# Cost of run-in shelter?



## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

I know that prices differ based on where you are and how fancy it is, but has anyone had a run-in shelter built lately? As in this year? Either pre-fab or from scratch? If so what size was it and how much did it cost? I am thinking to build one that is 12x24. I'm just trying to figure out a ballpark of how much they cost.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Around here the most common option is Amish crafted pre-fab, which comes to you on a huge flatbed trailer. I have 10x10 "stalls," which are plenty big for Morgan-sized horses. I have one single 10x10 and one double (10x25) that also includes a small (5 ft) tack/feed room. I had them delivered back in 2019, and at the time the 10x10 was $1800 and the 10x25 was $4000. Delivery was another $1500. What all that would cost today, who knows? Double? 🤣 I'd say mine are pretty much basic, no frills, and work just fine for us. A lot of my neighbors have nicer versions from this local company. When I purchased, I'd say their prices were ~25% more than the place I bought from.

The one cost I didn't properly figure in was doing a really good job on the footing. I didn't have any special footing installed when I first got here (now I realize how dumb that was), so I had to retroactively add hard pack footing with proper grading away from the sheds to handle the intense wear and tear in all 4 seasons. We did round 1 on our own without real equipment, and then had to pay a pro to redo it because we didn't have enough material the first time around or do enough to properly move water and snowmelt away from the sheds. 

I have water buckets in the sheds year round (they all have one electrical outlet I ran from the house so it's heated buckets in winter), and all the "stalls" have rings for haynets inside and on the exterior, so the horses are standing in and around the sheds a lot of the time. The footing needs to be "refreshed" every other year, so far. But a lot of that is because of how much we lose to snow removal, so you may not have that issue.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

egrogan said:


> I didn't have any special footing installed when I first got here (now I realize how dumb that was), so I had to retroactively add hard pack footing with proper grading away from the sheds to handle the intense wear and tear in all 4 seasons. We did round 1 on our own without real equipment, and then had to pay a pro to redo it because we didn't have enough material the first time around or do enough to properly move water and snowmelt away from the sheds.


How much did that end up costing? I thought I'd like to put pea gravel in, but I didn't think about proper grading. That's a really good point. 

I'm also sort of worried that, since there are a lot of trees out there, maybe they won't even want to use a run-in, so I was wondering if I could put it up first, see if they would use it, and then put in proper footing afterwards. OTOH, I guess if they don't like it I could always use it for hay storage, and I'd definitely want proper grading for that.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

I’ll leave out our botched DIY costs. We had the pro turn about 3/4 acre into a dry lot, raise the sheds a foot, and redo the inside footing in the sheds. Including all the materials delivered, it was about $6k.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Any shelter you build or have built, delivered needs to be set on a elevated pad of material for proper drainage of rain waters and other inclement things from the sky.
What you decide to use for that pad or ground prep might vary on climate and availability in the location.

I love the quality of these buildings in many options of size, looks, barns to run-in sheds and such.
Solid construction they are.









Horse Run-In Sheds | Horse Shelters | Horizon Structures


Provide your horses with a safe and secure wooden run-in shed. Our horse shelters are an attractive way to provide year-round shelter for your animals.




www.horizonstructures.com




This is a 10x24 "sale" already made as you can see.... $6,585.00 plus delivery charges for reference.



https://www.horizonstructures.com/sale/horse-barn-10x24-granite-gray-run-in-shed/


Amish made local can offer much the same...
Then there is also the metal carport design that can be enclosed as you wish too but for horses I would not use without a solid 4' wall of 3/4" plywood or planks 4' high to protect my horses from de-gloving their legs or worse.
These carports are thin metal and bend, sheer easily so be careful.






Carolina Carports | One of America's Best Selling Metal Carport Companies


Find your new Carport today. Customize your own building with 16 colors and features - all based on your budget. Come find a local dealer near you




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There are craftsman everywhere who can build what you want from a blueprint...the hard part is deciding what you want when you see how many variations there are...

You can also look at something like a Tuff Shed design which is made on site assembled....again, many designs and 2x4 wall construction custom designed for your needs & wants and not terrible expensive.
Barn Builders might offer you some good ideas of pricing and design choices...

No matter what you look at right now remember building products have more than doubled in cost in the last 18 months so it is going to cost....
Suppliers say the prices are receding but not know where they shall bottom out again...
🐴...


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

With a run-in, do people sink poles for the corners or just plop the structure on the ground? One of the run-ins where we board got flipped over from heavy wind one time, so it seems like anchoring it somehow would be wise, but on the other hand, I don't know if people actually do that?


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

Obviously you secure it if smart for safety reasons.
There are auger stakes that screw into the ground several feet the building then get bolted to that can hold them down.
















