Buyer’s Guide

Most of our customers have a general idea of what they want the building to look like, and that really starts with the roof shape. Tuff Shed offers buildings in barn-style, ranch-style, and lean-to-style roofs, and we separate our buildings into a good-better-best assortment of the Garden Series®, Premier Series®, and Premier PRO Series(TM). From there you can start to focus on the features that are important to you, such as wall height, door placement, roof and siding material, and warranty length. Check out the handy comparison feature on the products page of this website, or visit one of our sales teams to learn more.

Base prices on this website include the basic building, including installation. There is NO additional assembly cost on installed models.  All construction costs are included in the base price, except for concrete slabs or footings, any required permits, any required engineering fees, and work done outside the normal installation process such as hauling away an existing structure or debris, site leveling, etc. For delivery addresses located in High Wind Zones or other jurisdictions with known special building requirements, mandated items will be added to your order, thus increasing the building price. The specifications of the base building may vary according to the building code requirements of the jurisdiction where the job site is located. Required variations from our base building plans may increase building price. Building accessories may be added to most models, but at an additional cost to the customer. Prices are subject to change at any time without notice. Please refer to Tuff Shed® building configurator at www.tuffshed.com and enter delivery zip code to see available products and current prices.

There are numerous upgrades available for each Garden Series, Premier Series, and Premier Pro Series building model. For more information, download our upgrades catalog, visit our online building configurator or consult your local Tuff Shed sales and design consultant. Download catalog here

Tuff Shed has some great third-party monthly payment options. RTO National offers installment loans up to $20,000 with approved credit and a No-Credit-Check Rent-to-Own option on select shed models and sizes. Special Offers

The easiest way is to use our online building configurator on this website. You’ll be able to select from different models, and sizes and see prices and other details based on your installation zip code. You can also work directly with one of our sales and design consultants for personal guidance through the design and quoting process.

No, in most cases. While garages do require a concrete slab, our shed floor joist systems have more than adequate strength and moisture-resistant qualities to provide a sturdy foundation on most ground surfaces. There are some exceptions, including when local building departments require concrete, or when the shed is to be located in an area that is below the grade of the rest of your yard. Concrete is also highly recommended for two-story buildings and when the customer’s intended use for the building requires a concrete floor due to the weight or type of materials to be stored inside. In these cases, a concrete pad may be ordered from a professional contractor. Call 1-800-BUY-TUFF (1-800-289-8833) to discuss site specifications with one of our expert sales consultants.

This largely depends on local building rules. Check with your local municipality if it requires a shed to be anchored to the ground. If so, anchors can be added to your Tuff Shed building order for a small fee.

This varies by building type, size, and the municipality where the installation site is located. Permits can range from simple and inexpensive to complex and expensive. The customer is responsible for paying for any required permits. Garages and larger buildings almost always require a building permit. Smaller storage sheds and sheds installed on rural building sites are less likely to require permits, but permit regulations vary according to location, and the customer should consult with the local governing body in the area where the building is to be constructed. Consult a Tuff Shed representative to determine if your project will require a permit.

More like assembled on site. The building components for a job (walls, doors, rafters) are fabricated at the factory, then kitted together. An Authorized Installer crew will then pick up the kitted building, transport it to the customer site and complete the final assembly there. In some cases (for Miami, FL customers or when a building was previously used as a display), a fully assembled building is transported to the site and offloaded from a tilt-bed trailer or a crane.

Our proven construction materials and methods are the same ones used in most homes. The rafters are precut 2x4s positioned over the wall studs and joined at the center with 2″x4″ steel truss plates on both sides. This assures maximum load capacity and weight distribution. Garden Series buildings include 7/16 OSB roof decking, while Premier and Premier PRO Series buildings get upgraded 7/16 LP ProStruct Roof Decking with SilverTech Radiant Barrier technology. All three Series of Tuff Shed factory-direct buildings include roofing underlayment as a moisture barrier and a baked enamel formed steel drip edge around the perimeter of the roof decking to protect the edge of the decking from weather and to support the shingle’s edges from breakage. Garden and Premier Series include 25-Year GAF Royal Sovereign 3-tab shingles. Premier PRO Series buildings get upgraded GAF Timberline HDZ Dimensional Shingles with a Manufacturer’s Limited Lifetime Warranty. GAF Roof Warranty Information

There are two main types of Tuff Shed® building purchases. Most purchases are new buildings, with components fabricated at our factories, then transported to the customer’s site where the building is assembled and installed. A small percentage of purchases are buildings that have been used as displays. In these cases, the fully assembled building is picked up, then transported to the customer’s site where it is delivered into place via tilt-bed trailer.

