Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Initial impression review after building. Summary: 4 starts for going up quickly and quality of parts, 1 lost for security concerns and stability questions for future. Completed building this shed in 3 hours single handed -- not including platform construction. The only part that really needs 2 people is putting up roof braces, but that can be worked around if you rearrange the middle truss after the roof braces are in place. Overall, not too bad of a design. I spent more time constructing the wood frame than the shed. Plastic: Worth it? The plastic bits, in most cases, were doing as designed and didn't cause problems. The screws (3 bags in my case, all labeled differently which was confusing) are a common screw used for just about everything. As long as the little dimple in the screw side is lined up you'll get a tight bond. Miss and it will strip quite easily. I ran into problems with the roof not lining up and had to persuade it to align by shifting the walls and putting stones on the roof to push down. I'd say about 95% of the screws lined up despite being on a flat platform. I was concerned about the sides as they wobbled, but once all together it does stiffen up considerably. This is not going to be a shed to hold a motorcycle as security is pretty weak, though a crow bar on even a wooden one is just as likely to give in as this one. Answer: Yes; It's good for dirty items and quick construction. Has "some" security and strength is there to handle most weather. Reinforce with 2x2 or metal bars and through-wall rivets/etc to strengthen for snow is likely required? Construction/instructions: All were pretty clear to me. The annoying part was trying to decipher "JJ" screws and MM bolts. Turns out the multiple bags are all the same. If it looks the same, it is. It's not as complicated as it seems with the multiple bags. The longest build part, which is where most time will be spent for solo, is prepping. You can probably get down to 2 hours total or less with more people working in parallel in the prep part. Getting windows/skylight/etc all installed took a significant amount of time. Let's put it this way, I probably spent an hour+ lining up the gaskets/etc and spent maybe 20 minutes putting up the walls/floor. But... the prep work is there for a reason, don't build in place or ad-hoc. Tools used: B&D cordless drill (chuck set to 3-5 to prevent stripping). Instructions say use hand screwdriver, for some this would be better to prevent accidental stripping, but will likely make you really hate putting 200+ screws in at the end of the day. One charge worked just fine for the whole process Ratchet/socket (cross beams) + wrenches: both metric Suggested: mallet if you have flexible shoos to place walls, otherwise just kick it in Takeaway #1: If you don't build this on a FLAT ground, it will be troublesome to connect together. Takeaway #2: Construction time probably about 2 hours with more people. But once walls and roof start going up only 2 max is suggested. Takeaway #3: If you don't have a platform, plan on spending approx $300 extra for quality lumber. Do research on how you're installing. I choose GC 2x8 so that I don't need to care significantly about bushes/leaves/etc but they cost 30% more than normal pressure treated. Comparative to wooden shed: At the same time building this shed, I concluded that it's equivalent to the same in wood for the strength. (had plans for building wooden one, but time was a big constraining factor). Things that could be improved: Better latching of roof pieces to each other. Doors do bind when closing, but not a significant problem. Unlatched door does flex quite a bit when pulling, likely rain entry point. Front/back wall are flimsy after built, likely to reinforce at later time Vent mesh + screws == bad. Very difficult to not bunch up the mesh while not making gaps. Extra sealing is required to prevent bees from getting in. Things that are good: Went up very quickly (major benefit in my review rating) Solid enough construction for yard equipment or wood storage. Even if it leaks from rain, very easy to remedy (some complaints about this from others) Looks good Roof should be able to handle some load decently well (snow/branches falling) Steel parts feel solid. Little to zero maintenance Undecided: Duration. We'll see how it handles heavy snow and wind. It's in a sheltered area from wind but poses other risks from branches. Snow in my area has been known to collapse homes. Longevity: While plastic can handle all sorts of abuse wood can't, we'll see what UV exposure does after a few years. Security: Yeah, there is some but at the same time it's plastic. Not concerned as it can lock but also I can easily see how to circumvent it with a box-cutter. Likely to reinforce with metal bars or internal wooden structure when needed. Bottom line: Recommended if already in a secure area and is sheltered from most weather events. It will go up quickly and should last several years. Plastic has benefits of being reparable to a point and requires minimal maintenance unlike wood. Not for: Windy areas or valuables. Even if anchored to pavement/concrete I have my doubts in an un-sheltered area this would last.