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Alright. So I planned on building the 8x6 DuraMate on a preexisting concrete slab and it was to be built against a wall. The directions state if you plan on placing the shed against a wall to "build it 2.5 feet away from the wall then slide it into place". After reviewing the instructions for complete info on HOW to build it in this manner I could not possibly see how this could be accomplished. Of course this was on a Saturday afternoon and customer service is only open M-F. Really...who builds a shed during the week?
So I sent an email to customer service laying out my concerns in detail asking for guidance. Didn't hear back by Monday afternoon so I called and a person answered! Yeah! The customer service rep really seemed to know the shed construction process inside out and understood my less than stellar description of what I was trying to do.
Unfortunately, I was told that there really is no way to build the shed 2.5' away from a wall on a concrete pad when using the supplied "U-channel base" as the frame. (The channel frame has to be anchored into the concrete before you can build) The rep said there were several screws and plugs that would need to be installed in the side against the wall and there really was no way to get those parts installed in the way I wanted to build the shed. I could, however purchase the base frame kit, build it away from the wall with that, then slide it into place and secure it into the concrete pad.....ugh!
In the end I ended up securing the supplied "U-channel base" into the concrete pad about 1 foot away from the wall and built the dang thing like that. Here comes the happy ending........
It IS POSSIBLE to build the shed 1 foot away from a wall, IF the wall is not full height and you can get some limited access to the rear of the shed while building. There were some tough angles in getting parts onto the back side and you need a nub screwdriver, but it is doable.
The overall instructions were pretty good and any hiccups (take apart and put back together) were user error. The shed ended up coming together really nicely. For how light the sidewall panels are it feels really solid when completed. Some of the roof panels were a pain to get installed with the plug/pin method being really stubborn not wanting to fully seat in the frame holes, but again, ended up coming together solidly after a couple do-overs.
I am anxious to see how the whole thing holds up to the Arizona monsoon season that always promises very high winds, especially on the wind tunnel side of my house where the shed is placed.
I would recommend an inclusion into the website shed FAQ'S some mention of the fact that if you are building the shed against a wall on a concrete pad, to plan accordingly. I researched all of that in advance and there was no mention of this.
Overall, on a scale of 1-10 for instructions and installation I would give an 8. (Took me and a buddy about 5 hours)
For how the shed looks and ended up completed I would give a 9.
Rating:  [4 of 5 Stars!] |
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