Should You Buy a Shed From Costco?

Most of us know Costco by its bulk quantities, substantially low prices, great travel deals, and, yes, its hot dogs. But what you might not know is that Costco also sells wood and plastic sheds at lower-than-average prices.

While its sheds aren't for everyone -- particularly those who have no interest in building them -- it can present a low-cost alternative for those looking to declutter their basements and garages. With that in mind, here are a few things you should know about Costco sheds.

Most Costco sheds come as kits

Most Costco sheds are delivered to your home pre-assembled as flat-pack kits. That means, it's up to you to lay a foundation, build the shed on top, attach it with anchors to the ground, paint it, and roof it with shingles.

Reviewers on both Costco's website and Reddit claim the assembly is straightforward but isn't something most novices could pull off. Sheds require half a day to a full day to assemble (if not more), and you'll need more than one person, ideally three. Some Costco sheds have assembly videos on YouTube, but even so, you might need practical experience to build a shed that's level and sturdy.

Each shed will come with instructions and hardware, but the power tools you'll need to supply on your own. The shed's manufacturer might give you instructions on how to lay the foundation, either with concrete or wood. Since the materials to lay a slab are extra, you'll need to factor these into your total cost. To give you some perspective, the cost of a concrete slab, according to Home Advisor, is about $4 to $8 per square foot. That means, for an 8 x 12 shed with a square footage of 96, you could pay about $384 to $768 for a slab.

That said, some Costco sheds include an assembly option. When you buy these sheds, Costco will outsource the assembly to an installation company, who will schedule the assembly and do it for you. These sheds cost more, but might still be cheaper than hiring contractors on your own.

Costco sheds are close in price to Sam's Club, but generally lower than Home Depot

Costco sheds are low priced, but they're not always the cheapest. In fact, many of Costco's sheds are on par with comparable ones sold at Sam's Club, though generally they're better priced than what Home Depot sells. Here's a quick breakdown of similar sheds found at the three stores:

Based on this, Costco appears to be the best place to buy a shed. But I wouldn't assume it always has the lowest prices, especially if Sam's Club or Home Depot is having a sale. For instance, Home Depot is currently selling a 12' x 10' Cypress wood shed for $2,414, which would be cheaper than what the two warehouse retailers are offering right now.

You can take back your shed for a full refund at any time

The good thing about a Costco shed is that it falls under the company's generous 100% satisfaction guaranteed return policy. That means, if your shed doesn't meet your expectations, you can return it for a full refund at any time.

In summation, Costco sheds are reasonably priced and have good customer reviews on Costco's website. The downside is that you'll have to assemble the shed on your own, which might add a time cost that is almost as high as paying for assembly. Check out Costco's competitors -- like Sam's Club, Home Depot, and Walmart -- for sheds of the same dimensions and see if Costco is truly the best fit for your personal finances.