Pretty much the same idea a a house is secured to a foundation by straps and bolts to a foundation.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

ACinATX said:


> With a run-in, do people sink poles for the corners or just plop the structure on the ground? One of the run-ins where we board got flipped over from heavy wind one time, so it seems like anchoring it somehow would be wise, but on the other hand, I don't know if people actually do that?


1. I had a 12 x 24 run-in erected when I moved to SoCal in 2003. The cost back then was ~$3300 for just the shell. Looks like they’re about double that these days.

1.1 Yes they certainly did sink (and cement) poles - I would not have had it built any other way.

2. FCP Buildings In Wildomar, CA built mine. They are still in business and can be trusted to build something that will hold together. I’m not sure if they go into Oregon but I highly recommend them if they do. 

They guided me with things I would never have thought of. Getting pictures of the depth of the corner posts for one thing. Getting the necessary permit(S) for another — in “cal-de-forn-ya” as my friend’s granddaughter called it, one just about needs permits to sneeze

2.1. That means in this instance, the cheapest bid may not be the best choice if the workmanship is shoddy or substandard. Pay the money and get the job done the way it’s supposed to be done so it doesn’t fall over with the first good wind or 4.0 earthquake

That will also pay for itself, if you ever sell the property.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

I guess I’m a dummy because mine are free floating 😉


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

egrogan said:


> I guess I’m a dummy because mine are free floating 😉


No - you’re not, lollol. If it works and your N’oreasters don’t blow it down

I am also used to living in high wind areas, although nothing compared to what you live through. I have to have everything cemented down - it’s especially important when it comes to insurance payout. Perish that thought but — permanently anchored in place can change the value of the building were it to be damaged by a weather event


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## ksbowman (Oct 30, 2018)

egrogan said:


> I guess I’m a dummy because mine are free floating 😉


 No, your not a dummy. Here if you can move it, it is a portable building and has no real estate tax. If t you anchor it with the screw in anchors that @horselovinguy has shown there is no tax. Anchored in such a way it is protected by all but a tornado and is safe for horse. Ironicly my horses avoid buildings in a storm and go butts to the wind.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

walkinthewalk said:


> although nothing compared to what you live through.


Believe it or not, even during a nor’easter the wind isn’t too dramatic, definitely not enough to move a building. Plus nothing’s going anywhere with two feet of snow sitting on it!


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

We built our own run in sheds. Ours are 15 X 15 and are permanent. I think I remember that you are not moving for a few years yet so pricing is really going to fluctuate in that time. Ours were built for about $2500 each with upgraded tin roofs and thicker wooden siding around. We also have 2 bases of gravel with ag lime over that and then mats over the ag lime. For me personally I think I would live on my new property for a little while with my horses before planning to get a building or erect a new structure. So many people have regrets after not living through a season or 2 and realizing the building could face more one direction vs another or that they wished they had placed it or fencing in another area.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

That's a good point about living there first. I mean, we lived in that town before and I'm familiar with the weather patterns, but maybe there are other things that wouldn't come until we live there. OTOH there aren't a lot of places we could put it where it would have access to all three main pasture areas, so it's not like there's a lot of choice. This one particular spot is in a wooded area where grass doesn't grow, so I wouldn't be losing any pasture to it.

I'd really like to have it ready when they get there, but there are trees so maybe that would be enough for a while. I was also thinking to feed hay in there to maybe save the pastures from being over-grazed. Hmm.

I do think there's lot of time for prices to fluctuate, but at least I have an idea -- probably somewhere between 2k and 7k, depending on variables. I'm thinking now to maybe put a four-foot extension on one end to store hay, so I can bring out several cart loads at one time and then just feed it to them from the storage area as needed. Still thinking about it...


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

One word of caution putting a shelter where grass does not grow. If you put a shelter there that shelter will have no chance of drying out - even with a good base layer if there is not enough sun to grow grass the water will sit under your lime and gravel, dampness will invade the shelter your horses will make everything around that shelter even with a base layer a mud pit


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## bobrameters (Nov 4, 2019)

ACinATX said:


> I know that prices differ based on where you are and how fancy it is, but has anyone had a run-in shelter built lately? As in this year? Either pre-fab or from scratch? If so what size was it and how much did it cost? I am thinking to build one that is 12x24. I'm just trying to figure out a ballpark of how much they cost.


In Arkansas, I had one built on-site by a local carport manufacturer 3 years ago that is basically a metal 3-car garage without doors, 36x24, and it cost me about $6500. I'll bet they're twice that much today. We prepared a level dirt pad for it just using our tractor and blade, and they anchored it with mobile home anchors. Using pipe panels, I made 3 run-in stalls, one with a gate leading into the back area where I store hay, feed, and tack. It's facing away from the cold winter wind and has afternoon shade in the summer. Crusher dust under pine wood shavings on the stall floors. It has lots of room up in the metal rafters to hang stuff like my kayak, spare strips of lumber, ladders, etc.


