Questions to ask a shed builder before you sign a contract

What will the shed be used for?

Tell your builder exactly how you intend to use the shed, not just how big you want it. A private garage or storage shed may have different building requirements from a structure intended to be used as a workplace, commercial building or habitable space.

In Australia, building classification is based on the purpose for which a building is designed or used. That classification can affect the engineering, approvals and other requirements that apply to the project.

Be particularly cautious if someone suggests that a standard shed can simply be built first and converted into another use later. Discuss the intended use from the beginning so the building can be designed and approved appropriately.

Is this quote for a shed kit or a full build?

A shed kit quote may cover the engineered building components and delivery, while site preparation, concrete, approvals and erection are priced separately. You receive the steel, the sheeting, the fixings and the engineering drawings, but after that, it is up to you to make the necessary arrangements. This involves sorting the slab, the permits, the site work and the construction of the shed. Depending on the agreed scope, a full-build service can coordinate design, approvals, site works, concrete and erection

Fair Dinkum Builds offers both options. If you're happy to do the work yourself and have the tools and knowledge for it, our shed kits use the same engineering as the sheds we install. Otherwise, you can have the whole build taken care of by us. Whichever way you go, get the supplier to put exactly what they've quoted down in writing. It's a lot easier to judge the prices once you know you're comparing one kit with another, rather than a kit price with the cost of a completed shed. 

What additional fees are not in this price?

Additional fees usually sit in the gap between the quote and the finished shed. Common ones include council or permit application fees, engineering certification, soil testing, earthworks and levelling, concrete slab supply and pour, crane or difficult site access charges, and freight to regional addresses.

Ask for these in writing as a list of exclusions. A builder who has quoted a genuine turnkey price should have no problem showing you what's excluded. Vague answers about costs being "site dependent" are worth chasing down before the contract stage, because that's when they stop being negotiable. Our breakdown of what it costs to build a shed covers which of these usually sit outside the kit price.

Has the shed been engineered for my specific site and intended use?

Wind region is important, but it is not the only consideration.

The conditions around a building site can influence the engineering specification. ShedSafe’s own consumer guidance highlights factors including proximity to the coastline, exposure, terrain, surrounding structures, slopes, hills and escarpments when determining an appropriate shed specification (shedsafe.com.au).

An exposed rural property can therefore present very different design conditions from a suburban lot, even when both properties are located within the same broader wind region.

These conditions can influence structural members, connections, bracing, cladding and foundations.

Ask your shed supplier:

• What design conditions have been used for my site?
• What wind region applies?
• How have the site surroundings and exposure been considered?
• Has the intended use of the building been considered?
• What engineering documentation will I receive?

Our guide on shed wind ratings explains the fundamentals in plain language and can help you understand the questions to ask.

Rather than accepting a generic wind rating, ask the supplier to explain the design conditions being used for your particular building and property.

Who arranges the building permit and council approval?

Depending on where you're building and the proposed structure, approvals, permits or certification may be required. Find out who is responsible for determining those requirements and managing the process. If approvals are included in the builder's scope, ask exactly which documentation and lodgment services they will provide. A kit supplier hands you the documents and leaves the lodgment with you.

Approval requirements shift between states and even between councils in the same state, which is why a national supplier with local franchises tends to know how those requirements are handled locally. Fair Dinkum Builds sheds are engineered for relevant Australian design requirements in accordance with the National Construction Code (NCC) based on the building's intended use, location and site conditions. Your local team can discuss the requirements that apply to your project. The rules vary by state and territory, so check the guide that applies where you are building:

• Council approvals for sheds in the ACT
• Council approvals for sheds in New South Wales
• Council approvals for sheds in Queensland
• Council approvals for sheds in South Australia
• Council approvals for sheds in Victoria
• Council approvals for sheds in Western Australia

Does the quote specify COLORBOND® steel or ZINCALUME® steel?

A cheaper number often reflects a different steel rather than a better deal. ZINCALUME® is Australian steel with an aluminium and zinc alloy coating, finished in bare silver. COLORBOND® starts with that same coated base and adds a baked-on paint finish, which holds its colour and lets you match the shed to your house.

Most Fair Dinkum Builds structures go up in COLORBOND®, and the colour range covers everything a council streetscape rule is likely to ask for. Our range of COLORBOND® sheds walks through the finishes available, if you want to see how they look before deciding. Whichever way you go, get the steel grade and coating class written into the quote.

What does the warranty actually cover, and for how long?

A shed can have several different warranties covering different parts of the project, such as the structure, building materials and workmanship. Don't rely on the headline warranty period alone. Whoever erects the shed carries a separate workmanship warranty on top, so a builder quoting "25-year warranty" without saying which one they mean is worth pressing further.

Fair Dinkum Builds backs its structures with a 30-year structural warranty, supported by a national network that's been building in Australian steel for over 35 years. It's also worth asking who honours the warranty if the local business closes. With an independent operator, check whether there's anyone else backing that warranty if the business is no longer around. 

• Who levels the ground, and how much fall is there across the site? 
• Who supplies and pours the concrete slab?
• Is the slab engineered to suit the shed and the soil classification?
• What access does the crew need for trucks and machinery?
• Who erects the structure, and are they licensed and insured?
• What happens if rock or soft ground turns up during excavation?

Sloped blocks deserve extra attention here, since cut and fill, retaining, drainage and truck access all add cost. Our article on building a shed on sloped ground covers what's involved, so you can raise it early rather than mid-build.

• "She'll be right, we've built hundreds of these." Experience is good. Refusing to name your wind region and site classification isn't.
• Ask instead:
  Can you show me the engineering documentation that applies to my building and site?
• "Council approval is easy, don't worry about it." The important question isn’t whether approval is easy. It’s who is responsible for determining and managing what is required.
• Ask instead:
  Who is responsible for approvals and is that included in my quoted price?
• "It's all in the standard contract." That may be true, but you should understand the contract before making a commitment.
• Ask instead:
  Can I review the contract, inclusions, exclusions and variation conditions before paying a deposit?
• "That price is just an estimate, we'll work it out later." Sometimes parts of a project genuinely can’t be confirmed until additional information is available. The key is transparency.
• "We can start next week if you pay a deposit today." Pressure to sign fast rarely serves the customer.
• "Warranty? Full warranty, mate." Get the term, the coverage, the exclusions and the provider in writing.

• What exactly am I buying?
• What is excluded from the price?
• What will the building be used for?
• What building requirements apply to that intended use?
• Has the shed been appropriately engineered for my site?
• What engineering documentation will I receive?
• Who is responsible for approvals?
• Who is responsible for concrete and site preparation?
• What materials and finishes are included?
• Who will erect the shed?
• What warranties apply and who provides them?
• What could change the final price?
• How are variations handled?
• What is the expected project sequence and timeline?

If a builder can answer those questions clearly and put the important details in writing, you’ll be in a much better position to compare quotes properly.