This is one of the biggest decisions in the shed-buying process: do you buy a kit and build it yourself (or hire a local builder), or do you pay a shed company to supply and erect the whole thing?
Having spent 38 years in the building industry, here’s the honest breakdown.
What Is a Kit Shed?
A kit shed is a complete set of pre-cut, pre-drilled steel components — columns, rafters, purlins, girts, roofing, wall cladding, fasteners, and all connections — delivered to your site ready for assembly. It comes with engineering certification, assembly drawings, and material specifications.
You supply the labour — either DIY or by hiring a local builder/shed erector.
What Is a Fully Built Shed?
A supply-and-erect package where the shed company provides both the materials and the labour to build it on your site. You pay one price for the complete job.
Cost Comparison
Here’s where it gets interesting:
Kit Shed
- Kit cost: typically 40-60% of the total supply-and-erect price
- Local builder/erector labour: varies by region, typically $30-$60/m² for straightforward builds
- Total cost: typically 20-40% less than supply-and-erect
Supply-and-Erect
- One price covers everything — materials, delivery, labour, equipment
- Typically includes crane hire and scaffolding
- Premium for convenience and warranty on workmanship
Quality Considerations
The materials in a kit shed are identical to a supply-and-erect shed — same engineering, same COLORBOND® steel, same Lysaght products. The difference is in who assembles it.
A competent local builder can erect a kit shed to the same standard as any shed company’s installation team. In many cases, a local builder who takes pride in their work will deliver a better finish than a high-volume shed company’s crew racing to the next job.
Why Kit Sheds Make Sense
Regional & Rural Properties
If you’re on a rural property, supply-and-erect companies often charge significant travel costs for crews to reach your site. A kit delivered to your property and erected by a local builder eliminates this premium. This is especially relevant for farm sheds and shed homes on remote properties.
Use Your Own Builder
If you have a builder you trust, a kit shed lets them do what they do best. The engineering and materials are handled by us — the construction is handled by someone you know and trust.
Staged Construction
With a kit, you can stage your build to suit your budget and timeline. Slab first, frame when ready, cladding when it suits. Supply-and-erect companies typically want to build in one hit.
Owner-Builder
If you’re a competent DIYer or hold an owner-builder permit, you can save significantly on labour. Our kits come with detailed assembly drawings — it’s a bolt-together system, not stick framing.
What’s Included in Every Shedz Kit
- All structural steel — columns, rafters, purlins, girts, bracing
- COLORBOND® roofing and wall cladding (22 colours)
- All fasteners, brackets, and connection hardware
- Engineering certification for your specific site
- Assembly drawings and material schedule
- Footing design specifications
- Delivery to your site — nationwide
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