Rent to own: outbuildings

Everybody's seen these wide loaded mini buildings and gazebos and the like around with rent to own, same as cash yadda yadda around. Was wanting to ask the GRM peanut gallery about your thoughts on them as a small workspace.

Here's a review of my current living situation, and why I can't build a workshop.

We're currently living in a 14x65 three bedroom mobile home that my mom owns. It belonged to my grandfather who passed this summer. It sits on a 16 acre farm, part of which includes my uncles buying out system, where he has to buy the other three siblings' shares of the farm. For some unbeknownst reason to me, he didn't want to separate the +/- acre that the trailer sits on from the rest of the farm. My mom, being the non confrontational type, gave in. So we're living here in this mobile home, not paying rent, but she doesn't own the land.

I'm interested in one as a small workshop outbuilding. Maybe 14x20, tall enough I won't have to duck walking in, and with a wooden floor so if and when we move, I could take it with me. I know I would run out of room really quick with tools and equipment, but for right now I just want a workbench, a place for my hand tools and tool box, and more than anything, storage.

I don't think I could build it cheaper than I could buy one. Maybe if I used reclaimed materials. Stuff from torn down buildings, pallets, etc etc, but I'm still not sure how much cheaper it would be.

I'm sure the rent to own thing is a big scam, and there's tons of ways they can stick it to you, hidden fees and whatever else the BS is.

Regardless of which path I take, what do you guys think? Small, movable outbuilding as a makeshift shop? Links to pictures of similar setups are appreciated.

14x 29 will not move easily. I really think your best, cheap and portable solution will be a 40' shipping container. Easily relocatable, room for your stuff, very secure. Air condition for summer. In a trailer park environment nobody will notice it.

Please folks, chime in on this one. I'm thinking of getting a small outbuilding for on property storage and would like to hear from other folks about it too.

Like BoostedBrandon, I assume the rent to own deals are borderline scams. I've looked at the small to medium sized buildings at Lowe's and would want something about the width of a garage...but perhaps shorter, as I already have a vacant "pad" where my old garage used to sit (I'm guessing somewhere's between 8 or 10 feet wide and 6 to 10 feet deep.) Also would like opinions on building materials: metal, wood, "plastic"/resin(?)

In reply to cwh:

It's not a trailer park, it's a farm with it's own little drive with about four trailers on it. No lot fee, no white trash neighbors.

Rent to own is a scam, whereby business preys on folks with little money and offers them the use of an item for a fee with the incentive of ownership. Look at the total cost before you assume ownership. I think you will find that it is at least a few times what the item is actually worth.

If you go the portable building route, Get the best price on what you want and buy it, using financing of your choosing, if necessary. Shipping container might be the answer--ugly but effective.

Here in Florida they have those half round metal carports for $695 .You get some extra tin and box in the end. Easily removable and resettled .

Two containers, some roof trusses, etc.
http://www.houstoncontainer.com/containers.html

My parents have two of those on their property and one on a piece of land they own up by the lake. IMHO they’d have been better off building on site, but they piecemealed their storage needs in this way instead.

Couple things: Bear in mind that you’re buying a building made expressly for purposes of portability and sale- so every cent the manufacturer saves in construction goes on their bottom line. Built to a price, not a standard of quality. That said, mom and dad’s all seem to be holding together fine, and both the ones at the house are maybe 5-6 years old at this point.

Don’t finance at the building dealer. Head to your bank or credit union and get approved for a loan (if you have to finance) then buy it outright and pay that note off to the lender. Portable buildings/ sheds have practically no monetary value on the secondary market, so plan on that loan being a personal/unsecured loan. I kinda doubt the bank will secure the shed as collateral- repossessing it would get tough.

If you build a portable building, make it 10x20. My buddy did his this size with big timber "skids" on the bottom. He can have it moved with an flatbed tow truck easily. 14 ft wide will cause quite a few issues with possible permits and other stuff needed.

So you have free real estate, just the cost of putting up a building and presumably the risk that you won't be staying there a very long time. What are the odds of scoring some free lumber (old barn/garage, etc - trade demo for salvage?). It might cost for a few pressure treated bits, nails and roof - but this is where the GRM cheapskate in you kicks in. Any issues/objections from uncle - since it's his property? An outbuilding on somebody else's property is not something you finance.

Where would one go to acquire a shipping container? Being as I live 800 miles from the nearest seaport.

Check with the local railroad and trucking company's.

BoostedBrandon wrote: Where would one go to acquire a shipping container? Being as I live 800 miles from the nearest seaport.