Storage shed a liability?

Question

I'm not sure what to do with this. As you can see, the door is missing, and should probably be replaced. The wood floor inside is also slightly soft. I don't know whether I should just tear it down, or leave it because it might be attractive to tenants, since the house itself doesn't have a huge amount of storage space? The shed has a shelf for storage of items inside.

Account Closed · Answer

A nice coat of paint would go a long ways towards fixing that.

The photo looks like the roof has been picked up and set offside. Anyway, unless the whole thing is rotten, I'd patch it up, paint it, and put a good solid locking door on it.

Storage is very attractive to tenants. Very few rentals have sufficient storage.

Depending on how bad the floor is, I've just placed a good sheet of subflooring wafer board over the top of a soft shed floor and that worked just fine.

If you keep it, make sure the floor is off the ground enough to keep water from flowing through and damaging the tenant's stuff. Also make a note on the contract that the shed isn't guarenteed water-proof and recomend that the tenant purchase tenant insurance that covers his belongings.

J Scott · Answer

Some things to consider:
          
          - Is there another storage area on the property (attic, storage space, etc)?
          
          - Is there a garage that can be used to store stuff?
          
          - Do most other houses in the area have storage sheds?  If so, a buyer may consider it a benefit, even if it's a piece of garbage.
          
          Here are pics of a house we did last year:
          
          http://www.123flip.com/house-pics/the-second-chance-house-staging-pics
          
          Here is the crappy storage shed we started with, and that my project manager and I argued about whether we should keep it or not:
          
          http://reistartup.com/wp-content/uploads/Second_Chance_House/Before/shed_thumb.JPG
          
          Ultimately we kept it, mostly because there was no garage or other storage space.  I don't have any after pics of it, but essentially we just painted it, replaced the broken window and put a skirt around it, and buyers considered it a HUGE asset.

Account Closed · Answer

One last suggestion: I see you are in Florida. If there is any chance of poisonous snakes, fix the foundation on that so it is solid and snakes can't get underneath and strike at the tenant's feet as they stand at the door.

Bienes Raices · Answer

I went back there this morning. Since it's pouring rain here so I was able to see whether the roof leaked--how convenient! The shed was dry.
                                                                                
                                                                                All the other houses have sheds too. Although they're metal sheds. But I'd like to keep this one if at all possible. The goal is to make it safe without pouring tons of money into it. 
                                                                                
                                                                                I noticed it has lots of exposed nails, which I guess I should cover over with something, and the floor is rotting at the edges.

Bienes Raices · Answer

I've only seen harmless black snakes around here, and I rarely see those, but it can't hurt to make the foundation more secure. I'm more concerned about how it will fare in a tropical storm, actually.

Bienes Raices · Answer

I agree with James that it looks bad--the front part with the advertising on it looks especially stupid. But perhaps that front part could be cheaply replaced with regular wood. Or could it be painted over so that it looks slightly better?
          
          My insurance agent told me that it WOULD be covered for liability if I decide to keep it. So that's good.
          
          I'm going to go back over there and try to see if other houses have a shed like that.

James Harkness · Answer

That shed looks like a piece of garbage to me.  I wouldn't want to have it on my property.  That is just me though.

Storage shed a liability?

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