A 10x12 shed costs about $6,100 at US-average prices for a custom, unfinished inside build ($4,300 to $7,900), or $51 per square foot for 120 sq ft.
A 10x12 shed is the size most people picture for a backyard shed: mower, bikes and a workbench, with a 5 ft double door to get things in.
10x12 shed cost by build grade
Per-square-foot prices from Fixr's storage shed guide (March 6, 2024), multiplied by the 120 sq ft floor area, at US averages. The spread around each typical figure is this site's assumption where the source gives one number, and the sourced range where it gives two.
| Build | What you get | Materials only | Built by a contractor | Crew days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kit shed | Prefab kit you assemble on a prepared base | $1,150 to $2,050 | $2,200 to $4,000 (typical $3,100) | 1.5 |
| Custom, unfinished inside | Site-built wood frame, siding, shingles, bare interior | $2,200 to $4,000 | $4,300 to $7,900 (typical $6,100) | 2.5 |
| Custom, finished interior | Insulated, drywalled and wired, for a workshop or office | $6,100 to $12,100 | $12,100 to $24,000 (typical $18,100) | 8 |
Labor is taken as 50 percent of the price (Fixr's custom 10×12 example is about half), so materials-only figures drop that share. The permit is included where your town is likely to ask for one: from $100 (Fixr).
Framing and material list for a 10x12 shed
The quantities assume 8 ft walls, 2×4 studs 16 in on center, a 4/12 roof on 2×6 rafters at 24 in on center, one 5 ft double door and 1 3×3 ft window, on a 4 in compacted gravel pad with pressure-treated skids. Studs run 64 pieces with corners, kings, jacks and cripples; the roof is 151 sq ft including overhangs.
| Item | Quantity | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Compacted gravel base | 2.25 cu yd | 4 in deep, 12 × 14 ft (1 ft past each wall) |
| 4×6 skids, ground-contact treated | 4 pcs | 12 ft, 4 skids no more than 4 ft apart |
| 2×6 floor joists | 10 pcs | 10 ft, cut to 10 ft, 16 in on center |
| 2×6 rim boards | 2 pcs | 12 ft |
| ¾ in tongue-and-groove plywood, 4×8 | 5 sheets | floor deck, 10% extra |
| 2×4 studs, 91.5 in | 64 pcs | 16 in on center with corners, kings, jacks and cripples for 2 openings |
| 2×4 plates, 20 ft | 12 pcs | one bottom plate and a doubled top plate on every wall |
| Header stock, 2-ply 2×8 | 2 pcs | about 3 ft each; confirm the size against a header span table or use an LVL |
| Header stock, 2-ply 2×8 | 2 pcs | about 5 ft each; confirm the size against a header span table or use an LVL |
| 7/16 in OSB wall sheathing, 4×8 | 12 sheets | full sheets before subtracting openings |
| Siding, T1-11 or lap siding | 388 sq ft | gross wall area plus 10%, before openings and gable triangles |
| 5 ft double shed door | 1 pcs | |
| 3×3 ft windows | 1 pcs | |
| 2×6 rafters | 14 pcs | 8 ft, 5.7 ft cut length, 24 in on center |
| 2×8 ridge board | 1 pcs | 14 ft |
| 7/16 in OSB roof sheathing, 4×8 | 6 sheets | 151 sq ft of roof plus 10% |
| Synthetic, 10 sq roll (TAMKO Synthetic Guard) | 1 rolls | |
| Architectural shingles | 5 bundles | 1.7 squares, 3 bundles a square, 10% extra |
| Starter strip shingles | 1 bundles | |
| Hip and ridge caps | 1 bundles | |
| Drip edge, 10 ft | 5 pcs | eaves and rakes |
These are ordering quantities with 10 percent waste on sheets and shingles, not a plan set. The stud calculator and framing calculator handle a different wall, and the roofing calculator prices the roof covering separately.
Labor and time
At $70 an hour for each of two builders working eight hours ($1,100 a day), labor of $3,000 is about 2.5 days of crew work. Fixr counts labor for a custom shed at roughly half of the price, so a kit is the fast option when time matters.
Does a 10x12 shed need a permit?
IRC 2024 R105.2 exempts one-story detached accessory structures up to 200 sq ft. At 120 sq ft a 10x12 shed is under that limit, so the model code needs no permit, though your town may set a lower limit: Fixr notes permits starting at 100 sq ft. Setbacks, height limits and deed rules apply either way.
10x12 shed compared with other sizes
Stepping down to 8x10 saves 40 sq ft and about $2,100. Stepping up to 12x16 adds 72 sq ft and about $3,600.
Next steps for a 10x12 shed
- Count studs, plates and sheathing with the stud calculator and plywood calculator.
- Cover the roof with the roofing calculator or the shingle calculator.
- Other sizes and types are grouped under cost calculators.