Coop costs total- areas for cutting/saving?

[gottadance]

OK - so here's where I'm at with building an 8x8 coop and 8 x 20 run with shingled roof:

Lumber $220
Plywood $272
Hardware cloth $203
Kilz to seal plywood $25
Two used vents $20
Windows $120 (still looking to get some free off craigslist or freecycle)

TOTAL MATERIALS - $860

Cost to Build - $300 (I'm guestimating - anyone have any idea what this would cost? Going to try to barter to have it done.)

TOTAL COSTS $1160

Of course then add another $100-$200 for things I've forgotten.


VS

Cost to buy a constructed tool shed, have it hauled, have a run added:

Shed (cheapest one I've found) $400
Run lumber $110
Plywood for run roof $125
Hardware cloth $175
Windows $120

TOTAL MATERIALS $920

Hauling $200
Cost to build run: $200

TOTAL COST $1320 (plus an extra $100-200 for stuff I forgot)


So, where can I cut costs? Here are my ideas, what are yours?

*Reduce run to 6 by 16 or 4 x 16 (I only plan to have three hens and a roo - but I just believe in animals having room - plus chicken math. Also one of the reasons I wanted it so long is so that it meets my cement sidewalk - so in the winter I can shovel up to the run door, making it easier to open. I could just put a board under/in front of the door, making it easier to shovel in winter.)
*Reduce lumber and plywood costs (my current costs are based on full price at Home Depot)- go to ReStore, Home Depot cull pile. Are there any cheaper places to get plywood? Someone had mentioned a Lowe's 10 percent off coupon? Don't most pros get a discount - so if I'm hiring someone to build this and he buys the materials at HD or Lowe's, he'll get a discount on them, yes?
*Don't do a roof over the entire run - maybe only on half or 2/3? Really wanted the full roof to keep the snow out in winter, but with a big run, if half or 2/3 is covered, they'll have some room if they decide to be out in the cold.)

Looking forward to your feedback! Thanks guys!

 

[motoclown]

Yikes~I don't even want to know what I've spent.
First coop, we had old barn wood in the garage, saved the whole cost of walls.
Free=windows, metal fencing for roofing, trees for supports.
Spent more on 2x4s, screws, roofing and fencing.

Second coop, we spent more but I've learned to go to our Habitat for Humanity store for re purposed items cheep.
Free=old motorcycle trailer(no title), windows, cheep and free shingles.
Spent $ on walls, 2x4's, 1x3's a big box of screws.

Third coop, will be our brooder converted into a small coop.
As soon as we get our 37 peeps outside.

You should check to see if you have a local Habitat store near you, ask friends and family for help in return for eggs!
Check local construction sites for leftovers.

 

[perchie.girl]

The only thing you should buy new is fasteners like staples screws and nails. If you get old wood do not assume you can drive a nail into it. Either use predrilled holes or Exterior grade screws for decks. Those are my personal choice for construction fasteners.

You really should research whats around you. But here is what I have located here in San Diego.

Free materials:

Garage doors

Garage doors are 8 x 16 and made of plywood. They are often times thrown away or sold for a nominal price whole by Garage Door replacement companies. Call a few. I got five single car garage doors from one and he delivered.

Construction sites

Ask if they want their scraps. Lots and Lots of Coop useable stuff free for the asking

Pallets:

Especially ones that come from Sheet metal fabrication companies. Often times they are ten feet long by four feet wide. they will have ten foot long four by fours in them.

Check out Freecycle sites.

Old chainlink can be used in place of the welded wire for runs. Still need chicken wire. Fencing materials

Not free but cheap:
Craigs list under materials:
Not necessarily free but a really good price.

Fencing materials leftovers
doors
windows
screen doors
Wood
siding
concrete blocks
fence posts

 

[NevadaRon]

The pro will be pocketing that 10% discount - not passing it along to you.

 

[PapaChaz]

have you considered a metal roof instead of shingles? find a metal roofing place, call and ask what they get for linear foot. our local one gets 1.60 per foot for first run, 1.30 for seconds, and they'll cut it for the lengths you need for each side. no plywood necessary under it, just the framing and the lathes. you would want to put a vapor barrior under, it sweats in the winter and will drip, but it is usually much cheaper.
also, what are you using the kilz for on the plywood? are you using the plywood for your siding? you should look at T1-11, it would also need to be stained or painted but is made for exterior and will last much longer than plywood. and you can ask around HD or Lowes for 'oops that paint wasn't what i thought it would be' and find something cheaper also. I just built a 6x8 coop with 4 ft high walls and spent just over 500 for all the materials. i added a 10x12 run with a divider in the middle all done in hardware cloth and altogether it cost just over 200, of course i did my own planning and some of the work, DW and son in law did most of the work

 

[allpeepedout]

On the tacky coops competition thread were some creative ideas for budget-minded recylers: using a pickup truck shell, an old RV, etc. Perusing that thread might give some inspiration for thinking outside the Big Box home improvement retailer.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Gonna cost a whale of a lot more to have it built for you, I will betcha anything.

