Beginner Grow Room, problem is $$$

kaiserAxel

Active Member
I'm working with a budget of about $250-$300 to build an outdoor 12x8 shed. By buying the cheapest pressure treated lumber at HomeDepot the lumber costs already come out to about $160. This does not include roofing material, siding, insulation, or ventilation. I'm hoping to get a wide range of opinions and suggestions so feel free to add input even if it seems like the thread has ended.
I'm mostly looking for DIY type of things to save $$$.
Roofing Material: 12x9 area (simple sloped roof)
Siding: I would like wood siding to easily nail into place
Insulation: Anything goes, its a weed--it can grow anywhere (rarely freezes where I live or goes about 90F outside)
Ventilation: probably two small fans, intake/out with dryer vents

For Vent/Siding/Roof looking for cheap products any of you may have come across
For the Insulation, any comments to keep an outdoor shed warm

If you need more angles just ask--you are looking at a door frame on the 8ft side with 12ft depth-10 ft wall on the high side 8 ft on the lower
 

stumps

Well-Known Member
might want to step back and figure out just what you can do. I'M building an 8x16 shed and have well over 1000.00 in it and not even close to done. You can check places that are being built and pick up scrap lumber. 9 mill black plastic is your freind you can do alot with it.
 

kaiserAxel

Active Member
Regardless of the budget, any good $ saving tips regarding insulation/siding?

--and stumps, is that $1000 just for the shed construction or including the growing eq.? Because the $300 budget is for shed construction alone.
 

zeldareaver

Active Member
Sounds like an interesting project good luck with that and 1000$ seems alot for a shed you must of bought quality.
 

kubrickzghost

New Member
I'm working with a budget of about $250-$300 to build an outdoor 12x8 shed. By buying the cheapest pressure treated lumber at HomeDepot the lumber costs already come out to about $160. This does not include roofing material, siding, insulation, or ventilation. I'm hoping to get a wide range of opinions and suggestions so feel free to add input even if it seems like the thread has ended.
I'm mostly looking for DIY type of things to save $$$.
Roofing Material: 12x9 area (simple sloped roof)
Siding: I would like wood siding to easily nail into place
Insulation: Anything goes, its a weed--it can grow anywhere (rarely freezes where I live or goes about 90F outside)
Ventilation: probably two small fans, intake/out with dryer vents

For Vent/Siding/Roof looking for cheap products any of you may have come across
For the Insulation, any comments to keep an outdoor shed warm

If you need more angles just ask--you are looking at a door frame on the 8ft side with 12ft depth-10 ft wall on the high side 8 ft on the lower
I suggest downsizing the project to a smaller grow shed (8'x5'x6'). The wood and ventilation materials will come close to that budget you have. Not to mention odds and ends (building supplies). Dryer vents are usually 4", so I would upgrade to 6" just to be safe, especially with a larger space. You haven't even got to lights, fans, filtration, growing supplies, nutrients, seeds/clones. If you are serious enough to build a shed, then expect to spend at least $500+ in addition to your construction budget.

I have a much smaller room, haven't flowered one plant yet, and I'm already at around $600 in costs.
 

kubrickzghost

New Member
I'm working with a budget of about $250-$300 to build an outdoor 12x8 shed. By buying the cheapest pressure treated lumber at HomeDepot the lumber costs already come out to about $160. This does not include roofing material, siding, insulation, or ventilation. I'm hoping to get a wide range of opinions and suggestions so feel free to add input even if it seems like the thread has ended.
I'm mostly looking for DIY type of things to save $$$.
Roofing Material: 12x9 area (simple sloped roof)
Siding: I would like wood siding to easily nail into place
Insulation: Anything goes, its a weed--it can grow anywhere (rarely freezes where I live or goes about 90F outside)
Ventilation: probably two small fans, intake/out with dryer vents

For Vent/Siding/Roof looking for cheap products any of you may have come across
For the Insulation, any comments to keep an outdoor shed warm

If you need more angles just ask--you are looking at a door frame on the 8ft side with 12ft depth-10 ft wall on the high side 8 ft on the lower
Great deals for grow materials can be found at HTG Supply. I've used them and I highly recommend their company.
 

kaiserAxel

Active Member
Thanks for all the replies guys. I have decided to put my effort into outdoor growing at the moment, but I may start construction on the shed within the next couple of months by the time I have a job again. Due to the budget, I will most likely use the shed to play host to about 3 mothers and shelves of vegging to be place outdoors next april/may.
During the course of researching on how to build the shed, I now know how to install the electricity, siding, roof panels, and about different insulation brands--so it wasn't wasted effort, eh? I also figure I will be moving in about 3 years so I may as well stick to cheap outdoor growing.

A cool idea to build an outdoor grow shed would be an article I came across online about a 'biodome' where you use a mixture of dirts as insulation and supposedly its R value is higher then retail if you do it right (only problem I could see would be infestation and wiring).

Unless you really want that larger yield then a grow room inside an already insulated and temperature-controlled building is the way to go. The overhead is so much less the only reason to build an outdoor shed would be lack of space indoors.
Pros of outdoor shed vs. Cons
Pro's
More easily customizable layouts
Easier to clean out of infestated
No need to hack through house walls for ventilation

Con's
Insulation installation
Probably a heater cost if you live in areas where it gets below freezing
Lumber cost figures for a 12x8 were coming out at $220 including roof and door. (plus siding, roof material)
 

stumps

Well-Known Member
Regardless of the budget, any good $ saving tips regarding insulation/siding?

--and stumps, is that $1000 just for the shed construction or including the growing eq.? Because the $300 budget is for shed construction alone.
I have over 500.00 in just lumber and osb. About 200.00 for the added wood for the floor. tar paper 100.00 roofing 80.00. sorry I added in the brick and gravle that was 300.00. So into it 680.00 give or take. oh and about 30.00 in screws. lol no grow stuff it's a storage shed for the yard crap.
 

Furthur

Active Member
300 dollars to essentially build a small building? You might as well just get one of those igloo dog houses hahah. I understand being strapped for cash but then maybe you should just grow in a closet or something, safer that way anyways.
 

kaiserAxel

Active Member
Damn you didnt have to worry about electricity and it cost you that much. Sounds like a good quality shed, well done :)
..and Giant, the point of this thread was to get some tips on how to save money while building a shed, and if anyone wants to add tips on indoor rooms like closets/basement rooms please feel free
 

stumps

Well-Known Member
depending on stealth concerns. Like I was saying the 9 mill plastic and some 2x2's you can make light proof rooms,and or smell proof. my indoor is all black plastic now. flower room is 5x8 and the veg area is still open for the most part. So far only 4 screws in the walls. window for fresh air and 1 hole for exhaust vent.
 
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