There are a number of things you should take into consideration before hiring a contractor to build a new shed on your farm. Read on to find out what these things are.

The best location for the shed

It is vital to ensure that you select the most appropriate location for the new shed. First and foremost, the area you choose to build it in should be easy to access both by foot and by vehicle.

If the pathways leading up to your chosen location are very narrow, for example, you may find that you cannot use your tractor or other farm equipment to drive to and from the shed, as this machinery may be too wide to fit through these cramped pathways.

Secondly, you should ensure that your contractor builds the shed in an area with excellent drainage. If you select a site which lacks drainage and which is in close proximity to the bottom of a slope, there is a chance that the shed will end up flooding during periods of prolonged heavy rain. If this should happen, the contents of the shed (such as your supply of stock feed or your expensive farm equipment) could end up being destroyed.

Thirdly, if the shed will be used for livestock that need to graze (such as cattle and sheep), you should consider building the structure close to your grazing fields. This will ensure that you don't have to spend too much time herding them to and from these fields.

The primary purpose of the shed

Before your contractor starts to draw up the plans for your new shed, it's important to think carefully about what the structure's primary purpose will be, as this will influence the design as well as the materials your contractor uses.

For example, farm sheds that are used as shelters for livestock must be designed to provide the animals housed inside them with safe living conditions. If you intend to use your shed for this purpose, it should have windows (to provide natural light), be well insulated (to prevent the livestock from developing frostbite or hypothermia during bouts of cold weather) and have a ventilation system (to prevent dampness).

On the other hand, if you will be using the shed mainly as a storage container for large quantities of stock feed, you can opt for a simpler design. You will, however, need to use robust materials (such as metal alloys) rather than timber, to build the structure, as rodents can gnaw through wood. As such, if you use timber to construct the shed, there is a risk that rodents could get inside and consume some of the stock feed.