Storage Sheds

[CANative]

No. Of course not. But if the assessor thinks it's going to be a second unit or ADU they'll work the costs for themselves to including plumbing, kitchen, interior finishes, etc, etc. $100/sf is apparently what they're using I guess.

 

[The Bob]

I would try to find other nearby houses with similar size sheds and see how they are treating those. You could use Google Earth. Or get a Realtor to help.
Most times, to contest an assessment as unfair, you have to show that they are treating your property differently. If the assessor is saying all these 300sf+ sheds are "guest cottages" might be tough to contest.

 

[Elliott]

Go on line and price a "TuffShed." For a nice shed, I might adjust $1000, a 15x20, I might go as high as $3000. I think 'she sheds' fetch $4,000. Hard to prove the contribution of a small accessory unit. Your not renting it out are you?

 

[Doug Wegener]

Hi - I'm not an appraiser but working on a property valuation appeal. The issue is a detached storage shed that has electricity, otherwise unfinished with painted OSB. It has a loft, and is about 300 sqft. The issue is I'm fighting with the assessor, who insists this is a "guest cottage" (code 328), and should be valued at $30,000. It doesn't have heat, AC, or plumbing. It does have a sliding door and a few windows. My question is this: My state (by statute) prescribes the use of Marshall and Swift, and I've found numerous similar-sized storage sheds with electricity (mostly man-caves, wood shops, etc.), and they are all coded 1637 - wood storage unit, but none of the property cards assign a value to the external unit under that code. My argument is that it shouldn't matter what the building is used for, only the construction materials, etc. How do I find data that supports a comparable valuation of the shed/storage unit? Is there someplace online where I can find the Marshall and Swift calculators for this?

Every other "guest cottage" I've found is a pool house with plumbing, and in most cases heat and A/C. Thanks in advance.

Marshall and Swift
Yard/Unit Costs Section

Prefabricated Storage Shed Buildings ... Cost per square foot, excluding permanent foundation typically purchased from a home improvement center, lumber yard, etc.
Type
Wood.......................................................................... Cost Range $19.40 -$38.75

Page C-2
December 2019 Cost

Western Multiplier 1.07


************************************************************
The above are the current Marshall and Swift Costs. It will only give you a cost per square foot range of $19.40- $38.75.

The current western multiplier is 1.07 .

Examples

Low end shed

$19.40x300 = $5820x1.07=$6227

High end shed
$38.75x300=$11,625x1.07=$12438.

 

[CANative]

Marshall and Swift
Yard/Unit Costs Section

Prefabricated Storage Shed Buildings ... Cost per square foot, excluding permanent foundation typically purchased from a home improvement center, lumber yard, etc.
Type
Wood.......................................................................... Cost Range $19.40 -$38.75

Page C-2
December 2019 Cost

Western Multiplier 1.07


************************************************************
The above are the current Marshall and Swift Costs. It will only give you a cost per square foot range of $19.40- $38.75.

The current western multiplier is 1.07 .

Examples

Low end shed

$19.40x300 = $5820x1.07=$6227

High end shed
$38.75x300=$11,625x1.07=$12438.

From the CA Assessor's Handbook for rural costs. Sounds like a Class 2 small shed. $16.15/sf. Add a few hundred dollars for the window and door and power connection. Say, $6,500 or so?

 

[glenn walker]

I would consider tearing it down and sending the assessor a photo of it gone

 

[Eddy9]

Go on line and price a "TuffShed." For a nice shed, I might adjust $1000, a 15x20, I might go as high as $3000. I think 'she sheds' fetch $4,000. Hard to prove the contribution of a small accessory unit. Your not renting it out are you?

Thanks for all the suggestions/help. No, not being rented out. It's not a pre-fab shed, but more like a "she shed". It's a custom built, nicer wood shed. 288 SQ ft. Being used for a yoga/art studio, but my argument is that use should not matter one bit, if the construction of a "she shed" is the same - (4 walls, concrete floor and 4 electrical outlets) as a wood shop, etc., the appraised price shouldn't matter.

I've reviewed building permits and other data, and all of these, sans pool houses with plumbing, shower, etc., are classified under the M&S as 1637 - wood storage building. The issue for me is that I'm looking at a data sheet that has that (approx) 100/SQFT valuation, but many of the ones I'm finding that are very very similar, both in size and with electrical, on those datasheets it doesn't have a RCN or RCNLD for the shed, it only says in the notes section 1637 - wood storage building. So that was the gist of the question - how does M&S place a value on that. The post from Iowa seems to be good info in that regard, but not sure if that came from M&S. I ran a Craftsman report, but that isn't really for sheds.

 

[Mr Rex]

M&S Swiftestimator costs $10 for a residential report.