
In comparison, on an Action Steel quote, the footing excavation is included in the erection price.
And a footing concrete estimate is provided. As we pointed out earlier though, there can be some variations to this if the erector hits rock when digging the footings. This could mean additional concrete is required.
4. Construction
What type of shed construction have you been quoted?
And how does it stack up against the others?
The golden rule when comparing shed quotes is to make sure you are comparing apples with apples, particularly when it comes to the shed frame and construction.
For example, an Action Steel shed is manufactured from heavy-duty UB columns and an open web truss. This makes it about six times stronger than a c-section purlin shed!
In other words, they are in a completely different ballpark in regard to quality, strength and longevity.
And this difference is typically reflected in the price.
5. Delivery
It is always a good idea to check if delivery has been included in the shed quote.
Or will this be an additional cost? Do you have to arrange it yourself?
The price for an Action Steel shed includes delivery unless an alternative arrangement has been discussed with you prior to quoting.
We also have the advantage of running our own transport which means our freight costs are competitive and cost-effective.
It also means we are not dependent on a subcontract transport company, providing extra flexibility when scheduling deliveries.
6. Install
Like delivery and footings, it is a good idea to check whether the installation of your shed has been included in the quote.
Or is it just a supply-only price? Will you have to arrange the installation yourself?
We are more than happy to provide you with a supply-only price for your shed.
But we do have more than 50 subcontract teams across Australia erecting our sheds. And our customers usually choose to take advantage of this.
So, our quotes typically include the project installation costs.
7. Materials
Let’s talk about materials!
Materials such as structural steel and cladding are essential components of a farm shed build.
As a result, they are a key contributor to the cost to build a shed.
And, because materials used can differ between farm shed companies it can cause some considerable price discrepancies between quotes.
For example, our shed frames and cladding are manufactured from Australian-made steel because it is the highest quality steel available – and we don’t compromise on quality!
However, Australian-made steel usually costs more than imported alternatives.
The other material cost to consider is the corrosion protection for the steel.
Every Action Steel shed is fully hot dip galvanised which is the most effective way to protect steel from rusting. It also has the highest initial cost.
Having said that, hot dip galvanising has the lowest long-term cost.
And we wouldn’t recommend building a painted shed or pre-galv shed in a rural area.
And, as the saying goes: You get what you pay for!
So, keep this in mind when weighing up your options.
8. Permits
As we have already mentioned, council permits are usually an additional expense on your project.
This is because farm shed permit prices vary a lot between projects and shire councils, so it can be hard to accurately estimate these.
You can get an indication of how much the permits for your shed will cost in this article – How Much Do Farm Shed Permits Cost?
Or if you would like the permit costs included in your farm shed quote, talk to one of our building consultants to discuss your options.
We also apply for council permits on behalf of our clients, which leads to the next point – service!
9. Service
Service is not something that is instantly apparent when looking at a farm shed quote.
And it can be hard to put a price on it.
For example, there are several of our service offerings that are not necessarily reflected in our quote.
But these are all intended to create a hassle-free farm shed-building experience for you – and ultimately save you time, stress and money!
In fact, our mission is to be passionate about quality sheds and making people happy by doing the right thing – every time – every day.
And our vision is to be the most trusted supplier of farm sheds.
And our service is one way we strive to deliver on these for our customers.
Our service offering includes complete project management which encompasses permit application, fire design, concrete walls and slabs and liaising with councils and erectors.
We also have our Customer Insight Program which keeps our customers updated about their project every step of the way.
Service is just as important (if not more so) as price when it comes to making a decision. So, it can be a good comparison point between farm shed suppliers.
10. Site Conditions
Does the quote take into account your unique site conditions?
As part of our pre-sale service, our building consultants can visit your shed site and take measurements and levels.
This is an important step, particularly for projects like yard covers over existing yards. Or when you are building near existing infrastructure or close to boundaries. The end result is a shed that is the perfect fit for your site.
Failing to do this could be an expensive predicament.
For example, without an accurate site measure-up, the columns on a yard cover could interfere with your yard design, meaning either the cover or the yards will need to be altered – or both!
To avoid any surprises later on in the project, ensure the farm shed supplier has accounted for any site details such as fall over the site, or nearby buildings, and that the shed design has been adjusted to suit the site.
11. Size
This point seems self-explanatory, but please make sure you are comparing the same-size sheds!
The first point is that the bigger the shed, the more it will cost. This is simply because a larger shed requires more materials and labour.
So, the opposite is true, too. The smaller the shed, the less it will cost.
But the other point to remember is that some shed sizes or configurations are more cost-effective per square metre (or per tonne for grain sheds or per bale for hay sheds) than others.
That’s why it is necessary to compare identical-sized sheds for an accurate price comparison.
Remember the golden rule: compare apples with apples!
And finally, one of the more obscure but incredibly important points – the fine print!
12. The Fine Print
Make sure you have read the fine print!
That includes the terms and conditions and any disclaimers.
This is because not all shed companies are upfront about the cost of their sheds. And there may be additional costs or potentially costly conditions written into the fine print.
For example, we have already discussed how GST costs could be excluded from the project amount – but you might find them tucked away in the fine print.
Similarly, other shed companies have been known to include conditions relating to steel price rises.
So, it is good practice to check this.
The last thing we want is for you to be unexpectedly out of pocket.
That’s why we are open and honest about our pricing, inclusion, exclusions and potential variations.
That’s it! That’s our twelve-point checklist for comparing farm shed prices, quotes and companies! We hope this has been a helpful tool.
Here are some other resources that might be useful for you.
Useful Resources
- 10 Questions To Ask Your Farm Shed Builder
- 22 Of The Best Farm Shed Build Photos In 2022
- How To Save Money On A Farm Shed Project
- Farm Shed Price Guides
- Storage Calculators
Or for more articles like this one and the latest brochures, browse our Learning Hub. For a farm shed quote, give us a call or submit a REQUEST A QUOTE FORM.
