King County Journal - Thursday, August 28, 2003

The garden shed evolution: Garden buildings changing from storage space to working, lounging, playing place By Jean Parietti Journal Reporter      That basic metal shed may have been a fine storage solution a few years ago, but many people are deciding it's time to bring a little more style to their back yards.      "What's popular is to have a garden shed that doesn't look likes a garden shed," said Sherri Lee, co-owner of Garden Solutions in Woodinville. Customers choose wooden structures that complement their homes, taking into consideration the type of siding, roof style and other design points, says Lee, who owns the business with her husband, Steve.      Garden buildings aren't just for storing garden tools or the lawnmower. Homeowners might purchase a structure to serve as a workshop, office, studio, pool cabana, entertainment area or playhouse. The larger sizes can even be used as cabins on recreation property.      Sheds can be elegant or rustic. Some basic models have plywood siding, while other companies specialize in cedar buildings. Painting is usually left to the homeowner.      Many people want to customize their garden buildings and most companies oblige with a variety of extra-cost options. Depending on the manufacturer, exterior upgrades can include windows, sliding glass doors, a traditional house entry door, cedar siding or sidewall shingles, porches, shutters, flower boxes and roofs clad with architectural shingles or shakes.      Inside, buyers might decide to add insulation, shelves, a workbench or a loft. To make a garden buildings usable year-round, some homeowners hire an electrician to install wiring, lights and a wall heater.      Homeowners can choose a company that erects the shed for them, or hire a contractor or carpenter to build a customized shed. The more adventuresome can purchase plans or a kit and build a shed themselves.      "One of the great things about our stuff, it's all modular or panelized, so anybody can assemble a shed," said Greg Bailey, sales and marketing manager for Cedarshed Industries of Langley, B.C. Cedarshed products can be shipped directly from the company or purchased through local dealers (visit www.cedarshed.com for more information).

Starr Aleta of Renton decided to hire out the construction of two garden buildings in her home's back yard. "One of them is going to be my hobby studio. The other one is going to be my little guest house," Aleta said.      The concept wasn't new to Aleta, who had outfitted three basic sheds as sleeping and cooking quarters on her recreational property in Central Washington. Aleta spent "a lot of years" deciding what she wanted in her backyard buildings. But she could envision how they would look on her Kennydale lot, with its view of Lake Washington. "I planted the climbing rose that was supposed to (grow) over the shed a year and a half before I got the shed," she said.      Aleta bought her first backyard structure a few years ago from Tuff Shed. The company didn't offer windows as an option, Aleta said, so she bought windows separately and had them installed. The second building, recently built by Garden Solutions to serve as the guest house, features a sliding glass door, a small loft and triangular windows in the gables.      "It's quite an investment between the two sheds," Aleta said, noting she spent about $5,000 for the guest house and $3,000 to $4,000 for the future hobby studio.      Homeowners will find a wide range of prices for garden buildings, depending on size, materials and options chosen. Prices for cedar sheds available at some home centers range from $700 to $1,000, while Cedarshed's garden buildings start at a little more than $1,000. At Garden Solutions, where Lee said an average of one garden building is sold every day, a basic 10-by-12, gabled-roof Rancher starts at $2,950 installed. Once customers start choosing the options that really add style, however, the average price rises to about $5,000, Lee said.