Historic Shed was started by a husband-wife team who run a very hands-on family business from design through construction. They have managed a historic preservation consulting company together since 2000 called Preservation Resource, Inc. In 2006, Craig came up with the idea for Historic Shed, which was officially launched in 2008 in Brooksville, FL. They have two teenage children and a Jack Russell Terrier named Chuck. And employees that are like family.
At Historic Shed™, we want every product to demonstrate our commitment to historic preservation principles, craftsmanship and proper use of traditional materials and details. Our products are designed to be durable, useful and attractive so that they will be cherished as long as the historic buildings they complement.
The Historic Shed Story
The short version
While working on a large scale preservation project in Tampa, Craig and Jo-Anne recognized the difficulties that homeowners faced when trying to install a shed in a designated historic district. Off-the-shelf sheds didn’t complement the character of historic neighborhoods, so weren’t an option without a fair amount of remodeling. Therefore, in order to install an appropriate shed, a homeowner had to hire a designer familiar with preservation requirements, get approval from a local historic preservation office or board, have engineered construction drawings done for permitting, then hire a contractor to build the unit on site. It was a cumbersome process and expensive for the homeowner who just wanted to put their lawn mower away. A light bulb went off in Craig’s head: they could provide all those services in one-place from initial design through construction with the skills they already had. So they took a leap and created Historic Shed™, officially launching in 2008 in Brooksville, FL.
Starting a custom shed business that focused on complementing historic homes wasn’t a simple process. At the time, custom accessory buildings weren't a known thing. Historic neighborhoods were difficult to deliver to, with mature trees, fences, and tight backyards, making delivering whole sheds difficult to impossible. The business couldn’t operate like the big shed builders that cranked out multiple identical sheds since each had to be custom designed to complement the existing home. After lots of planning, a panelized system for delivery and assembly on-site was created, with certain design parameters that allowed character changes, but could be replicated in each build. Luckily, the system worked. After the first couple of years, Historic Shed began getting requests for larger and more complex accessory buildings, starting with a two-car garage, then some home offices, guest cottages, pub sheds and even two-story garage apartments. Using the same panelized system, Historic Shed™ can now build entire small (tiny) homes and cottages that look great in historic neighborhoods.
Pretty little garden storage shed. They did a great job – on time and they went above and beyond to work around some on site nuances peculiar to the placement/shed location.
I want to tell you again how very pleased we are with everything and how well the whole process worked. You are both great to work with and I hope we were okay for you. The garage is beautiful and I even had a note on my door the other night from someone saying ‘I… want to see your garage! Call me…her phone # and name.’ Maybe you will get business from it. Feel free to send people by to see it. Read more "Linda A., St. Petersburg, FL"
D and I were discussing the shed a few days ago and she talked about how she was very hesitant to go forward given the costs of "a shed"...but after seeing the final product, she said "I am so happy you insisted we use Historic Shed! No other shed would have looked right in that… location - it completes the space perfectly." D's father told me that most houses he's seen aren't built this well. My view through the Ring security camera doesn't really show me close-ups - but I was able to watch the work being done. Although no one fell in the pool (that I saw), I did see the crew covering the fence and some of the pool deck to protect from paint/other damages. They even put a drop cloth over the pool basketball hoop at one point. I really appreciate your crew taking the time to do things like that. I can't wait until we get the landscaping done - and I also can't wait to come home from this deployment and see it in person! Thank you for building the perfect shed for us. Read more "Jeremy B., Tampa, FL"
I live in a bungalow that was built in 1925. When I purchased the house, it had a funky old shed that totally creeped me out to enter. I am a gardener so I had to go in it often to access my supplies. Ick! I decided that I needed something nicer, so I started… pricing pre-built sheds. They were expensive, not historic & UGLY. I had some plans drawn for a shed & got some prices for all the trades I would need- carpenter, roofer, painter- for a tiny shed! It all added up to too much plus, I had just completed the restoration of a 1907 Victorian & needed a rest. I called Historic Shed & was happily surprised at the price they quoted for everything! Because of their great reputation, I even let them pick the hardware & design the doors. I never let anybody choose for me but I was tired of making choices. I was thrilled with the doors & the wonderful hinges they brought. The best part was that it was installed in just over a day. I am sure that it would have been a month long project with all the trade co-ordinating that would have had to have been done to built it. I now have a shed that is the mini-me version of my beautiful bungalow. It holds everything I need & it is clean & fresh. I am looking forward to another season of gardening so I can visit it! Read more "Suzanne P., Tampa, FL"
We hired this company to build a storage shed with attached bar for our backyard. They designed something specifically to meet our needs, including matching the details of our 1920’s bungalow. We had high expectations based on some of their prior work we had seen and we were not disappointed. The project turned out great… and they were very easy to work with. We highly recommend them. Read more "Ryan L., Tampa, FL"
We can hardly believe it’s been almost six months since we moved into our little house. So sorry it has taken us this long to express our sentiments regarding the shared experience we had in creating our little gem. The four of us had the same mind set and alongside you it was seemingly effortless and… loads of fun debating all the important decisions. It was a work of art in progress and at the hands of a professional and a true craftsman. Amazing it took us two years to find you, a designer and contractor who utilize a combination of critical design with modern sensibilities and old style construction technique. In addition, you were diligent, fair and affordable. Our visitors are fascinated with the utilization of space and the simplicity of it. They always exclaim about the air conditioned space being less than 500 sq ft and how the french doors opening onto the porch and the cathedral ceiling in the living space create a feeling of roominess. The separation of the bedroom, bathroom, and utility area from the living space makes it feel more like a “real” home and they love the whimsical addition of the outside deck and bathtub. There seems to be a lot to absorb as they point to fine details – the beams, the wood interior, the attention to old style framing and traditional features like your hand-made window screen and doors. The blend of modern elements are smartly subtle as to not disrupt the old charm feel. Some think they are touring a renovated structure. One guest said she felt like she was sitting in an image on the cover of a coastal cottage magazine. Keep it up and many wishes for continued success on your own terms—you truly do provide a lost art. Read more "Karen S., Stuart, FL"
