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The right garden shed depends on what you want to store, how much maintenance the material requires and whether the quoted price includes a floor, base, delivery and installation. Plastic, wooden and metal sheds offer different advantages, so comparing the specification is as important as comparing the price.
Here is a price comparison of garden sheds and shed-related products available from UK retailers. Prices were checked on 9 September 2026 and may change; the figures below should be treated as a dated price snapshot. The table separates complete sheds from a shed base kit.
| Best for | Product and retailer | Size | Price | Product type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest-priced complete shed in this comparison | Keter Manor Pent, Argos | 6 x 4 ft | £285.00 | Plastic shed |
| Small footprint | Rowlinson Airevale, Screwfix | 4 x 3 ft | £298.99 | Plastic shed |
| Compact storage | Keter Manor Apex, Argos | 4 x 6 ft | £327.00 | Plastic shed |
| Alternative 4 x 6 ft option | Keter Darwin Apex, Argos | 4 x 6 ft | £340.00 | Plastic shed |
| More storage space | Keter Darwin Apex, Argos | 6 x 8 ft | £752.00 | Plastic shed |
| Larger storage | Keter Stronghold, Argos | 10 x 8 ft | £1,317.50 | Plastic shed |
| Square footprint | Keter Signature Plastic Oak Pent, Argos | 7 x 7 ft | £1,392.00 | Plastic shed |
| Base for a 6 x 4 ft shed | Ecobase Fastfit, Argos | 6 x 4 ft | £95.00 | Plastic base kit |
The Argos prices in the table include several Keter plastic sheds and the Ecobase base kit. Screwfix lists the Rowlinson Airevale at £298.99 including VAT, with delivery through an approved supplier. The £95.00 Ecobase product is a base kit rather than a complete shed.
Plastic garden sheds are easy to move, which can be useful when access to the garden is restricted or the storage layout may change. B&Q’s shed guide states that its plastic models are supplied with floors. The floor, anchoring method and base should nevertheless be part of the specification you compare for the individual model.
The lowest-priced complete plastic shed in this comparison is the Keter Manor Pent 6 x 4 ft at £285.00 from Argos. The 4 x 6 ft Keter Manor Apex is listed at £327.00, while the Keter Darwin Apex in the same size is £340.00. The two models have the same quoted footprint but different listed prices, making size alone an insufficient way to compare them.
The Keter Darwin Apex 6 x 8 ft costs £752.00 in the same Argos comparison. The larger Keter Stronghold 10 x 8 ft is £1,317.50, while the Keter Signature Plastic Oak Pent 7 x 7 ft is £1,392.00. These examples show how the price can increase substantially with a larger storage area and a different product range.
A plastic shed still needs a stable, level base. To make a plastic shed weather-resistant, the installation guidance requires secure anchoring and a surface that keeps the floor away from standing water.
Wooden garden sheds suit buyers who value appearance, customisation and repairability. Timber can be adapted and repaired, but it normally needs regular treatment and is typically less secure than other shed materials, according to Which?’s shed buying advice.
Construction matters when comparing wooden sheds. Tongue-and-groove boards lock together and provide better protection from weather than simpler board types. When comparing a 6 x 4 ft or 8 x 6 ft wooden shed, look at the floor, roof covering, windows, lock, delivery and installation as well as the external footprint.
Wooden sheds can be painted or altered for a particular garden and can be used for tool storage, potting or a small hobby space. Timber sheds need wood preservative: Waltons recommends treating a timber shed within 14 days of installation and annually afterwards, provided weather conditions allow.
For an 8 x 6 ft shed, one comparison gives typical product price ranges of £450–£1,500 for wood, £300–£1,400 for metal and £500–£1,200 for plastic. These are broad product ranges rather than prices for one particular model, as reported by ShedBuild’s material comparison.
Galvanised metal sheds suit buyers who prioritise durability and do not want to repaint the structure regularly. Galvanised metal is durable and normally does not need repainting, but metal sheds are heavier and more difficult to assemble than other types.
Metal storage can be suitable for tools and garden machinery. When comparing metal garden sheds, check whether the quoted specification includes a floor, how the shed is anchored and what type of base it requires. These details affect the installation as well as the usable storage space.
The 8 x 6 ft comparison range of £300–£1,400 for metal gives a useful indication of the spread between different products, but it is not a price for a specific metal shed with a floor. A floor specification should therefore be checked separately when that feature is important to your purchase.
Choose the smallest shed that accommodates your equipment while leaving room to move. A 4 x 3 ft shed suits a tight space and a small collection of tools. A 6 x 4 ft shed is a useful general-purpose size, while an 8 x 6 ft shed offers more room for larger tools, shelving and separate storage areas.
