Comparing 12 x 12 Sheds and Barns

Comparing 12 x 12 Sheds and Barns

We’ve decided to put in a 12′ x 12′ storage building because we won’t have to worry about permits and it will fit beside the house.

Tuff Sheds in the Home Depot Parking Lot
Tuff Sheds in the Home Depot Parking Lot
The barn is the TB 700, sold only at Home Depot, as far as I can tell.

We’ve compared the buildings from Tuff Shed that we can get through Home Depot. Now we are comparing these to the sheds we can buy about a mile from our house.

Most Storage at the Best Price >

We’ve narrowed it down to a 12×12 building, so the rest are dropped out of the comparison.

Carolina Storage Solutions LP Lofted Barn
Carolina Storage Solutions 10 x 12 LP Lofted Barn

We could see this red barn from the road. I really love it. I need goats to go with it. We compared the storage buildings on the Carolina Storage Solutions website and drove over to look at them in person.

Best Deal Per Square Foot

The ones with a blue background fill are from Carolina Storage Solutions; Pressure Treated Cottage, Pressure Treated Lofted Barn, LP Smart Lofted Barn, Board & Batten Cottage, and Board & Batten Cape. The rest are from Tuff Shed. The pricing per foot comparison is based on the floor space.

Model base price per foot
Pressure Treated Cottage $3,425 $23.78
Premier Ranch $3,431 $23.83
Pressure Treated Lofted Barn $3,525 $24.48
LP Smart Lofted Barn $3,875 $26.91
LP Smart Cottage $3,895 $27.05
Premier Lean-To $3,920 $27.22
Premier Tall Ranch $3,920 $27.22
Premier PRO Ranch $4,159 $28.88
Premier Tall Barn $4,243 $29.47
Premier PRO Tall Ranch $4,679 $32.49
Board & Batten Cottage $4,695 $32.60
Premier PRO Tall Barn $5,158 $35.82
Board & Batten Cape $5,410 $37.57

What are the differences?

Tuff Shed Premier Ranch compared to Carolina Storage Solutions Pressure Treated Cottage
Tuff Shed Premier Ranch compared to Carolina Storage Solutions Pressure Treated Cottage

Carolina Storage Solutions Pressure Treated Cottage comes out to be nearly the same price as the Tuff Shed Premier Ranch. The biggest difference is that Carolina Storage Solutions puts double doors on all of their buildings.

10' wide LP Smart Lofted Barn with optional windows and shelves
10′ wide LP Smart Lofted Barn with optional windows and shelves

Windows and Doors

As you compare the photos, don’t get distracted by the windows. Tuff Shed charges extra for any windows at all.
Carolina Storage Solutions includes windows on some of their buildings. The Board and Batten Cottage and Cape come with two aluminum windows with wood framing. The LP Smart Lofted Barn and Cottage come with one window.
You can add windows with both companies.

Tuff Shed storage buildings have a single door, but you can get a double door as an option.
Carolina Storage Solutions puts double doors on all of their buildings. I didn’t measure it when I was there and their documentation doesn’t tell the size.
Both companies offer door options. You can get a pull up garage door from both companies.

Both companies offer metal or shingle roofs.

Model Side Wall Door Windows
Pressure Treated Cottage 7′ Double
Premier Ranch 6′ 8″ 6′ 2″ Single
Pressure Treated Lofted Barn ? Double
LP Smart Lofted Barn ? Double 1
LP Smart Cottage 7′ Double 1
Premier Lean-To 6′ 5″ lowest 6′ single
Premier Tall Ranch 7′ 8″ 6′ 7″ Single
Premier PRO Ranch 6′ 8″ 6′ 2″ Single
Premier Tall Barn 6′ 8″ 6′ 2″ Single on side
6′ 7″ Single on end
Premier PRO Tall Ranch 7′ 8″ 6′ 7″ Single
Board & Batten Cottage 7′ Double 2
Aluminum/Spruce
Premier PRO Tall Barn 7′ 8″ 6′ 7″ Single
Board & Batten Cape 6′ 8″ Double 2
Aluminum/Oak

 

I couldn’t find the side wall size on the LP Smart Lofted Barn or the Pressure Treated Lofted Barn. But the side wall on barns isn’t really as important, with the gambrel roof.

Inside Carolina Storage Solutions 12 x 12 LP Smart Lofted Barn
Inside Carolina Storage Solutions 12 x 12 LP Smart Lofted Barn

We looked at a lot of them, but we kept going back to the grey 12′ x 12′ barn that was at Carolina Storage Solutions. One big advantage is, we wouldn’t have to wait. We pay for it and they just bring it and set it up for us.

It is almost the base price with a metal roof. They have added 3 tier shelves.
As it is on the lot, it will cost $3969, so $27.56 per square foot of floor space.
That puts it right in the middle of prices for what we are looking at.

Inside Carolina Storage Solutions 12 x 12 LP Smart Lofted Barn
Inside Carolina Storage Solutions 12 x 12 LP Smart Lofted Barn

It comes with one window that opens and has a screen.

Inside Carolina Storage Solutions 12 x 12 LP Smart Lofted Barn
Inside Carolina Storage Solutions 12 x 12 LP Smart Lofted Barn

The whole side opens up to make access to the storage easy. It also will lets more light and air in.

Inside Carolina Storage Solutions 12 x 12 LP Smart Lofted Barn
Inside Carolina Storage Solutions 12 x 12 LP Smart Lofted Barn

The hinges and the pins that hold the second door closed on the top and bottom are good and heavy duty.

Inside Carolina Storage Solutions 12 x 12 LP Smart Lofted Barn
Inside Carolina Storage Solutions 12 x 12 LP Smart Lofted Barn

LP Smart Lofted Barn

  • 50 yr. warranty on LP SmartSide Siding
  • 10 yr. warranty on Urethane stain on siding
  • Gambrel roof allows for maximum space usage
  • Set of double doors
  • One window
  • Two 4’ lofts (on sheds 16’ and longer)
  • 16” On center framing construction
  • PerformMax T&G flooring w/ 25 yr. warranty
  • Pressure treated skids and floor joists
  • Metal or shingle roof
  • Many color choices for siding, trim, and roof colors

Floor System
Pressure treated 4×4 skids
Pressure treated 2×4 floor joists 16” on center
25 yr. warranty on PerformMax T&G flooring (3/4” Pressure treated plywood available)

Walls
16” On center wall studs
16” On center rafters
LP SmartSide Siding

Doors
Cross ties on inside of doors for adjustment if necessary

Two gable vents

Carolina Storage Solutions
deliveredbarnsandsheds.com

Inside Carolina Storage Solutions LP Smart Lofted Barns
Inside Carolina Storage Solutions LP Smart Lofted Barns

Carolina Storage Solutions

Carolina Storage Solutions have a few locations, one of which is about a mile away.

My son-in-law bought his storage building from Carolina Storage Solutions. He was very happy with it. They even helped him arrange to have it moved when he bought a new house.