Glenn and I couldn’t be more pleased with our new garden shed. Craig spent a lot of time ‘tweeking’ and the pride he takes in his product is now obvious. Again, we are very pleased and have started to ‘move in’ today. Thank you for being so attentive to the finishing. Will send pictures when… we’re done installing walkway, plants, etc. Your sheds need to be featured in home and garden magazines….they are unique! Read more "Marge L., Fruitland Park, FL"
My wife and I live in a lovely 1920’s bungalow in a historic neighborhood in Tampa, Florida. As those who live in bungalows can attest, they aren’t exactly spacious nor do they exactly live up to modern storage standards. We wanted more storage space but we didn’t want to destroy our home’s aesthetic by purchasing… a plastic prefab shed. We started contacting shed companies and everyone we talked to couldn’t understand why a faux barn or some composite monstrosity wouldn’t be acceptable nestled among craftsmen, foursquares and cottages.When I contacted Historic Shed they were very excited to take on our project. They asked for a photo of our house, which we were happy to oblige. Within a very short time of receiving our photo, they had sent us a plan for a structure that complemented our house’s architecture and matched the roof pitch and brackets.When Historic Shed received our go ahead they pulled all the permits and made our case with Tampa’s ARC. The process went very smoothly and progressed quickly from approval to construction. The construction time was short and the crew was skilled and very professional. The shed is solid and when our neighbor (who builds luxury homes for a living), came over to see it, he remarked that it was really well constructed. We love our new shed. It’s freed our small house of clutter and we think it’s perfectly at home next to buildings 80 years its senior. Read more "Rob V., Tampa, FL"
I can’t say enough good things about this company. They are very professional and knowledgeable. They will do exactly what they say they will do. The staff is good at following up and easy to communicate with. You really get your monies worth with this company. I would recommend this company to anyone and will… continue to use them. They are our go to company if we need anything done outside. Read more "Nancy M., Tampa, FL"
We had a large group of people visit this weekend. People who had never visited assumed the shed was original to the property; people who knew it was new were amazed that it ‘looks like it’s always been here!’ Good job!
I am absolutely delighted with the garage. I have seen a lot of damaged structures in my prior career as an insurance adjuster & written a lot of estimates so I recognize good workmanship when I see it. This is even better construction than the house itself! Thanks for working with us & for such… a great product. Read more "Carol B., Apalachicola, FL"
Dan and I couldn’t be happier with our new garage! What started out as a nightmare in July with the neighbor’s tree falling on our old garage is coming to a close with a really fabulous replacement! Here’s to hoping you get more Plant City work because of the positive referrals when people ask us… about our building. Read more "Gay S., Plant City, FL"
Just wanted to compliment you on another job well done! I did the historical inspection for the shed in the historic district today, and it is perfect. I wish all of our historic district sheds were built by you guys!
Historic Shed is a custom and semi-custom builder and installer of garden sheds, guest cottages, garages and small cottages. They provide design help, architectural drawings, building off site and installing on site. I was looking for something aesthetically pleasing and well built….not the usual run-of-the-mill fabricated shed that is seen all over. Historic Shed provides… architectural details on their buildings that make them stand out. The windows and doors are of the highest quality and the hardware used makes a statement. Historic Shed is a small company owned and operated by the Peck’s who oversee every aspect of the project. The carpenters are as proud of their work as are the owners. They are easy to work with, reliable and completed the project in a timely manner. I highly recommend this company to anyone looking for quality. Read more "Patrica B., Orlando, FL"
Historic Sheds designed and built a beautiful artist cottage with windows and French doors in our backyard. They are extremely professional with overseeing each part of the construction. The walls are built offsite then delivered and put together in the yard. This is a lot more than your typical backyard shed! – it more like… another small house that one could almost live in. The finished product looks like it’s been here for years and has become a stylish, functional feature in our backyard. I would definitely recommend this company. Read more "Judy T., Sarasota, FL"
More About us
Craig DeRoin
Craig has over 30 years experience in renovation and restoration of historic buildings first in Massachusetts, then in Florida. You won’t find him on LinkedIn, Twitter, or Facebook and he rarely checks his email (he finally has a smart phone, and occasionally texts). However, he reads every trade magazine from cover to cover and stays very informed about the construction industry the old-fashioned way. He is the main idea generator and trouble shooter at Historic Shed. And he’s the funny one.
Jo-Anne Peck
Jo-Anne has an undergraduate degree in Building Science, a Masters degree in Historic Preservation and is a certified Florida Building Contractor and Residential Wind Load designer. She’s been involved in consulting, design and construction for historic buildings in Florida for over 25 years. Jo-Anne is the voice behind the Historic Shed Facebook page, Twitter account, and serves as the head shed designer. You'll see her at Florida Tiny House shows and other events.
The Crew
When Historic Shed was first launched, Craig and Jo-Anne did it all from marketing and sales to construction and delivery. Luckily, they now have talented carpenters who do much of the shop building and field work. The crew size is limited so Jo-Anne & Craig can keep a handle on jobs; therefore also limiting the number of jobs they take on. The crew is responsible for a wider variety of tasks than just carpentry, including representing Historic Shed in customer back yards, so they are greatly appreciated.