This tells us how to fabricate your building, where to place items, and what colors to use for shingles and paint (if you’ve selected this upgrade).

To accomplish this, you will need wood stakes and a string bubble level and long piece of nylon string, or a carpenter’s level and a long, straight 2×4. The string or 2×4 must be longer than the distance from the high point corner to the other three corners. Determine where the building will be placed, then drive a stake into each of the four corners and determine which of the corners appear to be the highest and the lowest points. At the high point stake place the string or 2×4 (short-edge down) on the ground and fasten it (i.e. Tie or clamp) to the high point stake. Then position the opposite end of the string or 2×4 at the low point stake. Using the string or 2×4 and the level, raise or lower the string or 2×4 at the low point stake until the level bubble floats exactly centered between the two vertical lines in the center glass vile. Now measure the distance from the ground to the bottom edge of the string or 2×4. This is the distance this first dimension is out of level. Repeat this process for the other two corners, measuring again from the high point corner, writing down your measurements. Now you can determine the distance your build site is out of level and select a method to level the site Tuff Shed®.

Figure 2. Examples of sheds using leveling tools

How do we level?

It’s important that buildings are constructed on a level site. Providing a clean and level site is the customer’s responsibility. However, for a reasonable fee, Tuff Shed® can help create a level building foundation by adding concrete blocks and wood shims beneath the structure. Tuff Shed® does NOT dig into the ground to level a building. If a small amount of leveling is necessary (up to 4”), it will be provided by Tuff Shed® at no charge.

Blocking up or “shimming” a building is not always the best solution from an appearance standpoint. Please consider the appearance and your long term satisfaction in the building when making the leveling decision. Buildings used as displays will be leveled by placing concrete blocks and wooden shims under the perimeter floor joists only. Display buildings may also include wood skids under the floor joists, which will not be removed or leveled upon delivery.

Clean the site of all debris (i.e. old tree stumps, trash, dog waste, etc) and a pathway to and from where the delivery vehicle parks.

Our installers will arrive on the site, unload materials and components, and begin to assemble your building. If you purchased a display building, our delivery driver will arrive on the site, review your desired building location, and the access route for his truck and trailer.

The type of roof truss that comes standard with your building will vary by the roof type, pitch (steepness) and building width. This is especially important on buildings starting at 12’ wide as these trusses include a bottom chord or collar tie (see diagrams below) that can impact the amount of usable space overhead. See truss examples here and contact the Tuff Shed® factory with questions.

Before being transported to the building site, the first coat of paint is applied at our factories by roller to exterior siding and trim surfaces.

Display buildings are sold in “as is” condition, which can vary, ranging from minor blemishes like faded paint to more significant issues such as damaged trim, missing shingles, and dented or bent floor joists.

When normal ground settling occurs, it can affect your tuff shed building, making it difficult to open, close or latch the door. This is not a warranty issue, but in most cases, the building can be easily re-leveled by the customer or for a reasonable fee by Tuff Shed®.

When a building has been leveled with concrete blocks, the floor joists don’t sit flush with the ground. Customers can backfill the ground at the base of the shed using a material such as crushed gravel. We recommend not covering the vent holes, however, since these allow for airflow under the building.

It’s possible, depending on the size of the building. Tuff Shed, however, does not offer a shed moving service.

Floor track vents are an inexpensive and easy to install option, and can be purchased from Tuff Shed.

Yes. Use the contact form found on this page to make your request. We’ll need to verify your customer record and address.

This is intentional, as it is required by building code. The shingle nails must penetrate the roof decking material.

A Seasonal Second Coat Paint Discount is available in winter markets during cold/wet months. If this discount has been applied to your order, then the installers will not apply a second coat of paint to your building. Check your order to see if your order included this discount and contact your local Tuff Shed factory with questions.

Contact your local factory by calling 800-289-8833 or submit the form found on this page.

There are different approaches to insulating a building, and these can vary by climate. Consult a local insulation contractor for ideas. The common first step is to add a vapor barrier between the siding and the insulation. Tuff Shed customers should select house wrap at the time of purchase if they plan to add insulation to their building after installation.

Contact your local factory by calling 800-289-8833 or submit the form found on this page.