Built vs. Bought
For my final project, I will be examining how much it will cost to build a shed compared to how much it
would cost to have the professional installers at Home Depot come and build it for you. As with any project,
one should start be taking a count of the materials that will be required; their prices as well. Thanks to my
prior experience in construction, I know what to do with these materials. However, I will also look at the price
to have Home Depot install it in order to see how much money I could save.
First, I will look at the number of 2x4’s I will need to buy in order to build a sturdy frame (skeleton).
When framing walls, the studs must be secure place to a top plate (any kind of 2x4), and a bottom plate, which
must be made of treated wood! The shed that I would build is 8’ wide by 16’ deep, thus I will buy two eight foot
bottom plates and two sixteen foot bottom plates for eleven dollars and thirty four cents, then twenty four
dollars and fifty four cents respectively. Then I would need two 2x4’s (douglas fir) for blocking and four more
to be used to brace the trusses to each other. After that, I would need forty four more 2x4’s to be used as studs
in the walls. I got this number by adding the total number of feet needed for each wall together and dividing
that number by sixteen, for there needs to be a stud at every sixteen inch interval. I will also need six foot 2x4’s
for the doorway, six of each which will be cut from some eight footers. In order to get that vaulted barn-like
ceiling appearance, I will need two gable trusses (for the ends) and seven custom measured and cut trusses to
make the roof solid. All of this framing will be fastened together using framing nails, which brings up an excellent
segue allowing me to tell you the first and best way in which I will be able to cut costs!
Rather than paying through the nose by the Home Depot “professionals” build my shed, I will make
some calls to a former employer, Bryan Weathers, owner of Weathers Construction and Remodeling in order
to use his tools. As for labor, I will be able to call some friends and family. My former boss, colleagues, and
friends will only help for free, if I sincerely request their help and offer some small incentive, such as a tasty
meal and enjoyable weekend. I will take everyone out to a restaurant of their choosing on the day of the
building project and to a club on the following weekend where I will get the night started with a round of
drinks. In order to figure out how much money this project will actually cost, I will need to know the number
of people helping me. I will need a total of four workers to complete this project. Therefore, I will find the
average or median price of one meal at a quality restaurant and multiply that price by four. I will then do the
same thing for drinks, and this will tell me the total cost of what I would pay for total labor, most of the
materials, and installation.
Jose from the Pro Desk at Home Depot told me that the price of the materials alone would be thirteen
hundred dollars, but if I want them to install it for me, they will charge me two thousand two hundred sixty
nine dollars. After doing some calculations, I found that building the shed myself will save me eight hundred
sixty two dollars and twenty two cents. This is a thirty eight percent savings from the price Jose had quoted.
I asked Lori Van Cott of Zions Bank what kind of payments I would be looking at if I were to get a loan
for fifteen hundred dollars. She advised me to put some of that money into a savings account and wait until
enough interest had accumulated to allow to afford all the necessary expenses. Using the simple interest
formula, I figured that if I invest one thousand dollars into a savings account with a simple interest rate of two
percent, I will have enough money in 18 months, fourteen hundred dollars and twenty eight cents. If I want to
have a little extra money help pay for unexpected expenses I should let the interest collect for twenty four
months, which will provide me with sixteen hundred and eight dollars.