SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA – Ryan and his family knew they had the perfect spot for a home office, there were just a couple of (not so tiny) obstacles standing in their way. However, as the pandemic loomed on, the idea shifted quickly from a want to an urgent need. So Ryan started making some calls.

“As for the planning… well that was definitely a challenge. No other shed manufacturer really wanted to touch our space because of the boulders. It wasn’t until I got an on-site inspection by (Modern Shed preferred installer) Dave Walterick that I felt comfortable moving forward. The space is REALLY tight between the rocks and the setback rules, the shed is literally just inches away from one of the boulders. But otherwise, it wasn’t a useable corner of my yard, so it was really the perfect spot to place a shed.”
Ryan decided to build a 9×12’ shed, just slightly smaller than our standard 10×12’, in order for everything to fit just perfectly. He also added a deck to finish the exterior space. For the interior, they decided on a large custom Paduak wood top (natural cherry red color) sit/stand desk, and a sideboard with storage over wood flooring. Ryan also installed a ductless mini-split and wired that to a Nest thermostat.

“I used David’s crew to do the kit-build and custom deck outside both doors. They were pretty fast and everything was done to spec. I then did the interior installation myself including running all the electrical inside the walls, light fixtures in the ceiling, flooring drywall, and A/C. The ‘office’ is fully kitted with electrical, heat and air conditioning, and very comfy.”
With all the potential challenges of their Modern Shed location, the installation was just 3 days for all the exterior finishing, with only one quickly-remedied hiccup.
“We had trenched power and CAT6 from the house to the shed, and Dave’s crew filled in the trench and then placed one of the footings on top of the fresh dirt. Once it started to rain, that dirt settled and Dave’s crew had to come back to jack up the shed in that corner. Luckily the very large timber used under the walls and floor was strong enough that the shed hardly moved, I only knew something was wrong because a door was getting jammed on the exterior deck.”
Overall, Ryan and his family are absolutely thrilled with their amazing new space. Their investment really adds a quality of life beyond what you can get with a lesser tool shed.

“I’d say our total cost was ~$45k all-in. There are definitely cheaper ways to go, but I’m happy with the results. Jeff and I had lots of back & forth, so he was able to get me all the info I needed to feel comfortable moving forward. It’s premium over a typical shed, if you want it to look like a part of your home (or estate), get a Modern Shed over a typical home-built backyard shed. The transom windows and wood ceiling are really nice, and if you add a nice floor and sheetrock, it starts to look like a room in your home rather than a backyard tool shed.”
If you’re ready to invest in a lifestyle upgrade for yourself, contact Modern Shed today!
