Is a kit shed cheaper than a custom built shed?

The kit itself is cheaper, because it is materials only. Once you add the slab, engineering, certification, council approval and erection labour, the gap narrows considerably. Compare a finished, standing shed against a finished, standing shed.

Can I put up a kit shed myself in Queensland?

You can carry out work on your own home in some circumstances, but building work over the QBCC owner-builder threshold of $11,000 requires an owner builders license, and still require engineering, certification and council approval. Talk to your certifier before you buy.

Does Spartan Sheds supply kits?

Yes. Spartan Sheds can supply shed kits as well as complete custom design-and-build packages. We can help with the design and engineering, supply the kit, or manage the entire project from slab through to construction and handover - depending on what suits your property and how much of the work you want to handle yourself.

Buyer's guide

Kit shed orcustom built?

A kit price and a built price are two very different numbers, and comparing them side by side is where most people come unstuck. Here's what actually separates a flat-packed kit from a custom shed designed, engineered and built for your block.

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What you are actually comparing

A kit price is usually the structural steel and cladding delivered to your address. A built price is the finished building standing on your block, approved and signed off. Both can be the right answer depending on your situation, but they are not the same purchase.

The gap between the two is everything that has to happen between the delivery truck and a shed you can use: engineering for your site, certification, council approval where it applies, earthworks, the slab, erection, flashings, doors and the final inspection.

Typical kit, Spartan kit and a custom built Spartan shed compared
What	Typical kit	Spartan kit	Spartan custom build
Design	Chosen from a standard size range	Custom sized to suit your block, access and use	Designed around your block, access, use and the look of your home
Engineering	Generic engineering for a wind region	Site-specific engineering for your wind classification	Site-specific engineering and footing design for your soil and wind classification
Certification	Usually your responsibility	Usually your responsibility	Certifier engaged and documentation prepared in-house
Council approval	Usually your responsibility	Usually your responsibility	Prepared, lodged and managed by us, including siting relaxations
Slab and earthworks	Not included - arranged separately	Not included - arranged separately	Carried out by our own tradesmen as part of the build
Erection	DIY or a builder you arrange	DIY or a builder you arrange	Our own experienced tradesmen, same team from quote to handover
Connections	Commonly bracket and screw-fixed	Heavy-duty welded steel plate connections	Heavy-duty welded steel plate connections
Who is responsible	Split across supplier, builder, concreter and certifier	Spartan supplies the kit; you arrange the rest	One local company accountable for the whole job

Where kit prices grow

A kit is a genuine saving if you have the skills, the tools, the time and the gear to put it up yourself, and a straightforward site. Most people discover the extras after they have committed.

Earthworks, formwork, reinforcement and the concrete pour
Engineering and certification for your specific site
Council application fees and any siting relaxation
Erection labour and equipment hire if you are not doing it yourself
Custom flashings where the shed meets an existing building or when generic ones don't fit properly...they never do.
Delivery, unloading and storage until you are ready to start

Where a custom build earns its money

A custom build is worth it when the block is tricky, the shed has to work with an existing home, the building is large, or you simply want one company responsible if something is not right.

Sizes that suit what you are actually storing rather than the nearest standard size
Wall heights, door sizes and bay spacing set by you for your car, caravan, boat or machinery, etc.
Roof pitch, gutter lines and COLORBOND® colours matched to your house
Access, drainage and fall dealt with before the slab goes down, not after
QBCC licensed work, so residential building work over $3,300 is covered by the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme

Common questions

Kit shed vs custom built shed

Is a kit shed cheaper than a custom built shed?: The kit itself is cheaper, because it is materials only. Once you add the slab, engineering, certification, council approval and erection labour, the gap narrows considerably. Compare a finished, standing shed against a finished, standing shed.
Can I put up a kit shed myself in Queensland?: You can carry out work on your own home in some circumstances, but building work over the QBCC owner-builder threshold of $11,000 requires an owner builders license, and still require engineering, certification and council approval. Talk to your certifier before you buy.
Does Spartan Sheds supply kits?: Yes. Spartan Sheds can supply shed kits as well as complete custom design-and-build packages. We can help with the design and engineering, supply the kit, or manage the entire project from slab through to construction and handover - depending on what suits your property and how much of the work you want to handle yourself.

Genuine Australian steel

Every Spartan Shed is built from 100% Australian BlueScope® steel with genuine COLORBOND® and ZINCALUME® finishes - backed by BlueScope® steel warranties and our own workmanship guarantee. Ask us for full warranty details on your specific building.

Get a price you can actually compare

Tell us the size, the site and what is going in it, and we will put together an itemised, site-specific quote — slab, engineering, approvals and all.

Request a quote Open the 3D Designer

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