Historic Shed

A Sunny Artist Studio Shed

Historic Shed — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:09:45 +0000

When a local artist called Historic Shed for her new art studio, she knew exactly what she wanted. She’d been saving our ad from a magazine for several years and had sketched up all her ideas in her notebook. We built her a 12′ x 12′ shed with paired French doors on three sides. A 4′ roof extension on the front is supported by large brackets, providing shelter for her doors and a seating area. The shed has a metal roof and cypress siding.

The owner says she opens the doors on all three sides to get a nice breeze and lots of light.

The owner installed shelves along the back wall (the only one with no doors or windows). A mini-split AC system is located at the peak of the wall, allowing lots of storage below. A sink was installed at the right end of the counter after these photos were taken.

The interior was finished with drywall but the roof framing and sheathing were left exposed.

The three pairs of French doors allow ample light in the room.

The lovely landscaping provides a nice view from inside the shed.

A set of wheels make a mobile surface from her work table.

A flash back to construction below: the exterior shell took 3 days to put up. After the electrical and AC unit was installed, Historic Shed finished out the shed interior with drywall and cypress trim. The roof framing and sheathing was left exposed for and open look.

The concrete slab ready for the shed delivery.

The owner had etched the slab entry porch as it was setting up to create a really special detail.

The shed starting to come together.

We had a crowd excited to see the shed go up.

The shed exterior nearing completion

Isn’t it cute?

Ready for creativity.

Add Some Storage in a Side Yard

Historic Shed — Wed, 01 May 2013 23:44:22 +0000

The side yard is often where AC units, electrical meters, and garbage cans find refuge, but you can also use the side yard for covered storage, making it useful and attractive. For people with a wide side yard, you can put in a large storage unit like this 6′x12′ shed, but even those with a narrow side yard can get a nice bit of storage that looks good.

A narrow storage shed against the house still allows ample passage. It also blocks views of the garbage cans and utilities.

This 3′x7′ shed features a shed roof with exposed rafter tails, cypress siding and trim, and cypress beadboard doors with heavy duty hinges.

Wide paired doors on the shed allows easy access to the interior.

Historic Shed Pays Homage to a Historic Garage

Historic Shed — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 12:17:18 +0000

The City of Ormond Beach, Florida proudly titles itself the “Birthplace of Speed” with a long history of auto racing that started in 1902 on the hard packed beach sand when automobiles were new and existing roads were poor.

Racers lined up on Ormond Beach, courtesy the Florida State Archives

After the Winton Bullet won a Challenge Cup against the Olds Pirate by a breathtaking two-tenths of a second in 1903, Ormond Beach established itself as the ideal proving ground for automobile designers and racing aficionados from around the world. Motorcycle and automobile owners and drivers brought vehicles powered by gasoline, steam and electric engines, sometimes cruising at over 100 miles per hour along the ocean side. You can see actual race footage on the beach from 1905 on YouTube at Ormond Beach Florida Auto Races.

On January 26, 1906, F.E. Stanley’s Rocket Racer, driven by dare-devil Fred Marriott, set the mark that became Ormond Beach’s most famous land speed record. The incredible speed record of 127.659 mph held for four years – Image courtesy the Florida State Archives

While autos may still drive along the beach, beach racing is now only commemorated at Birthplace of Speed Park, located on A1A at the intersection of SR40. The park has a series of markers telling the story of racing and provide wonderful views of the ocean.

View of the ocean from Birthplace of Speed Park in Ormond Beach. What an amazing place to work!

Glenn Hammond Curtiss set a land speed record of 136.4 mph on his motorcycle on Ormond Beach in 1907. Other markers are located around the park.

The park used to showcase two replicas of the two history-changing racers, the Winton Bullet and the Olds Pirate, but the ocean climate made maintaining the cars difficult and they were removed for repairs. Members of the Motor Racing Heritage Association decided that it would be ideal to bring back another piece of Ormond Beach racing history and place it in the park to protect the replica cars.

The replica cars that were on display in the park.

