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How It Works

How Our Process Works

Secure Your Building Permit

Before moving on to any other step in the buying process, it is crucial to secure a building permit first if your township or city requires it.
Here's information on how to get a building permit in your area.

Select A Building

1. Select Your Building

Select a building from our stock inventory, select a semi-customizable building from one of our Collections, or design a fully-customized building using our online configurator. 

Stock buildings: We have pre-built sheds, garages, chicken coops, and dog kennels available for sale. You can see them in person at a display lot in South Dakota and Minnesota, or you can browse our entire inventory online. When you’re shopping online and see a building that you like, click on the image or select “Quick Shop” to view the details. If it’s the one you want, click the “Reserve” button. When you’re ready to purchase, you can begin the checkout process online or call our sales team at 888.832.6889.

Semi-customizable buildings: Our Shed Collection and Garage Collection offer a range of versatile and expertly designed sheds. Choose from our Specialty Sheds, Standard Sheds, or Utility Sheds then use our online 3D configurator to explore customizable options that include size, siding, roof style, and colors. You can save as many variations as you’d like and get a quote for each. When you’re ready, you can purchase by checking out online or call our sales team at 888.832.6889.

Custom buildings: Customize your storage building from top to bottom, inside to outside. Choose size, roofline, siding, and all the add-ons you want. Think about how you plan to use your storage building then consider the amount of space you will need inside, how many windows you want for natural light, the type of doors that will provide the easiest access, and more. Our user-friendly online 3D configurator will lead you through the selection process step-by-step, and at the end, you will be able to see what your building looks like inside and out.  When you’re ready to purchase your fully customized shed, you can securely check out online or call our sales team at 888.832.6889.

Select Your Building Series

Once you've decided to purchase a building, you'll sign the Sales & Installation Agreement. This is a standard agreement between you, the customer, and us, Dakota Storage Buildings. The agreement must be signed, and a deposit must be made before production can start or delivery is scheduled.


Prepare Your Site

2. Prepare Your Site

After securing a building permit, lay a solid foundation by framing the perimeter, filling it with a base material, leveling it, and then compacting it until its firm.

Before you order your building, research what zoning codes apply to your area. Rural areas are usually more lax, but those living in a city, town, or subdivision may have restrictions on size, color, foundation type, and sometimes style.

Next, consider how much you’re willing to spend on the base. Many choose Class 5 gravel or concrete as their preferred base material. While a gravel foundation is usually sufficient, some feel that a concrete foundation — although more expensive — is better suited if small tractors, boats, snowmobiles, ATVs, or vehicles will be stored in the shed.

Finally, after securing the proper building permit and determining what type of base material is best, place your order and lay your foundation.

Follow these steps to create a level foundation.

  1. Choose the area where you want your storage building placed, measure the space, and remove vegetation. Make sure the foundation’s perimeter is slightly larger than the building itself and that the depth extends past the frost line. Check out these placement tips.
  2. Construct a temporary frame around the foundation's perimeter. We suggest using 2’x4’ lumber to build a three-sided frame. Fasten the frame to wooden or steel stakes from the outside to ensure easy removal of the frame after the base is complete.
  3. Fill the frame with at least 3 to 4 inches of your base material.
  4. Slide a straight board back and forth over the top of the temporary frame to level the base material.
  5. While this step is not essential, using a plate compactor to finish your new foundation will help minimize the building's settling over time.
  6. Remove the temporary frame after the shed is placed.

We cannot stress enough how important it is for your site to be perfectly level. An unlevel foundation will cause the building’s frame to twist and make opening doors and windows difficult.

If you plan to hire someone to build your foundation, you may want to print these instructions and share it with them to ensure the site is properly prepared and leveled.

Content_SitePreperation_BuildFrame

Build a Frame

Construct a temporary frame. Level all sides of the frame before filling with base material.

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Add Base Material

Fill the frame with at least 3-4 inches of your preferred base material.

Content_SitePreperation_LevelTheBase

Level the Base

Slide a straight board back and forth over the top of the frame to level the base material.

Content_SitePreperation_CompactBaseMaterial

Compact the Base

Use a plate compactor to help compress the material, creating a stable subsurface.


Schedule Your Delivery

3. Schedule Your Delivery

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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When your building is ready, we’ll contact you to schedule a delivery time. On delivery day, we'll use a Mule to move your building from the trailer to your desired location.

Building delivery and placement: The Mule shed mover provides a hassle-free delivery service, thanks to a few key features. The Mule has a tight turning radius, which is perfect for maneuvering sheds through challenging spaces. Because the machine is small, the Mule operator has clear visibility of where they are driving and placing the shed. It's simple controls allow the operator to lift and move one end of the shed then remove the dolly wheels once the shed is in place.

Once we arrive at your home, we’ll walk the property with you to see exactly where you want your storage building to be placed. Then we unload the building from the trailer and use the Mule to transport the building through your yard. Once the desired location has been reached, we double-check to make sure that we're placing the storage building exactly where and how you want it. Once the building is placed, we’ll make sure that everything is lined up properly and that all of the windows and doors open and close as expected.

It’s our goal to make this process as easy and hassle-free as possible for you. If you have any questions leading up to your building’s delivery day, we encourage you to contact our team.

To Learn More Visit Our Frequently Asked Questions

Learn More
Check Out Our Frequently Asked Questions