Most shed regrets don't come down to colour or cladding; they come down to size, placement, wind direction, or council rules. And the annoying part is, these things usually aren't obvious until it's too late.
Ordering a pole shed should be simple. But too many people rush in without asking a few key questions first, and end up paying for it later in time, money, or hassle.
This article outlines common planning oversights we often see and helps you make informed, confident decisions from the start.
One of the easiest mistakes to make is sizing your shed for exactly what you need today, without considering what you will need later down the track.
We see it a lot: a shed that fits the tractor or the ute perfectly, but a year later there's a new trailer, an extra bit of gear, or hay that needs covering, and suddenly there's nowhere to put it.
Height matters just as much as floor space. A bit of extra clearance at the design stage rarely adds much to the price, but it makes a real difference to what you can actually fit inside. If you're storing a boat or a bigger trailer, aim for around 3.6 metres of clearance through the doors. This typically gives you enough headroom for most medium tractors, hard-top trailer boats and caravans; however, it is worth thinking about potential future purchases and allowing enough height to accommodate them.
You don't need to over-build. Just leave yourself enough room for potential future purchases.
Access catches a lot of people out on rural blocks. What's an easy drive for the ute can be a real problem for a delivery truck. Tight gateways, soft paddocks, or a sloped site can all add time and cost.
A quick chat with your shed supplier or trucking company can flag these issues, and a solution can be worked out beforehand.
It's tempting to leave the council conversation for later, especially once you're keen to get started. But it's worth checking early, because rules around setbacks, height, and rural zoning can catch you out if you're not across them.
The good news is that a lot of our smaller centrepole sheds are consent-exempt, which can save you time and paperwork. But this still depends on your district and how the shed is being used, so it's worth checking before you order. If you’re unsure, contact the team at Easy Kit - they’ll be happy to check if your shed is consent-exempt or not.
It's easy to focus on where doors will fit on the plan and forget to think about where the wind actually comes from. Get this wrong, and it can cause real problems once the shed is up.
First, make sure your doors are rated for your site's wind zone. Second, where you can, avoid placing open doors straight into the prevailing wind. It's a small thing, but it cuts down on wind-driven rain getting in, reduces wear on the doors, and keeps things quieter in exposed rural spots.
When comparing quotes, it can be easy to think all sheds are the same.
Easy Kit sheds use pre-dried and graded timber, not sent directly from the mill while it is still very wet, with minimal quality control. This is common practice in New Zealand, and it means that the wet timber warps and twists over time as it dries. This results in a very untidy finish, and it can even put so much pressure on the iron cladding that it can rip, leading to waterproofing issues.
Easy kit also uses custom-made joist hangers and girt brackets. These structural components are made from steel that is almost twice as thick as other options found on the market. Easy Kit has especially designed these brackets for pole sheds to make them stronger and look tidier.
Not every kitset is put together and delivered the same way. Some cheaper kitset options are drop-shipped from multiple suppliers, arriving in bits and pieces at different times, and it often leaves the customer (or your builder) chasing missing parts.
Every Easy Kit shed arrives as one complete delivery, triple-checked before it leaves the yard, and ready for you or your builder to get straight into it. We use timber that's dried and graded in our own yard, so it's not sent to you wet, straight off the truck from the mill.
When the kit is delivered right, the whole build runs smoother and finishes faster.
Most shed problems don't come from one big mistake; they come from a handful of small details that get missed early on. The good news is every one of them is easy to avoid once you know what to look for.
If you're in the planning stage of your shed project, take a moment to think it through properly. A few smart decisions now will save you time, money, and hassle down the track.
Design your shed with our live pricing configurator or get in touch with the Easy Kit team to talk through your project.