Making a shed from scratch for £100

So, I've been saying for what feels like an age now, that I need a shed! Of course an allotment needs a shed. My car has basically become my shed! There's just my husband and I, so we just have a little old Toyota (she's 20 next year- so she's getting on a bit!) but we have just had the backseats down for months now, as all the tools and things just live in the back. It does mean however that I can't cycle down to the allotment, I always need the car! We tried cycling down a little while back with forks and things in tow and it was just annoying! So the time finally arrived! 

 My husband is handy with a saw and things, and so is our friend (who worked as a carpenters apprentice for a while so we had to get him on side!) 

I wanted to use as much as I could from reclaimed wood/materials. And I would say the majority- if not 90-95% of the shed is made from exactly that. 

We had acquired some 150 year old roof timbers from the flat above ours a few months back, as well as some old double glazed windows from someone else on the street. Then another friend was replacing his fence so we used all those old panels as well. We also had a lovely old solid wood door from another friends new (old) house. Our handy friend is also friends with some people who own a reclaimed timber place- so that's where the rest came from!

 So- they spent hours (literally like 12 hours one day 2 weeks ago) in our friends work shop creating the shell of the shed. They then transported it to the allotment and began putting it all together. 

So the allotment became a building site for a while! 

They were able to get the main part done. Then the next day my husband and I went back, and we finished it off! It was about 25 degrees outside and we were seriously sweating by the end of that day! But by the end we definitely had a shed! So the only new thing that went on it really was the roof! Because it was important for me to have both shed and greenhouse, I needed it to be as light as possible, so we decided to use clear plastic corrugate for the roof. It's super cheap- about £6 for a length- although, it's pretty flimsy so that's why it's only £6.  The sun continued to cook us, but I also wanted to get a coat of paint on. We used a specific outdoor shed/fence paint. One tin pretty much did one (and a bit) coats of the whole shed. So here it is!

And here it is sitting at the top of my allotment! 

Overall, it's not very big. One metre wide by 3 metres long, but that's enough for me. I don't plan on moving in. 

 It's solid as well. The floor is made from 3 inch thick solid wood- it's actually the roof beams I mentioned earlier (I know- I feel quite guilty using them for a shed floor- but the shed floor now looks amazing!!) 

 The old wooden door was reused- as the door! There are 2 large double glazed windows on the front and side (both open which really helps!) the left side and part of the front is clad in the old fencing and the back is reclaimed thick chipboard. Even the frame is all reclaimed and recycled wood. 

 Altogether, the timber cost us £20. 

 The roof and screws/nails cost £40.

 The paint (3 tins, 2 blue and 1 cream which I'm going to use to paint the inside) was £40.

 So total shed-come-greenhouse cost was £100. And you definitely can't buy something like that at the same price in the shop!

I totally love it!! And over the last 2 weeks we've taken everything along- and it's all a perfect fit. I plan on attaching hooks and shelves and things inside for bits and bobs. I've also got a shelving unit in there for my greenhouse plants. 

There's now tomatoes, jalapeños, peppers, cucumber and aubergines all sitting quite happily inside.

Today I've also added a zinc pot to the front door under the window with plants in, and I plan on adding a few other things to the front to jazz it up!

Photos will follow soon!