However one very obvious place to save money is BUILD IT YOURSELF. Seriously. You can *too*

Cost to build run: $200

Here too.

So, where can I cut costs? Here are my ideas, what are yours?

By far my biggest suggestion, other than build it yourself, is to spend some time scrounging first. See whatcha can come up with. (do this FIRSt b/c it may alter your design a bit). 2x4s and plywood are pretty easy to come up with; small quantities of shingles not too hard either; and all sorts of other useful things can turn up, depending on where you live and where you look and how your luck is running.

*Reduce run to 6 by 16 or 4 x 16 (I only plan to have three hens and a roo - but I just believe in animals having room - plus chicken math.

Usually run fencing is cheapest when bought by the roll not by the foot. Thus I would suggest sizing your run to use a 25-, 50- or 100-foot roll.

Are there any cheaper places to get plywood?

Construction sites and people having home reno work done. Ask, obviously, don't just take.

Someone had mentioned a Lowe's 10 percent off coupon? Don't most pros get a discount - so if I'm hiring someone to build this and he buys the materials at HD or Lowe's, he'll get a discount on them, yes?

only by 10% or so, which usually YOU can get TOO if you're buying enough stuff (altho for this project you might not be). The pro you hire is NOT going to pass those savings on to you, though. that is part of his profit. Again, I think you are greatly underestimating what someone will charge. It is hard for me to feature anyone banging out even the most cavalierly-built 8x8 shed in less than 8 hours of work and most likely it'd be more; at say $100/hr... and actually you are asking for an 8x20 shed (for which I believe you have substantially underestimated the materials costs btw) which would be probably about twice the time to build...

*Don't do a roof over the entire run - maybe only on half or 2/3? Really wanted the full roof to keep the snow out in winter, but with a big run, if half or 2/3 is covered, they'll have some room if they decide to be out in the cold.)

Roofing the whole 8x20 run properly is going to be ka-ching. A good cost saving measure might be to have the run fencing structured such that it is all ready to recieve rafters and a roof LATER, when more time/materials/funds are available.

e.t.a. -- in regards to a previous post, T-111 does NOT "last much longer than plywood", T-111 *is* plywood, just decorative plywood

Exterior-grade plywood lasts fine too, it just doesn't look as spiff but is cheaper.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[PapaChaz]

"e.t.a. -- in regards to a previous post, T-111 does NOT "last much longer than plywood", T-111 *is* plywood, just decorative plywood

Exterior-grade plywood lasts fine too, it just doesn't look as spiff but is cheaper.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat"

true about the T1-11 being just decorative plywood, but it's already exerior grade, just with the lil grooves cut in, and even at that when i priced materials it was cheaper than exterior/marine grade plywood of the same thickness, both of which will last much longer than REGULAR plywood, which doesn't last very long at all if it gets wet a time or two

(even painted) i only pointed that out because she merely said plywood, i wouldn't want her to think regular plywood sheeting was gonna last very long

 

[gottadance]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I have to think this through some more. I want something that looks somewhat nice. Yes, would DEFinitely use exterior grade plywood - spent some time researching that previously (I had no clue about different kinds of plywood until I spent time online). Unfortunately I absolutely have zero building skills and would have no idea what I was doing - my bf is about the same - I could see it turning into one of those nightmare projects where in the end I could have saved myself money and time by hiring someone! LOL So, I think I'm going to have to hire someone and pay them or barter with them.

Kilz was suggested by Lew on these boards to protect the plywood. I have been perusing craigslist and freecycle - without much luck so far. I did check out the Home Depot 85 percent off wood section tonight, after someone here suggested it (thank you!). There were a few decent pieces there, but not much. Definitely going to hit the ReStore and see what they've got. I have a lot of shingles that I did get for free on freecycle a while back, I think I'm pretty good in that dept.

I just don't want this project to drag on and on while I'm scrounging around for materials - but of course I don't want to spend tons of dough either!

I'm on an adoption waiting list and when that comes through (which could happen any time) I'm going to want this project done.

Oh how I wish I had a handy brother or bf - but no such luck! whawhawha....

I want the magic chicken coop building fairy to swoop down while I'm asleep and make a nice coop and run appear.

 

[gottadance]

Curious about the garage doors - interesting suggestion. I didn't know they were made of plywood - thought they were steel. Hmmm...I have seen some garage doors for sale and passed them up because I wasn't thinking outside the box. Need to rethink that.