The Ormond Garage was built in 1905 by Henry Flagler, railroad magnate and owner of the Ormond Hotel, to accommodate participating race cars during the beach races (and to keep them away from the front of his hotel). The large garage housed the drivers and mechanics during the speed time trials, while the owners and manufacturers stayed at the hotel.

The Ormond Garage stayed the center of racing for many years, later storing antique cars and racing memorabilia, but unfortunately burned down in 1976.

While much larger than could be accommodated within the park, the old garage was to serve as design inspiration for a new structure to house and protect the replica race cars in Birthplace of Speed Park. The Motor Racing Heritage Association began fund raising in order to build the garage, and came to Historic Shed to discuss the project. After a few design iterations to make the project more affordable, and a couple of years of fund raising, the project was officially launched at the end of 2012. Last week, the interior was completed and the first of the replica cars will move in shortly.

Installation of the new garage building in Birthplace of Speed Park by Historic Shed.

The garage was hand-lettered by Spike Signs giving it the perfect accent and reference to the original garage.

Marker in front of the new garage telling the history of the two replica cars.

The garage was dedicated on March 15th, 2013, 110 years after the race that made the beach world famous.

A sign was posted on the side of the garage about the project and its supporters. The sign is shaped like one that decorated the original garage. Other memorabilia saved from the historic garage will be added to the new garage.

The finished garage sits nicely with the existing marker for an accent.

The new Ormond Garage pays homage to the original in a scaled down version

The garage interior was finished with grooved cedar boards.

The new Ormond Garage in its park setting.

This very fun project would not have been the same without Suzanne Heddy, Director of the Ormond Beach Historical Society and Motor Racing Heritage Association Treasurer; Ron Piasecki, President of the Motor Racing Heritage Association, Inc.; and Dan Smith, Hometown News writer and Motor Racing Heritage Association’s ”Go To Guy” and the numerous other racing history fans in the area. We offer so many thanks for their direction, entertainment and support!

Some more info on the garage project and racing history can be found at these links:

A tribute to the famous Ormond Garage 1904-1976
Ormond Garage replica going up in Speed Park
City’s heritage on display with new replica garage
Green shed marks auto racing’s starting line

The History of Speed in Ormond Beach

Motor Racing Heritage Association

Ormond Beach Historical Society

Tampa Preservation Historic Homes Workshop

Historic Shed — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:41:44 +0000

It’s easy to fall in love with an old house. One look at the high ceilings, built-in cabinets, large windows and deep porches set along grand tree-lined streets and your heart is sold. Unfortunately, it’s not as easy to know what to do when the house you fell in love with is in need of repair. To help smitten old house owners, Tampa Preservation, Inc., presents an annual Historic Homes Workshop to connect homeowners to experts who will share their knowledge of historic home renovation.

The theme for this year’s workshop is Maintaining the Old House. Twelve sessions offer help on topics including Restoring Wood Windows, Foundation and Roof Repair, and Exterior Details related to the structure and design outside the old home (courtesy of Historic Shed). Other sessions, including Remodeling a Period Bath, offer ideas for inside the historic home. A special highlight of this year’s workshop will be a session at Schiller’s Architectural Salvage exploring the use of salvaged materials in home decor.

“We get a lot of calls from people looking for professionals to help them with their historic homes, from design issues to contractors to do the work,” observes Becky Clarke, President of Tampa Preservation. “This event showcases local experts who will share their knowledge and hopefully give away some of their industry secrets.”

Historic Shed will have a table in the vendor display area, so please stop by and say hello.

Tampa Preservation, Inc., a private, non-profit organization, established in 1973., is dedicated to the preservation of the historic structures and neighborhoods of the Tampa Bay area and Hillsborough County, and to the education of the area’s school children and residents about their unique heritage.

