Here are some questions to ask before you invest in outdoor home storage

A ranch-style storage building with Dutch doors. PROVIDED/TUFF SHED OKC
A ranch-style storage building with Dutch doors. PROVIDED/TUFF SHED OKC

It sounds simple, but like most home-improvement ideas, building or installing a storage building out back can get complicated. After 40-plus years Denver-based Tuff Shed Inc. has a few questions you need answered before you start.

Brandon Clark, a rep for Tuff Shed OKC in Oklahoma City, said this is what you need to know first.

Know how you'll get an outbuilding back there

"What kind of access do you have? Some sheds must be delivered built, which may require fence removal to get equipment and the shed in your yard. Others are built on-site and only require a regular fence gate for access."

Know your local permitting requirements

A just-finished pool shed. PROVIDED/TUFF SHED OKC
A just-finished pool shed. PROVIDED/TUFF SHED OKC

"Most municipalities require permitting for sheds. Requirements vary from city to city. Some require all sheds and others have size and/or height thresholds that if exceeded require permits. The cost varies. Ask your company if they provide permitting services."

Know your home owners association's guidelines

"Many of our neighborhoods have an HOA that may or may not have specific guidelines for sheds. Ask your company what they provide in order to submit your shed details for HOA review."

Know what other questions to ask

"Be open about the project and what you are looking for, and ask questions. Tell the company what your plans for use are and what you would like to see in your new shed. There are many styles, uses, and options to choose from, many of which customers may not know about. Most have a floor and some kind of base but they can also be mounted to concrete, some without a base/floor. Depending on the use, concrete may be recommended or required."

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A 12-by-16-foot barn-style outbuilding. PROVIDED/TUFF SHED OKC
A 12-by-16-foot barn-style outbuilding. PROVIDED/TUFF SHED OKC

Senior Business Writer Richard Mize has covered housing, construction, commercial real estate and related topics for the newspaper and Oklahoman.com since 1999. Contact him at rmize@oklahoman.com. Sign up for his weekly newsletter, Real Estate with Richard Mize. You can support Richard's work, and that of his colleagues, by purchasing a digital subscription to The Oklahoman. Right now, you can get 6 months of subscriber-only access for $1.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Home improvement: What to ask before you invest in a storage building

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