Introducing our latest Modern Shed design, The Peak. Our classic shed style is unmistakable and quality unparalleled, yet we continually seek to improve and expand our offerings. Keeping a mid-century vibe, The Peak adds further function and flair for our customers.
The Peak pictured here (10’x14’) features coextruded sliding doors with surrounding windows.
What’s different from our other models? The Peak is TWO Modern Sheds placed front-to-front to form a gable roofline. As with all our sheds, The Peak design is easily customized. What is your preference in windows, door styles, sizes and location? How about interior and exterior finishes? Think big and share your vision with one of our specialized design consultants. They can’t wait to hear what you have in mind. All of our sheds are tailored for you!
Picture yourself inside this modern, yet warm and inviting cabin featuring cedar walls and ceiling.
Whether looking for a home office, guest house, art studio, or any other space, we’ve got the perfect studio solution for you!
One day, Modern Shed Design Consultant Jeff Bergerson received a call from Rafal, who was excited to build a structure on his property inspired by the Modern Shed design. He was already working with a contractor on his main house. “I had a contractor who convinced me that he could do it for less. And maybe he could have, but all the design work and structural engineering costs really added up, and that’s a service I know you guys can provide.”
Unfortunately, Rafal’s project dragged on and was more costly than he could have imagined. As the months passed, Rafal contacted Jeff with a few questions, and eventually shared, “I’ve spent almost $20k and all I have to show for it is a slab. I should have bought a Modern Shed.”
Modern Shed offers more than an idea. From start to finish, the entire project is a finely tuned effort. Our Design Consultants like Jeff listen and work with our clients on every detail. They have done it before. They know what it takes. For example, our prefabricated, segmented panels mean you spend a few days with a construction crew installing your new space, not weeks or even months. Also, we use a unique, fully insulated, quickly installed floor system, and solutions for uneven surfaces. And then there’s the cost savings of Modern Shed’s buying power. “While we have felt the pinch over supply challenges for windows or doors over the past few months, we do have the buying power to keep costs as low as possible,” explains Jeff. Along the way, Rafal contacted Jeff, who was more than happy to assist however he could. “I tell everyone I know who is thinking about doing what I tried to just give you a call,” said Rafal. “It’s more than a great design it’s a thoughtful process.” Thank you, Rafal!
Mother Nature’s beautiful boulders go from construction challenge to unbelievably gorgeous landscape feature!
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA – Ryan and his family knew they had the perfect spot for a home office, even though there were a couple of (not so tiny) obstacles. However, as the pandemic loomed on, their idea shifted to an urgent need. Ryan contacted Modern Shed Design Consultant Jeff Bergerson. “No other shed manufacturer 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,” said Ryan.
Simply put, Ryan, Jeff and Dave realized the standard 10’x12’ shed wouldn’t fit, i.e., “in between a rock and a hard place.” As a result, they decided that Modern Shed would tailor the shed to fit – a 9’x12’ shed. “The space is REALLY tight between the rocks and the setback rules; it is literally inches away from one of the boulders,” Ryan explained.
“Once it started to rain, the dirt covering the utility trench started to settle, and Dave’s crew came back to jack up the shed in that corner,” said Ryan. “Luckily, the very large timber used under the walls and floor was strong enough that the shed hardly moved.” This is an example of the strength and durability of Modern Shed’s unique floor system.
SAN DIEGO – As a successful architect in Southern California, Nastaran knows what she wants from the spaces she designs: aesthetically impactful style with the highest quality and functionality for the budget. This is why she came to Modern Shed when it was time to expand the square footage of their living space. She deeply appreciated the high standards of quality to which Modern Shed builds our products, and knew that her investment would stand the test of time.
Nastaran first started looking at a home gym from Modern Shed back in 2016 while she was remodeling their home with her fiance, but the project was put on hold to divert the funding to the essentials going on in the home. However, as the pandemic hit, Nastaran found herself needing a home office space quickly. While her previous research regarding Modern Shed combined with her expertise as an architect herself dramatically sped up the process to plan and purchase her new office, Nastaran also valued her Design Pro, Trevor’s expertise and professionalism in helping the entire process run smoothly, especially as pandemic-related delays started to affect the delivery time frame. She also adds that his knowledge and explanation of the design and build process would be invaluable to someone less familiar with the ins and outs of construction.
“I definitely made it a bit more interesting for Trevor and the installer, Chase,” Nastaran reflects. “I came to them with a full electrical work up for puck lighting and the ceiling fan, even a floor outlet. They were great! They wired in all the conduit based on my instructions.”
