A story of synergy and strength

The story begins

It was 2009 when Carol and Wayne decided it was time to upgrade an existing old building at the top of their garden.  

While Wayne admits he would have been content with a standard prefab steel shed, Carol had other ideas. “My wife doesn’t like ugly,” he laughs.  

As the saying goes, “Happy wife, happy life,” so Wayne knew what to do. “I thought we’d get something that’s nice,” he tells us. 

And this proved to be a very wise decision in more ways than one!

The main characters

They say opposites attract and there’s many a marriage proving this to be true; Wayne and Carol’s being one of them!  

In contrast to Wayne’s more outgoing nature, Carol says, “I’m a bit of an introvert and I need alone time”. And while both enjoy getting hands on, it’s in different ways – Wayne likes to tinker with tools, Carol likes to paint and sew.  

For Wayne this means plenty of capacity is required for storage, while Carol needs room to breathe and create. 

“Wayne has a lot of stuff, and I needed some space of my own,” Carol explains.  

“We’re opposites,” Wayne agrees, “Carol is a minimalist and I’m into detail. She wants to throw out all my stuff!” 

And in the true spirit of the compromise that makes their marriage so harmonious, their new shared space was to cater to the couple’s differing interests and personalities. 

Tales of the unexpected

The pursuit of their synergetic space led them to Greenspan and the ultimate compromise of a Cedarspan. Not the unattractive prefab steel shed that Wayne would have settled for, but a PreCrafted timber cabin offering the functionality they both needed with the attractive aesthetics Carol insisted upon. 

Wayne was initially drawn to the speed and ease of a prefab steel shed. But it soon became apparent that a Cedarspan offered far greater convenience. The couple recall how quick and easy it was to design and install their new space.  

“I kept sending my ideas to Doug and he kept updating the plans,” Wayne says.

And with the design finalised and the building delivered, the surprises kept coming. “I was amazed at the speed at which it went up,” Carol tells us.

Setting the scene

With a pre-laid slab from the existing building, the couple opted for a 20CHL40, the perfect dimensions at approximately 3.8m x 7.2m.  

Carol and Wayne chose to upgrade to cedar weatherboard cladding, adding an internal loft space spanning almost the entire footprint of the building. Sky windows in the roof and sliding gable windows at each end ensure the interior is flooded with light.

An incredibly practical design that allows husband and wife an equal share of space to call their own, double barn doors to one gable end provide easy access for Wayne’s tools and belongings. Along one side are pretty double French doors which are set between a pair of sliding windows. Custom Colorbond® roofing in “Manor Red” coordinates beautifully with the stain applied to the cedar cladding and the whole picture is that of a quintessential country cabin.

A twist of fate

While Wayne and Carol’s property may not be sprawling rural acreage but a Sydney suburb, the setting is as country cute as the cabin itself. With a backdrop of leafy trees, and fronted by a rockery and pretty gardens, it could have been plucked straight out of a rural landscape.

But while such a setting has its aesthetic advantages, it also has its downsides. 

Ten years after being built, a huge storm swept through the area and caused one of the large neighbouring trees to fall on the cabin! 

The hero

The couple had enjoyed a decade of harmonious use side by side in their shared space – storage for Wayne and an art and yoga studio for Carol. Their decision to compromise from a steel shed to a Cedarspan proved to be a wise one – and not only for the sake of marital synergy – when it was put to this ultimate test. 

A tree crashing down on their beloved Cedarspan? You might expect extensive damage from such an event. But as a testament to the quality of the materials, craftsmanship and structural engineering, the Cedarspan stood firm. While lesser buildings – and almost undoubtedly a steel shed – may have crumpled under the impact, Wayne and Carol’s cabin escaped with minimal cosmetic damage to one end of the roof and side. 

One small insurance claim and a few minor repairs later, their shared space was back up and running and as good as new!

The plot twist

As luck would have it, the incident also turned into an unexpected win. “That little bit of damage to the shed allowed us to get an insurance claim to have another tree removed from the property,” Wayne explains. The second tree had long been a concern, with the council reluctant to approve its removal. “In the end, it got cut down because it had fungus in the roots.” 

Their sturdy Cedarspan not only survived the storm but also helped them secure a safer backyard; their compromise yet again a success story.

The moral of the story

As a former tax auditor, Wayne knows a good investment when he sees one.  

With evidence of just how robust and resilient the building is, Wayne also accepts it’s far more attractive than any steel shed could be – a winning combination and proof of money well spent. “It has to improve the value of the property,” he points out, joking, “If anyone bought this property as it is, I’m sure they would knock the house down and leave the shed!”  

16 years after coming to a compromise, the Cedarspan stands as strong and proud as the day it was built, and the couple have no plans to part with it. 

“I love it…it’s a bit of a haven there,” Carol states.  

Proof that our buildings can withstand almost anything nature throws at them, we look forward to revisiting in another sixteen years and continuing this enduring story of strength, synergy and smart investment. 

Wayne and Carol’s Cedarspan is a 20CHL40 measuring 3.8m x 7.2m.

It features a cedar cladding upgrade, a double timber barn door set, aluminium windows and French doors in “Black”, with Colorbond® roofing in “Manor Red’.

All measurements are approximate.