What: Tampa Preservation, Inc. Historic Homes Workshop

When: April 27, 2013 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Where: 1706 W. Cypress St., Tampa, FL 33606

Cost: Free for Tampa Preservation, Inc. members, $5 for non-members

More Info: To see the Workshop schedule and learn more, please visit the website at www.TampaPreservation.com

Historic Shed Cottage Featured on Fox News Tampa Bay

Historic Shed — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:15:09 +0000

A Tampa Bay Fox 13 News segment on Home, Meet Your Mini-Me by reporter Jeremy Campbell featured a 14′x16′ cottage designed by Historic Shed.

Can I Turn a Shed Into a Tiny House?

Historic Shed — Sun, 17 Feb 2013 22:19:55 +0000

Recently we’ve seen several people ask the question of whether you are allowed to turn a shed into living space on some Tiny House-related Facebook pages and groups. When the same topic came up on our own Historic Shed page, I decided I should look into the idea. Understandably, it is an appealing idea to many who dream of an unencumbered Tiny House lifestyle: buy an inexpensive set of 4 walls and a roof, finish out the interior, and live a debt free life. While, we can’t speak to the practicality of this idea everywhere, we can give some insight into the issues you might run into with this idea in Florida so you can plan accordingly.

Zoning: Zoning codes are basically a list of what and where things can be built within a community – how tall, how much of the lot they can cover, how they can be used, parking requirements, landscaping, etc. They vary from town to town, and even from neighborhood to neighborhood, so you need to check individual local zoning requirements for any parcel you are considering building on. Before planning to place even a shed for storage in your yard, these are some items to look into related to the local zoning codes and small buildings:

Use – Zoning will list what type of building uses are permitted within an area. A parcel may be zoned commercial, industrial, residential, residential multi-family or allow for a combination/ variety of uses. It will also describe what type of accessory uses may accompany the main use of the parcel.
Size – Local zoning usually spells out minimum and maximum sizes for new construction in an area. It may be a percentage of the lot size or a square foot limit. Height limits, as well as building footprint sizes are listed.
Quantity – The number of units that may be placed on any particular parcel is also typically listed in zoning code. This is particularly important for anyone thinking of creating of community of multiple little houses or adding a second unit on a residential lot.
Accessory Buildings – Most zoning codes will define whether accessory buildings are allowed in a particular area, and how many. In addition, size and height restrictions and where they may be placed in the yard will be defined. They will also tell what type of uses are allowed in the accessory structures. This may allow for storage sheds, detached home offices, and/or accessory dwelling units. As a side note, the difference between a home office and an accessory dwelling unit is often defined by the presence of a stove. Constructing a small cottage behind an existing dwelling can save substantially on utility installation costs.

Building Code: Sheds in Florida are not held to the same construction standards as residential buildings. This is good for shed manufacturers, but means that you might have issues with the following if you try to convert a shed into a dwelling unit:

Wind Load Design – The 2010 Florida Building Code instituted 3 new Wind Speed Maps for wind load design. Residential buildings (Type II) are designed for a higher wind load rating than buildings designed for use as storage sheds (Type I). This means that wall construction, windows, doors, roof material, etc. may not meet residential code requirements in your area.
Foundation – There are exceptions in the code for concrete foundations for sheds that allow them to be substantially smaller than for residential construction. In addition, a vapor barrier is not required under the slab for sheds, but is for residential construction. Other shed tie down foundations are not allowed for residential construction at all.
Room sizes – Florida Building Code requires that at least one habitable room in a residence be a minimum of 120 sf. Bathrooms must meet certain clearances and contain a lavatory, toilet and shower. No habitable room may be less that 7′ in either dimension.
Room heights – Ceiling heights within residences are a minimum of 7′ (6′-8″ in baths). If you plan to install a loft, be particularly aware of this restriction. Also, many manufactured sheds have 6′ high side walls.
Flood Zones – Storage sheds may be installed below the design flood elevation in flood hazard areas. Residential buildings must be raised above the design flood elevation.
Windows – Windows of certain sizes are required in living spaces for egress, air quality, and light.
Impact requirements – “Storage sheds that are not designed for human habitation and that have a floor area of 720 square feet (67 m²) or less are not required to comply with the mandatory wind-borne debris impact standard of this code.” This means windows in sheds are not impact rated in High Velocity Wind Zones and do not have the required shutters that a residential building would have.
Placement on site – “Detached tool sheds and storage sheds, playhouses and similar structures are not required to provide wall protection based on location on the lot. ” This means that walls may not meet the required fire rating that a residence in the same location would be required to have.