The investment in their property was well worth the investment in time and resources to help Nastaran bring her long-term vision for their outdoor space closer to reality. Even though her 120 square-foot shed is currently being utilized for an office, she already has plans to bring the home gym or even a guest space back into the area when she returns to work in her usual office. “I really appreciate how functional and flexible the space is. It’s just beautiful. If I had to do it all again, I’m not sure if I would eat up 30” of space for the lavatory. It will be handy for guests someday, but right now it doesn’t really get used,” Nastaran mused.
Overall, though, she is absolutely pleased with the whole process. “The install was just amazing. The shed itself took just four days, and they stayed for 10 days finishing every last detail for us. Being in the industry, I’ve worked on projects that are in construction for two or three years, so that’s just brilliant.”
“I would recommend people think of their project as a long-term investment and really think ahead. For example, we also wired for a mini-split to cool our Modern Shed, which will be installed in the summer. The more thought you put into it, the more you can enjoy it!”
“I just love coming out here to work, or just rearrange my space. It’s quiet and serene. We even joke, it’s probably sturdier than our house!”
From his background in finance, and later software solutions, the question of ‘why’ has driven him to look deeper at what solutions the people around him are asking for. He joins the Modern-Shed leadership team now with a vision of not just growth, but continued excellence in craftsmanship and service.
“What I love about Modern Shed is there’s so much demand for our product.” Marc has seen and heard the concerns from potential clients who are excited about what we do, but our sales and manufacturing teams are just so busy that we’re not able to get it done for them. “That is step one moving forward: being able to fulfill demand and deliver what they want. And not just any shed, but deliver a service and a quality that Modern Shed is known for.”
“I always wanted to buy a smaller business and run it. One of the things that drew me to Modern Shed was my family now lives in an area and time where there’s a massive housing shortage, and a lot of challenges to expanding the square footage of your existing home, which is also happening across the US. I did some investigating, talked to Ryan (Smith/founder) and Tim (Vack/GM) and listened to their approach to the solution and saw a huge opportunity to grow and expand the company, and provide a quality product to anyone who wants it, all across the country.”
“My long-term view is that, as housing prices continue to increase, more and more people are relying on their home as an investment in their financial stability. We want to make sure that when you’re making investments in improving your most valuable asset, your Modern Shed is truly an extension of your home, not just a place to store bikes and rakes. This could be an office, a gym, or even a second living room.”
The Modern Shed team is excited to work with Marc to implement his vision of scaled operations and expanded offerings, and appreciate his drive and enthusiasm for all that we do! We look forward to bringing you continued excellence in quality and service, with style.
Modern Shed would like to introduce you to the newest Design Professional to join our team!
Jon Clearwater started doing logistics for Modern Shed in 2015 and has recently transitioned into his new role helping our clients create the home office or studio shed of their dreams. His background is in logistics and residential & construction materials, so he is perfectly suited to guide customers through the Modern Shed process and thoughtfully explain each step along the way.
On the personal side, Jon grew up in Oregon and moved to Washington in 1989, living in the Puget Sound area since. He now lives on the Olympic Penninsula with his 17-year-old son, a senior in high school, and his wife. When not representing Modern Shed, he keeps busy with woodworking and landscaping projects.
Jon says he is truly excited to take this next step and be a more integral team member of Modern Shed. He loves being able to represent a great product & great company.
We’re thrilled to have you serving our clients, Jon!
Most Modern-Shed clients come to us with a very specific vision in mind. They’ve done their homework, and know that an off-the-shelf design just won’t do. Or maybe it would, but the level of service they’ve gotten from other ‘big-box store’ retailers doesn’t instill confidence in their investment. After all that researching, emailing, and calling around, there’s only one company that stands out for customer service, quality, and quick turn-around: Modern-Shed.
So how do we get it done? Modern-Shed starts with the speed and repeatable quality of prefabrication. Building our sheds in a temperature-controlled environment to the highest build standards with materials that satisfy even the strictest codes (looking at you, California) allows us to bring an exceptional product right to your property without the hassle of turning it into a long-term construction site.
Modern-Shed also recognizes you want your investment to reflect your aesthetic and completely suit your needs. This is why our Design Professionals take the time to connect with you, understand the layout of your property and existing features, and listen to your story. We don’t want to just sell you a shed; we want you to be delighted with a structure that adds value to your everyday life. If your design needs to be 8 inches shorter to fit between rock features or trees, we can make those adjustments. If you need an extra-long roofline to provide shade or weather protection, our Design Pros can make recommendations that fit your budget. We take the time to understand your dream space, and help to make it a reality.
In the end, our clients are continually thrilled with a Modern-Shed that adds to their quality of life every day. From art or music studios, to library and office space, to guest suites and ADUs: Modern-Shed Design Pros will walk you through the design, permit, and build process, keeping your dream, timeline, and budget in mind. To get started on your Modern-Shed, download your catalog today.
