You’ve finally decided it’s time. The garage is overflowing, the basement is a maze, and your lawn equipment has been living under a tarp for two seasons. You need a shed. So you pull up a few websites, scroll through some options, and quickly realize: this is more complicated than you expected. We’ve helped thousands of New England homeowners through this exact moment. And the ones who end up happiest with their purchase? They asked the right questions before they bought. Here’s what those questions are.
Start With How You’ll Actually Use It
This sounds obvious, but most people skip it. They see a shed they like, buy it, and then realize three months later it doesn’t quite work. Before dimensions or colors or price, sit down and think about the real purpose. Is this for lawn and garden tools? Workshop space? Overflow storage from the garage? A dedicated hobby room? Each use case points you toward different features — a workshop needs more headroom and natural light, a garden shed benefits from a wide double door for wheelbarrows, a hobby room might need electrical and ventilation. Being honest about how you’ll use it saves you from buying twice.
Size Up More Than You Think You Need
Here’s one of the most consistent things we hear from customers after installation: ‘I wish I’d gone one size bigger.’ It happens all the time. You measure your yard, you pick what seems like plenty of room, and then life fills it up faster than expected. A good rule of thumb: take whatever size you’re considering, and go up one step. If you’re torn between a 10×12 and a 10×16, get the 10×16. The upfront difference in cost is far smaller than the cost of replacing a shed because you outgrew it.
Know What’s in the Ground (and What’s Above It)
Your property has opinions about where a shed can go. Before you fall in love with a specific spot, check a few things. Most towns in Massachusetts have rules about how far a structure must sit from property lines, fences, and the house itself — a quick call to your local building department clears this up fast. Underground utilities are another consideration: call 811 before any site prep begins. And don’t overlook overhead clearance. Low-hanging branches and power lines are easy to miss until delivery day. Getting ahead of these prevents headaches and delays. We walk every customer through site considerations before installation.
Understand the Difference Between Built and Bought
Not all sheds are created equal. A shed from a big-box retailer is designed to hit a price point. The materials are often thinner, the joinery is faster, and the customization options are limited to what fits on a pallet. A locally built shed — like what we manufacture right here in Western Massachusetts — starts from a different premise. The framing is heavier, the siding holds up to New England winters, and the whole structure is built with your specific use in mind. You choose the size, the door placement, the windows, the trim color, and the roofline. The price might be closer than you think, and the difference in longevity is significant.
Ask About the Installation Process Before You Commit
Delivery and installation vary widely between companies. Some drop a kit at the curb. Others install on-site but don’t prep the foundation. A few — like us — will work with you on site prep, handle the full installation, and make sure the structure is level, anchored, and ready to use before they leave. Ask these questions upfront: Do you deliver and install, or just deliver? What site prep is required on my end? Is there a warranty on labor and materials? What happens if something needs to be adjusted after installation? The answers tell you a lot about who you’re dealing with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with what you plan to store and work outward from there. A 10×12 handles standard lawn equipment and garden tools. A 12×16 adds room for a workbench area. A 16×20 fits a riding mower, full tool setup, and hobby workspace. Our most common advice: go one size bigger than you think you need. Customers who size up rarely regret it; customers who size down sometimes come back for a replacement.
At minimum, a shed needs a level, stable base — typically a gravel pad, pressure-treated wood skids, or a concrete slab. The ground should be cleared of vegetation and graded so water drains away from the structure. Hometown Structures offers site preparation services and will assess your site before delivery to make sure everything is ready.
Hometown Structures sheds are portable — delivered and placed on a gravel pad or wood skids rather than a permanent concrete foundation. In most Massachusetts towns, portable sheds are treated as personal property, which often reduces or eliminates building permit requirements and makes them easier to relocate if you ever sell the house.
Yes — all four of our series (Econoline, Keystone, New England, and Homestead) are fully customizable in size, color, siding type, roof style, windows, doors, ramps, lofts, and accessories. Use our free 3D Shed Builder online to design your shed and see it come together before you buy.