A 6 x 4 ft timber shed balances storage and garden space, but the door position, roof shape, wall thickness and floor can make two sheds with the same footprint feel very different. The same applies to 8 x 6 ft wooden sheds: the footprint indicates the overall size but does not describe the internal layout.
Every shed needs a stable, level base. Putting one directly on grass risks an uneven floor and standing water. Which? states that a shed standing on grass needs a shed base. A waterproofing guide also identifies secure anchoring and a surface that keeps the floor away from standing water as important parts of making a plastic or metal shed weather-resistant.
Base choices include concrete, timber and plastic-grid systems. A typical concrete base is quoted at approximately £500–£1,500, while a timber or plastic-grid base is quoted at approximately £50–£500. Installation is quoted at approximately £100–£300. The Ecobase Fastfit Plastic Base Kit 6 x 4 ft is listed by Argos at £95.00 with free delivery.
These costs explain why the cheapest listed shed is not necessarily the cheapest completed project. Add the base and installation to the product price when comparing a flat-pack purchase with a supplied-and-fitted option. The £95.00 item in the table is a 6 x 4 ft base kit; the complete sheds in the comparison start at £285.00.
A complete garden shed under £100 is not represented by the current prices in this comparison. The confirmed £95.00 product is a 6 x 4 ft base kit, not a complete shed. For a cheaper complete shed, compare smaller models, seasonal promotions, clearance stock and ex-display garden sheds.
At the listed prices, the £285.00 Keter Manor Pent 6 x 4 ft is below the larger plastic models in the comparison, while the £298.99 Rowlinson Airevale is the smallest complete option listed. Screwfix also lists a Rowlinson Airevale 4 ft 6 in x 6 ft 6 in plastic shed at £399.99 including VAT, although it was shown as out of stock at the price check.
Ex-display sheds are normally one-off stock items sold as seen and cannot usually be customised. They can suit buyers who accept a particular model, condition and finish in return for a lower purchase price. York Timber states that its ex-display prices include delivery and installation within its free installation areas. Confirm what is included in the particular ex-display listing, especially if the site needs a base or has restricted access.
Local buying is useful when delivery access, installation and the shed base are likely to be complicated. A local supplier may be able to assess the route and offer a supplied-and-fitted service, but the quotation should distinguish the shed from site work and installation.
When comparing supplied-and-fitted garden sheds, ask for one written total covering the shed, base, delivery, installation and site preparation. Check these points:
Building a shed yourself can be cheaper when you already have the tools, skills and time. A ready-made flat-pack shed can be the better-value route when you would otherwise need to buy tools, source materials, cut every component, manage waste and build the base.
Use the complete project cost for the comparison: timber or panels, roof covering, floor, fixings, doors, preservative, base, delivery and your time. A UK cost guide gives approximately £400–£900 for a typical 8 x 6 ft timber shed before the base and installation. It gives a typical total of £1,200–£2,300 when a concrete base and installation are included.
The choice is therefore not only between the retail price and the cost of raw materials. It is also a comparison between a prepared kit and the time needed to design, cut, assemble and finish a shed yourself.
MyJobQuote gives an average cost of approximately £1,020 to build and install a garden shed, including materials and labour. It gives a typical working time of one to two days.
A separate cost guide gives £400–£900 for an 8 x 6 ft timber shed before the base and installation, and £1,200–£2,300 for the same size with a concrete base and installation. The shed price and the completed project price are separate figures: the latter can include the building, foundation and labour.
Compare large retailers, local suppliers, clearance stock and ex-display sheds, then compare the full project price rather than the product price alone. In the listed examples, Argos has a complete Keter Manor Pent 6 x 4 ft at £285.00, while Screwfix has a smaller Rowlinson Airevale 4 x 3 ft at £298.99 including VAT. Ex-display listings can include delivery and installation in defined areas, which may change the comparison with a retail flat-pack shed.
A plastic shed needs secure anchoring and a base that keeps its floor away from standing water to be weather-resistant. The installation also needs a stable, level surface. These requirements apply to the shed’s position and support, not just to the plastic panels themselves.
Yes. Timber sheds need wood preservative and ongoing maintenance. Waltons recommends treatment within 14 days of installation and annually afterwards, provided weather conditions allow.
It needs a stable, level surface that supports the floor and keeps it away from standing water. Concrete, timber and plastic-grid bases are options; the base should suit the shed footprint and its anchoring requirements.
In England, a garden shed can fall within Class E permitted development when it is used for a purpose that is incidental to the enjoyment of the dwellinghouse. The guidance states that a building within 2 metres of the boundary must normally be no higher than 2.5 metres to remain within the relevant permitted-development limits. The building must be single-storey, with eaves no higher than 2.5 metres, and the total ground area covered by buildings, extensions and other structures must not exceed 50% of the land around the original house, excluding the house itself. See the GOV.UK Class E guidance.
