Wow, folks these are so many excellent ideas and insights.

This weekend I'm going to start a notebook to help me zero in on what I want to build and how.

Zoning and tax implications, lighting, electricity, roofing materials, locking systems, additional storage ideas, safety issues -- thank you each!

Good find! Thanks for sharing it.

No problemo, fellow Okie

I would build it on a concrete slab with room to add/extend it later.

IE: Don't build it where you can't poor more concrete easily, or that it requires you to grade it to add more concrete/building.

I have a pump house that's probably 8x8 (max!) and the slab out front sloaps downard, almost like a driveway it's about 12' long, and it baffles me why the original owners did not move the pump house back 5-10' (TONS of room) and make the slab 100% flat out front so that we could add-on later... oh-well.

I would insulate, and drywall it, or OSB if you can (code?). My pumphouse is not finished and there are spiders, webs, etc, all over... finishing it may cost an additional 200-300$ but IMHO well worth it, and adds tons of value not to mention better temperature control.

If it's near your bedroom don't go witha metal roof or you will here clank clank clank all the time from rain, snow, leaves, etc... Home Depot is clearing out their 30yr comp shingles right now for a killer price, and for a building that big the shingles will be around $75 total $25 paper = $100 to roof.

Go with 2' eves so you can lean stuff under it so it doesn't get wet.

You could add whirly-birds for vents to keep air flowing too, attic or not good idea.

I would def. add electric if it's affordable to run it out there, if not and it gets sun you could add a cheap panel and a CFL or a couple LEDS inside to light it up.

Make sure it's sturdy and has a deadbolt

Home depot has steel doors for <$150 (prehung).
They also have security metal braces for around the deadbolt... make sure you use 3" screws, and they go into something not air (space door good).

Instead of making this I suggest checking on craigslist and putting a nice shed on a concrete pad.

My folks scored a nice shed that was delivered on flat bed (used) 100% finished inside, with a loft, for <$3k.. T111 siding, comp-roof, extremely heavy duty. I think it's 12x16.

+1 on Todd W's suggestion to insulate and finish the inside of the shed. Makes a big difference.

You might also check with your local tax authority before you build. Around here if you pour a slab and stick build your shed you will have the value of of the building added to your yearly tax bill. If it is a "portable" building, a stick built building on skids it adds no value to the property and no added value to your property taxes.

I wouldn't worry too much about using simple cost-effective materials like plywood and standard stud construction. There is a good reason why standard stud construction is popular.

Yes, if someone is very determined to such construction can be sawed into using a chainsaw. Fortunately chainsaws are noisy, fairly expensive, and few thieves are organized or motivated enough to bring one. If your really worried someone might break out a saw and saw their way in find yourself some old chain-link fencing and use fencing staples to loosely fasten it to the inside of the sheathing. Power saws don't like chain link fencing and a reciprocating saw won't cut it easily if it is loose. All tools and materials have weaknesses.

Brick and block walls are quite easy to break into with a hammer. It doesn't take much time or cause much noise to break a hole big enough to step through. I worked at a machine shop, standard mesh reinforced block walls, where someone broke in with a hammer. The way around this would be to pour and reinforce each stack of cells in a block wall. Surface bonding can help and save money but the method is controversial. Bricks can be made tougher by laying them up and pouring fiber reinforced concrete behind. But all masonry is heavy, slow and tiring to work with, and expensive. Start pouring cells and adding rebar and things get really costly.

Try beating your way into a well constructed stud wall and your going to create a lot of noise and take a lot of time. Plywood glued and nailed, screwed if your a fanatic, often has to be reduced to splinters before it comes apart. OSB is less robust.

If plywood is applied vertically it can be used as a replacement for many of the normal metal reinforcements. You still need straps to hold rafters to top plates and floor to rim joists but with a 4-6-12 nail pattern the plywood is stronger than the steel straps for holding top plate to rim joist. With careful design the entire 8' length can be used so there is one less thing to cut.

Wow, more excellent information and ideas to consider. I definitely need to gather some local information regarding property value and tax implications, local building codes and permit issues.

The ideas about construction, materials and security are also particularly helpful to me.

Thanks again.

It may not technically add value or cause an increase in taxes but if you go to sell a buyer will weigh it when they compare your house to others.

Around here a portable building, one not built on a permanent foundation or slab, but one which may be fastened to the ground with dead-men or screw anchors to prevent it from blowing away, don't require building permits and aren't taxed. The kicker is that skid mounted portable buildings can be moved short distances by dragging and long distances by being winched onto the back of a flatbed.

An acquaintance lives next the the river and he has a guest cottage and storage shed out back near the river. Very picturesque and convenient to be able to pretty much paddle right up to the guest cottage and fish the river from the back porch. Of course being in Florida when the rains or hurricane comes the river rises. So he unbolts the tie-downs, backs up his tractor and drags them to higher ground on his property. In the last five years he has done it twice.

If and when he sells the property he can take the buildings with him. Handy that.