How to save money when buying a farm shed

Whether you’re looking to cut down costs or stay within an existing budget, finding the money for something like a new farm shed can be challenging. There’s always more urgent expenses that seem to appear and a new shed is a big investment that many farmers will choose to put off until ‘the time is right’.

While a farm shed can seem like a big purchase, a quality structure will more than pay off in the long-run and will bring you years of use. So is there a way to save some money when purchasing a new farm shed, and still end up with a structure that’s high quality?

From erecting the shed yourself to planning ahead, we’ve highlighted some simple things that you can do when buying a new farm shed that can help to keep the budget in check! Read on to find out more.

Plan for now, and the future

One of the easiest things that you can do when it comes to buying a new farm shed is some careful planning. This is something that’s all too easy to be overlooked when purchasing a shed and if not done at the outset, it could end up costing you thousands in the future.

It’s easy enough to think of what you will be using a shed for now, but what about 10 or 20 years down the track? Will that same shed still be able to serve you well, and meet your basic requirements? Take a hay shed for example, if you don’t consider how much hay you could be harvesting in years to come, how will you know if your new shed will have enough storage space? Is there anything else that you may need to store in your hay shed, such as machinery and equipment? Will you have enough space for this?

While planning is key, there are some steel sheds that can be manufactured in a way that allows them to be extended at a later date. An Standwell structural steel shed for example can be added on to, to provide more space should you need it. Extending a Standwell shed is easily done and can be in the form of a roof-only extension to add more bays for storage, or even an awning off to the side.

Carefully considering just how you will use a farm shed now and in the future, will ensure that you have a new shed that’s fit for purpose. 

Talk to the professionals

While this is something that will evidently cost you money, engaging with a professional shed building company can help you to get underway with the process of building a shed quicker which will save you time. As the saying goes – ‘time is money’!

Having professionals on board who can guide you through the process of buying a new shed means that you don’t have to do any of the tricky back-and-forth work like liaising with local councils to see what consents you may need. They’ll handle the entire process for you and will make sure any required paperwork is completed on time so that there’s no delays when it comes to constructing your new shed.

Not having the right consents in place can prove costly and could result in fines from your local council, they could also request that the shed be taken down too. Working with professional shed experts will make sure you get things right the first time.

Erect the shed yourself

As another way to cut down costs, many farmers choose to erect the shed themselves when the time comes to it. While you will still need people to help you and possibly a crane or two, some farmers find that they can save some money by doing things this way, as they don't have to factor in external contractor costs to their budget. 

While doing it yourself may end up taking some more time, it’s likely to save you a bit of money. In saying this, it’s always best to get a quote from the company that will be manufacturing your shed to see how much extra you would need to pay, if they were to erect the shed too. Many farm shed manufacturers have a permanent set of contractors on the books to help with erecting sheds so they can offer a decent price that’s not going to blow out the budget.

A Standwell farm shed can be easily constructed yourself, or we can do it for you!

Instant asset write-off for farmers: what you need to know

Investing in new equipment and infrastructure is a significant part of running a farming business. From machinery and tools to equipment used around the farm, understanding the tax deductions available to your business can help when planning future purchases.

The Australian Government's instant asset write-off allows eligible small businesses to immediately deduct the business portion of the cost of eligible assets costing less than $20,000.

From 1 July 2026, the $20,000 instant asset write-off has been made permanent, giving eligible small businesses greater certainty when planning future investments.

Who is eligible for the instant asset write-off?

To be eligible, a business generally needs to:

• Have an aggregated annual turnover of less than $10 million.
• Use the simplified depreciation rules.
• Purchase an eligible depreciating asset costing less than $20,000.
• First use the asset, or have it installed ready for use, for a taxable purpose in the relevant income year.

The $20,000 threshold applies on a per-asset basis, which means eligible businesses may be able to immediately deduct multiple assets, provided each individual asset costs less than the threshold.

Both new and second-hand assets can be eligible, although exclusions and other rules may apply.

What happens if an asset costs $20,000 or more?

An eligible asset costing $20,000 or more cannot be immediately deducted using the instant asset write-off.

For small businesses using the simplified depreciation rules, these assets are generally added to the small business depreciation pool, allowing deductions to be claimed over time.

This is particularly important when considering larger investments such as farm sheds and other agricultural infrastructure, which will often exceed the instant asset write-off threshold.

Can you claim a farm shed under the instant asset write-off?

Whether a farm shed or any component of a shed project qualifies for an immediate deduction depends on the individual circumstances of the business, the nature of the asset and the applicable tax rules.

A farm shed is a significant long-term investment, so it's important to understand the tax treatment that applies to your particular project before making decisions based on potential deductions.

We recommend speaking with your accountant or registered tax adviser about the depreciation and tax deductions that may be available when investing in a new farm shed.

Planning a new farm shed?

While tax considerations can form part of your investment decision, the right farm shed should be designed around the long-term needs of your operation.

At Standwell, we design and manufacture farm sheds for Australian conditions, with solutions for machinery storage, hay, fertiliser, commodities and general farm storage.

If you're considering investing in a new farm shed, our team can help you design a solution that works for your operation now and for generations to come.

Ready to start planning your next farm shed? Talk to the Standwell team or request a quote today.

The information provided in this article is general in nature and does not constitute financial or taxation advice. Eligibility for the instant asset write-off and other tax deductions will depend on your individual circumstances. We recommend speaking with a registered tax professional before making financial or taxation decisions.

Take advantage of the instant asset write-off for a new farm shed

The increase to the instant asset write-off is only available until the end of the year so now’s the time to start planning a new farm shed, in order to take advantage of this fantastic incentive!

Our range of structural steel farm sheds are built to last and with a 25 year “you’re covered” guarantee, you’ll know that you’re investing in a quality structure. If you’re looking to use the instant asset write-off to purchase a new farm shed then we would encourage you to request a quote, so that you don’t miss the deadline. If you'd like more information on how you can make the instant asset write-off work for you and your business, then simply get in touch and we'd be happy to help!

Interested in learning more about the Standwell range of farm sheds? View our range in the free brochure.

*Note that this is an example only and how much you could save on a shed will depend on your particular circumstances and how much you choose to spend. We always advise that you speak to your tax accountant first.