Out buildings are great for storing all of your outdoor garden equipment like lawnmowers, weed eaters, hedge trimmers and the like. It’s also good for small tools and basic equipment. Maybe you can even use it to cover outdoor well equipment. Whatever you use your out building for, there are a few basic facts you should know before you buy or build your own outbuilding.

Whether you buy an outbuilding from your local home improvement center, hardware store or farm supply outfitter; or simply build your own outbuilding from scratch, the basics of outbuildings remain the same.

A good outbuilding always starts at the foundation. Your geographic location, your slope of the land and local building codes will help you decide the first step. Contact the local building department in your area first before you begin. They can give you a rough idea of what needs to be done prior to placing the outbuilding on your property.

Once you’ve secured all of the proper permits, you can begin ground breaking. Call the local utility companies before you dig. If you even need to dig. If the area you select for your outbuilding is within two inches of level on either end you are good to go for an off site purchase, so long as you have clear access for a delivery truck to the site. No way you can back up a truck in your backyard? Time to build from scratch!

In some cases, sheds can be delivered near the site and several dollies with outdoor tires can help move the outbuilding to its desired location. Don’t forget about having plenty of dumb muscle around to get it from the front yard to the back.

You can do all of the moving and placing and planning you want, but without a good foundation to place your outbuilding on, it’s just not going to work. A good solid and level foundation is critical to proper outbuilding placement.

In some cases, outbuildings can be placed on compacted gravel. This is one of the cheapest methods available. Simply dig out a few 16×16 footers and back fill with 4″ of fine gravel and compact. Keep repeating until the gravel is flush with the surface of soil at its lowest point. Use blocks and gravel to level the outbuilding.