Shed, Workshop or Detached Garage: Which Do You Need?

These three buildings look similar from the road and are very different projects in cost, permitting and construction.

Storage shed

No permanent power, gravel or block foundation, minimal permitting, lowest cost per square foot. Right answer if you are storing things.

Workshop

Insulated, wired, often climate controlled, heavier floor system. Costs meaningfully more per square foot. Right answer if you will spend hours inside it.

Detached garage

Slab, overhead door, engineered trusses, full permitting. The highest cost and the highest resale contribution. Right answer if a vehicle goes inside.

Middle ground

A shed with a workshop end wall, or a garage with a partitioned storage bay, is common and usually cheaper than two buildings.

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