Other things to know: In some areas of Florida, you may build a storage shed under a certain size without a permit. This does not mean than you can build a building for other uses, such as a residence, under that square footage without a permit. And you may not change the use of a building without a building permit legally. In addition, some gated communities have their own set of design standards. This may include regulations on accessory buildings, how buildings should look, and provide minimum sizes for new construction above and beyond what is called out in zoning code.

I doubt I have identified all the potential issues with using a shed as the starting point for a residence in Florida, but at least this will help some who are considering the idea. Personally, for all the adaptations that could be required, I would think starting from scratch would be just as easy, albeit perhaps more intimidating. If so, feel free to give Historic Shed a call and we can build a shell that will meet all Building Codes for your dream cottage lifestyle.

Historic Shed Receives Houzz’s 2013 ‘Best Of Houzz’ Award

Historic Shed — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 20:00:53 +0000

Historic Shed of Brooksville, FL has been awarded “Best Of Houzz” 2013 by Houzz, the leading online platform for residential remodeling and design. The Tampa Bay- area custom shed and cottage design-build company was chosen by the more than 11 million monthly users that comprise the Houzz community.

The Houzz “Best Of Houzz” award for 2013 is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Customer Satisfaction award winners are based on homeowner members who rated their experience working with remodeling professionals in 12 categories ranging from architects, and interior designers to contractors and other residential remodeling professionals. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the community of 11 million monthly users, also known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 124 million professional images of home interiors and exteriors to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site, iPad/iPhone app and Android app.

“We are honored to have been selected for this Houzz award, given the size and scale of the site, along with the quality of work that is showcased,” says Historic Shed President, Jo-Anne Peck. “We get great feedback from professionals and homeowners on our projects, as well as inspiration for future projects.”

“Houzz provides homeowners with an in-depth, 360-degree view of building, remodeling and design professionals through images of their work, reviews and an opportunity to interact with them directly in the Houzz community,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of community. “We’re delighted to recognize Historic Shed among our “Best Of” professionals for exceptional customer service as judged by our community of homeowners and design enthusiasts who are actively remodeling and decorating their homes.”

With Houzz, homeowners can identify not only the top-rated professionals like Historic Shed, but also those whose work matches their own aspirations for their home. Homeowners can also evaluate professionals by contacting them directly on the Houzz platform, asking questions about their work and evaluating their responses to questions from others in the Houzz community.

About Historic Shed

Historic Shed (www.HistoricShed.com) designs and builds custom garden sheds, cottages and garages with traditional materials and detailing. Meeting the needs of historic home owners, Historic Shed designs complement historic homes, providing attractive and affordable extra space.

About Houzz

Houzz (www.houzz.com) is a leading online platform for home remodeling, providing inspiration, information, ‘advice and support for homeowners and home improvement professionals through its website and mobile applications. Houzz features the largest residential design database in the world, articles written by design experts, product recommendations, a vibrant community powered by social tools, and information on more than 1.5 million remodeling and design professionals worldwide who can help turn ideas into reality.

Historic Shed 2012 Highlights

Historic Shed — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 19:03:08 +0000

Some images from 2012 Historic Shed building projects (click on the image to see a slideshow):

And here are some random images from the shop and various job sites throughout the year (we are a family owned business, so pardon all the shots of our children):

A Craftsman Shed in Old Seminole Heights

Historic Shed — Sat, 29 Dec 2012 22:56:23 +0000

Historic Shed’s most recent project was constructed in Tampa’s historic Seminole Heights neighborhood to complement an interesting, and virtually unchanged Craftsman bungalow. The owners needed to replace a metal shed that had reached a state of extreme disrepair and wanted the new building to reflect the design of their home.