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## bobrameters (Nov 4, 2019)

carshon said:


> One word of caution putting a shelter where grass does not grow. If you put a shelter there that shelter will have no chance of drying out - even with a good base layer if there is not enough sun to grow grass the water will sit under your lime and gravel, dampness will invade the shelter your horses will make everything around that shelter even with a base layer a mud pit


Very good point, our pad is just barely wider than the barn, so rain runs off the roof and down the hill, just a gentle slope leading up into the stalls. Earlier this year it got so wet and muddy, my husband had to scrape away some of the mud so it would dry more quickly out front, and we had to scrape out one of the stalls and add in more dry base.


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## ACinATX (Sep 12, 2018)

carshon said:


> If you put a shelter there that shelter will have no chance of drying out - even with a good base layer if there is not enough sun to grow grass the water will sit under your lime and gravel, dampness will invade the shelter your horses will make everything around that shelter even with a base layer a mud pit


Hmm, that's something really good to think about. In my mind, they would be using this run-in shelter in the dry months. When it's wet, they'd be in the dry lot which will hopefully abut to the barn so they can shelter in there. I don't want them out much on the pastures when it's wet. There's 10 acres of land, but only 6-7 is pasture; with three horses, even rotating, I don't think the pastures could take a lot of abuse when wet.


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## jrc111 (Aug 7, 2017)

I had one of these sheds put in CO in 2019 on a road base pad, auger screws. Look on ePay or a search engine. They’re out of Florence, MT. Shipping to CO was about $250, as I recall. I paid $1350 back then. Over $2K now. Plus plywood and metal roofing/flashing from HomeDepot. I had leftover Hardie panels for the exterior walls from cabin construction, so that was ’free’. I hired three Amish fellows, and it took them a day to put it together - $1500 labor. So, about $3500 back then. Built VERY solid.

Horse Loafing Shed Kits 12x12 - Easy to Assemble and portable


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## Blue (Sep 4, 2011)

Everything has gone sky high. We finally retired and moved to our property in the mountains. After a lot of research we ordered a "kit" for two run-in sheds from Klene Pipe Co. in Oregon. The cost of everything including shipping was about $5k each. Delivered by truck. Of course we have to do the work, but they're very good quality, heavy, and built on a type of skids so if we need to move them we can drag them with the tractor. I'm sure that's going to be easier said than done. We're working on the raised pad for them now and we'll top with cinder which is in plentiful supply here in Az. Then rubber mats. We got 2 of the 12x12. In our county anything under 200 s.f. doesn't require a permit as long as they're not attached.  We'll be adding gutters for water catchment. The biggest problem we've run into while building this retirement property is supply chain issues with all the problems going on right now. But Klene got it done in record time and stayed on top of the shipping process making sure we got everything in time to get them built before bad weather.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

So much depends on what you want and how much of the labor you can do yourselves.

We build everything ourselves so that saves a lot of money.

Mud patches are always a problem around any place that horses will go and stand for long periods but if its a fixed shelter you can dig out the area underneath and around the immediate access area and fill with coarse stone, then finer gravel for drainage. Laying rubber mats on top of coarse septic type sand will remove the mud problem underneath the shelter.

I prefer the permanent type shelters that involve 'planting' sturdy uprights into the ground and then fixing a roof onto it and a side or sides if you want that option. 

I would always recommend some form of guttering around the roof, that gathers the run off rain water into a barrel or into a land drain - reduces muddy areas around the outside by a lot.


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## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

ACinATX said:


> I know that prices differ based on where you are and how fancy it is, but has anyone had a run-in shelter built lately? As in this year? Either pre-fab or from scratch? If so what size was it and how much did it cost? I am thinking to build one that is 12x24. I'm just trying to figure out a ballpark of how much they cost.


BEFORE COVID, my husband had gotten a quote for materials for a run-in shelter, about 12 x 36 with the one side (12x12) being a small tack area and/or storage space for square bales, and the rest (12x24) for the horses to come and go. Tin structure with appropriate wood on the inside so a horse doesn't stick a leg through the tin, and actually have poles into the ground so it is a secure permanent structure. Hubby would built it himself and materials were going to cost right around $6,000

I'm afraid to get a quote for materials now post-COVID. I'm guessing it may be $12,000
We drug our feet last year and I'm kicking myself. But I think I will wait until next spring b/c we just have too many projects to do right now. I hope price might normalize a little bit, but that might not happen.
Construction is still going like crazy and people are paying the price; which is why prices might never go back to what they were.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

Thought of you when I saw this @ACinATX


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