Building your own shed can cost half as much as buying a kit, but only if you know your material quantities. The biggest cost drivers are the floor system, wall sheathing and siding, and the roof. Gable roofs add triangular end walls; lean-to (shed) roofs make one wall taller than the other.
How to use the DIY Shed Cost Calculator
- Shed length
- Shed width
- Wall height
- Roof style
- Roof pitch (rise per 12 run)
- Roof overhang
- Doors
- Windows
- Floor (joists, decking) price
- Foundation price (skids, gravel pad)
- Wall (framing, sheathing, siding) price
- Roof (framing, decking, shingles) price
- Price per door
- Price per window
Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.
How it works
Enter the footprint, wall height, roof style and pitch, overhang, the number of doors and windows, and local unit prices. The calculator works out each surface area and multiplies it by the price you set, then adds doors, windows and the foundation.
Good to know
Use the prices from your local lumber yard: a pressure-treated floor, OSB sheathing with T1-11 siding and asphalt shingles are the common budget choices.
Inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Shed length | Units: ft, m, in, yd, cm |
| Shed width | Units: ft, m, in, yd, cm |
| Wall height | Units: ft, m, in, yd, cm |
| Roof style | Choose one: Gable, Lean-to / shed (slopes across width), Hip |
| Roof pitch (rise per 12 run) | In /12 |
| Roof overhang | Units: in, cm, mm, ft, m |
| Doors | A number |
| Windows | A number |
| Floor (joists, decking) price | Units: /ft², /m², /yd² |
| Foundation price (skids, gravel pad) | Units: /ft², /m², /yd² |
| Wall (framing, sheathing, siding) price | Units: /ft², /m², /yd² |
| Roof (framing, decking, shingles) price | Units: /ft², /m², /yd² |
| Price per door | Units: /piece |
| Price per window | Units: /piece |
What each result means
- Floor area = [Shed length]×[Shed width]
- Roof area = ([Shed length] + 2×[Roof overhang])×([Shed width] + 2×[Roof overhang])×sqrt(1 + ([Roof pitch (rise per 12 run)]÷12)^2)
- Floor and foundation cost = [Floor area]×([Floor (joists, decking) price] + [Foundation price (skids, gravel pad)])
- Wall cost = [Wall area]×[Wall (framing, sheathing, siding) price]
- Roof cost = [Roof area]×[Roof (framing, decking, shingles) price]
- Doors and windows = [Doors]×[Price per door] + [Windows]×[Price per window]
- Total shed cost = [Floor and foundation cost] + [Wall cost] + [Roof cost] + [Doors and windows]
Example values
How the main result changes when Shed length changes and everything else stays at the example values above:
| Shed length (ft) | Total shed cost |
|---|---|
| 6 | 2,185.78 |
| 9 | 2,698.54 |
| 12 | 3,211.31 |
| 15 | 3,724.07 |
| 18 | 4,236.83 |
| 24 | 5,262.36 |
Formula
Floor = L × W
Walls = 2 (L + W) × H + gable or lean-to extra
Roof = (L + 2o)(W + 2o) × √(1 + slope²)
Cost = Σ area × price + doors + windows
Worked example
Inputs: Shed length: 12 ft; Shed width: 8 ft; Wall height: 7 ft; Roof style: Gable; Roof pitch (rise per 12 run): 4 /12; Roof overhang: 6 in; Doors: 1; Windows: 2; Floor (joists, decking) price: $4 /ft²; Foundation price (skids, gravel pad): $1.5 /ft²; Wall (framing, sheathing, siding) price: $5 /ft²; Roof (framing, decking, shingles) price: $6 /ft²; Price per door: $250 /piece; Price per window: $120 /piece.
Results: Floor area = 96 ft²; Wall area = 290.7 ft²; Roof area = 123.3 ft²; Floor and foundation cost = $528.00; Wall cost = $1,453.33; Roof cost = $739.97; Doors and windows = $490.00; Total shed cost = $3,211.31.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to build a shed yourself?
Materials typically run $15–$40 per ft² of floor area depending on finishes, so a 10 × 12 shed costs roughly $2,000–$5,000.
Is it cheaper to build or buy a shed?
Building usually saves 20–50% on materials versus a kit or prebuilt shed, but takes several weekends.
Do I need a permit?
Many areas exempt sheds under 120–200 ft²; check your local building department and HOA rules.