Yep I went and moved into town, to make matters worse the town was 2 and a half hours away from home. Couldn’t help it, it had to be done, opportunity was knocking too loudly for me to ignore, sometimes you just gotta go for it etc. ad nauseum….
The problem was leaving behind one of the better equipped workshops on the planet, and moving to a rented house without so much as a storage shed in the yard. So I did a little research into my choices and after weighing all the social, political, and economic consequences went to my local Lowes store to pick up a 10′ x 14′ Arrow brand metal storage building, of the model designated Lindale.
Interestingly enough this model had very mixed reviews, but having put a similar building up before it is my opinion that most of the bad reviews were due to excessively high expectations. This is one of the least expensive buildings you can get in this size so you should be realistic. The steel panels are thin and can be damaged easily, but this is not the result of poor quality, it is the result of engineering it to a price point that can be sold readily.
I already had an existing concrete slab in the yard that was left behind by a previous resident so my site prep was nil. You really need a reasonably level spot to install these buildings. But that’s beyond the scope of this article.
You need to get the building a day ahead of time before you plan to start it. Take the model number and go to the Arrow Sheds website and download and print the instructions for your shed. Yes I know there should be a set in the box already but a. you should not open the box until ready to begin, and b. the instructions for mine had a page missing so I’m really glad that I did. After you print the instructions spend a couple of hours studying them. Then check your weather forecast. You will need 2 full days (8-10 hours each) of light or no wind to install construct this building. If all of these conditions are met charge up all of your electric screwdrivers and plan to get up early on the first day. Be sure you have a good helper and a ladder also. This is not a job for one person.
Get up early in the morning and open up your box, and lay out all of the parts, grouping them together by part number and checking to make sure you have everything you need to build it. I am not going to repeat the instructions, just some observations. Remember when using power tools to install this use a very light touch as the screw holes in the thin sheet metal will strip very easily. Do not use a full powered electric drill. I recommend a battery screwdriver, or a battery drill with a slip clutch set to the lowest possible setting that will drive the screws in. You should at least be able to get the walls up the first day.

Here you can see the sheet metal roof trusses better.

Now you can eat supper and recharge your battery powered tools and get some rest because you and your helper are going to put the roof on in the morning. Be prepared to lean on walls or to gently push and pull on the building as needed to get the screw holes to line up properly at times, and don’t worry if you ding a panel or to just pop it back out after you finish attaching it. Just remember this building is not capable of supporting your weight so do not try to climb on top of it. If you do, be prepared to be nominated for the Darwin Awards
If everything is done just right you should be able to install the last roof panel without much trouble.

After this it’s just a matter of installing the doors and trim work.

The final verdict is that I have a decent shed for my bikes and tools that does not leak and keeps things out of sight. Even when locked it is not high security storage but with the little bit of cheap stuff I keep in it it does not have to be. This is a good value for the $550 price (November 2011) but if you expect super fast, easy construction, or stout lockable security you should be prepared to spend at least 4 times that amount. Like I said at the beginning if your expectations are realistic this is the most bang you can get for your buck.