If you’re one of the millions of Americans who attempted some kind of home improvement or DIY project this past year, or if you’ve started to explore purchasing a Modern-Shed for yourself, you’ve probably bemoaned the delays and price increases in everything from lumber to insulation and windows.
At the outset of the pandemic, many mills initially slowed or even halted production. Even when they returned to work, most did so with limited staff and operational hours. Additionally, resin producers, who support the production of treated lumber and composites, switched over their operations to produce sanitizers to meet the demand for hygiene and cleaning products, often at a high profit margin making them reluctant to switch back their operations.
Despite the decreased production, demand for lumber has actually increased. Construction has continued to rise fairly steadily over the past few years, and many living in coastal cities have been finding they need more space to juggle work and personal life. Whether they choose to augment their space with Modern-Shed or build a new home farther inland, they are feeling the effects of the current lumber market. Add in all the Covid-DIYers, as well as increased tariffs on Canadian lumber, and we have landed in our current situation.
BAY AREA – When the pandemic hit, Peter and Amelia, with their growing family, found that life in their small San Francisco apartment was no longer sustainable.
The couple had a 4-year-old and a brand new 4-month-old baby at home by the time March 2020 came around. Working from home helping hospitals prepare for the pandemic (Peter) and as a therapist (Amelia) became extremely difficult.
“After about three months, we hit a wall and suddenly went from, ‘We love this place; we’re never moving,’ to ‘We need more space; it’s an emergency,'” Peter said. “What we loved most about where we lived was the neighborhood and being able to walk everywhere. But with the shelter-in-place, those benefits disappeared almost overnight.”
The family needed a bigger place, but finding all that they were looking for was a challenge in the Bay Area – between bedrooms, home offices, and guest space for Amelia’s family to visit, they needed five private spaces.
Modern-Shed proved to be a perfect solution.
“I don’t think I’d ever really seen a shed like this, but we were just trying to consider all options,” Peter said. “One question we had was, ‘What if I built an office in the backyard?’ Thirty minutes on Google and we learned that this was possible.”
In a short span of time, the couple found a rental, moved in, sold their apartment, bought a home, and moved again. The home that they purchased in Oakland had a patio in the backyard that proved the perfect spot for a Modern-Shed.
“Getting everything we dreamed of in a house in a location we love was only possible because building a shed made it possible,” Peter said. “Once we were under contract on the house, the planning kicked into high gear.”
Peter and Amelia had specific measurements to work with due to the space constraints of where the shed would fit in the backyard. They were able to take six inches off one of the standard dimensions for a custom 7.5′ by 12′ Modern-Shed home office.
The pergola and outdoor furniture on the patio came with the house when they purchased it and blends in seamlessly with the Modern-Shed.
Modern-Shed installation started Dec. 2 and finished Dec. 4. In total, work on the shed – the couple hired another contractor for the interior finish work and painting – was done by Dec. 13.
Peter found Modern-Shed design professional Jeff Bergerson extremely helpful in walking him through the process of purchasing a Modern-Shed from start to finish.
“I had never built a building before, so it was a huge benefit to have an expert like Jeff talk me through the process and give feedback on the design,” he said. “At one point, I was debating window placement and I asked Jeff’s opinion. He told me that most people overdo it on the windows and don’t realize how much they want wall space. That sort of insight was invaluable and helped me land on a design that fit my needs perfectly.”
Peter would advise anyone looking at purchasing a Modern-Shed to plan out their furniture before they build, down to the size of the couch and the placement of electronics.
Having a detailed plan ahead of time helped Peter decide on the exact dimensions of the walls and where to place the outlets right where he knew he would want them.
He also advises people to consider and understand the sequence of steps involved, including steps beyond the Modern-Shed installation.
“Understanding what steps have to happen in what order, so that you can coordinate the various contractors, is very helpful,” he said.
Peter’s shed has a concrete foundation, as opposed to sitting on piers, a decision that was switched partway through the process.
“The pros and cons of concrete versus piers were something I didn’t really understand early on, but I am glad that we switched because it was the right decision given our location and other constraints,” he said. “That’s one decision I would recommend thinking through carefully.”
The family is now fully settled after a transition-filled year of welcoming a new baby, weathering the pandemic, and the increased workload Peter had as a consequence, buying a home, building a Modern-Shed, and moving in.
“Though we expected to stay in our old apartment for a very long time, the pandemic made moving not only necessary but urgent,” Peter reflected. “We were optimizing for a lot of things. The ability to build a shed quite literally put our dream home within reach.”
In addition to the standard white or sand-colored vinyl, Modern-Shed now offers Ply Gem Pro series windows which have co-extruded frames with either dark bronze or black on the exterior and always white on the interior. This is far superior to a painted option.
In limited markets, we also now offer Andersen Windows in the 100 series Fibrex line which come in five exterior colors and four interior colors. These are strong, environmentally smart and attractive.
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