This Burgert Brothers photo shows the main house shortly after construction. The house looks very similar today, with the exception of the unusual roofing material that looks like an embossed roll roofing. Anyone know what it is?

The old shed had served the property for many years, but termites had eaten most of the framing, there was a dirt floor and a tree was growing through the side.

The shed, designed by Historic Shed, incorporated the low roof slope of the main house, outriggers, exposed rafter tails, siding and traditional trim.

The 14′x14′ wood storage shed has a 4′ deep porch with a wood deck, two wood windows, paired cypress bead board doors, and a 5-V Crimp metal roof.

The shed features paired cypress bead board doors with heavy duty hinges.

The 4′ porch will provide shade for potting plants for the yard.

While we were working on the shed, we had the pleasure of working alongside guys from Redman Fence. This is the second time we’ve worked on a job at the same time as Redman. Very nice guys that do really nice work.

Click the images below to see a slideshow of the entire shed construction process.

Historic Shed at the End of 2012

Historic Shed — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 03:01:48 +0000

Presents have been opened (although not all put away), the Christmas ham has been picked mostly clean, and we are already running low on Christmas cookies (although there’s still lots of pie). It must be time to reflect on the old year and make plans for the new!

We founded Historic Shed in 2008, after several years of planning. That means that we will be celebrating our 5th anniversary in May 2013 (am thinking it might be a good excuse for a party). For a business started in a recession, offering a product that no one knew to look for, we think it’s a pretty big milestone, especially considering that over 50% of small businesses fail in the first five years.

It has not been easy, or gone the way we expected in so many ways. We thought we’d be able to hire more help by now, would have invested in some more equipment to streamline our building process, and have had our sheds featured on at least three national TV shows (why haven’t they called?). But we have made some huge strides in the past year, including:

We partnered with Citizen’s State Bank to offer financing for our buildings. This is a huge deal since the rates are very good and the bank has a good reputation. Sheds, garages and even cottages can all be financed, in whole or in part.
We delivered outbuildings to several communities we hadn’t been in before 2012, including Gainesville, Fruitland Park, Ormond Beach, and Safety Harbor. Being located in Brooksville makes us centrally located to reach quite few communities throughout Florida without much difficulty.
We reached over 1900 fans on our Historic Shed Facebook page. We get a good amount of engagement on the page, making it fun to find images and info to share with our wonderful fans. We have a fair amount of Historic Shed Twitter followers as well, but have moved our attention to our new love, our Pinterest page since it suits our visual sensibilities so well.
For the first time, we built sheds for owners of newer homes that just like our style, proving that you don’t have to have a historic home to have good taste (yeah, I said it).
We also built our first neighborhood shed for the VM Ybor Neighborhood Community Garden. All of our other sheds have been for private homeowners, although we do have a really exciting one coming up in the new year for a Historical Society…
We learned that animals help promote sheds in 2012. We wrote about the miniature donkeys that wandered around a farm in Gainesville where we built an economy shed and it became our most popular blog post for the year. Then we got a shop cat from the pound, named Carmela, who generated lots of comments on Facebook and got lots of clicks in our e-newsletter. She has since come home with us where she tolerates the dog, but is less lonely since the kids are very attentive. The dog will be the subject of a future post since he visits the shop most weekends.
We participated in a couple of workshops in 2012, including one on Tiny Homes, gave a few talks to historic neighborhood associations, and got some nice press from Bottom Line Secrets, Tiny House Swoon, and the Journal of Light Construction, as well as some other publications. We even got to guest post on Hometalk, a really wonderful home improvement social networking site.

We do expect that 2013 will be an excellent year for Historic Shed. We are starting the new year off with a unique garage project that I can’t wait to show off, even though it’s not built yet (it looks fabulous in my head). And we’ve got some great ideas to implement this year (Craig is the idea guy, so I’m not bragging, just praising him) and new partnerships we hope to form as we continue on this tiny building journey that we have embarked on. Thanks for being a part and let us know how we can help you.