I paid a shed company to build a shed. I did the actual chicken modifications (adding roost, nest boxes, hardware cloth), but I don't have the know-how nor inclination to build something large myself.
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I was all set to build from scratch too. Then I found the place that I got my shed from and they were having a sale. At the price I got it for ($2200 with tax and delivered!) I dont think I could have built an 8 x12 considering I'd have to get wood, hardware, roofing, paint, and tools.I did take some inspiration from a manufactured coop, a local landscape business sells manufactured sheds on the side and they had a small walk-in coop. I thought it was perfect-if….. so I started my planning, made a rough b.o.m. and found I could build what I wanted for half the money, it would be bigger and exactly what I wanted.
Well- while it is bigger, what I was wanting in a chicken house-and Im very happy with it, I did indeed spend more than my estimate. But certain things are hard to price, like just how much hardware?, paint costs are the worst and by the time youre ready to paint you’re already nearly broke. The ready-bilt coop was $4500, about a 6x10. My 7x14 I spent about 3000, maybe a little more. I went with flat white with flat red trim, its dirt cheap but does the job, can always repaint later if it doesn’t hold up like I expect. I didn’t realize that is kfc’s color scheme, I was going to go with a flat black trim paint but all lowes had in stock was 5 gallon containers. But there were 1 gallon bucks of flat red ($20) My flat white is a “maintenance “ paint as it’s called, was $45 for a 5 gallon bucket, Next spring I plan to add a tsc exhaust fan beside my already existing 10”x20” ventilation door above the roosts and make a frame covered with hardware cloth to go inside the sliding door frame for maximum summer ventilation.