ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
Many people waste lots of time and energy because they lack the space they need to be organized and productive. We create custom backyard spaces so people can streamline their lives and find more time to do what they love.
OUR CORE VALUES
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Beauty
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Simplicity
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Creativity
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Transparency
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Responsiveness
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Mission-Driven
Meet The Team
Jeremy Horning
Founder
Joe Wine
Manager
Tim Kuepfer
Manager
Dan Engbretsen
Dave Yoder
Steve Smucker
Benji Beiler
Our Philosophy
You are busy and have things you want to get done.
Not having enough space for storage, your work, or just leisure time, can be a big source of frustration.
Creating additional space may seem daunting.
You may be envisioning meeting with multiple shed contractors, tying to figure out the difference between a quality shed and one that will fall apart in a few years. You might be wishing for a shed that is new and unique to your needs and not just a prebuilt one that has been sitting on a dusty sales lot. You might not be excited about out-of-state manufacturing and the shipping involved.
Take heart...
The way we research and buy products is changing from browsing at showrooms and sales lots to browsing and purchasing online.
At Urban Sheds we make designing a quality shed and hiring a expert builder an easy online experience so you can get to the life you enjoy.
After your shed is designed, we connect you to local builders who will build your shed on-site, eliminating heavy equipment on your lawn, oversize loads and out-of-state shipping.
Urban Sheds has invested in 3D Shed Modeling Software that you can access for free to help you design and purchase your shed from the comfort of your home.
With the increased fluctuation in the economy, we have adopted a low overhead business model, that flexes with demand and is always there to supports you as the customer. In this model we have no inventory or shed lots, and no large manufacturing plants. The design and sales are done online and the sheds are built by local craftsmen who follow the plans from our 3D design software. The builders follow our structural guidelines and the shed comes with a 30yr. structural warranty.
A recent report by Upwork predicts by 2028 the majority of the American workforce will be freelancers. We embrace this trend by outsourcing construction and recruiting and utilizing a network of freelance builders. Builders who join the Urban Sheds network, have access to the collective shed building knowledge and experience, including the ability to keep up with the constantly evolving best materials and building processes. Since freelance builders run their own businesses they are in more control of the money they make vs. an hourly employee. This model helps to build more resilient neighborhoods and communities where they live. Freelancers, as small business owners, are deeply invested in their work. Urban Sheds provides quality control and a 30 yr. structural warranty, as well as our 3 yr. workmanship warranty, so you can buy your shed with confidence.
Many aspects of life are moving towards a zero marginal cost which is giving rise to a radical new sharing and cooperative economy. Software and platforms, once built and distributed, become an advantage that many can use with little additional cost. Urban Sheds makes available its shed design software for free to anyone. For the builders, the sales, marketing and production platform is broadly distributed, sharing out the cost of the software. Our network of builders is able to share latest building innovations as well as successes and failures which help us keep a good pulse on the shed market and serve our customers well.
And finally as technology advances, there is an increased demand for personalization, customization, as well as relationship. Urban Sheds endeavors to keep a solid balance between technological automation and accessibility to people. We make it easy for you to connect with your builder by email, text or phone call. Our information emails are mostly distributed automatically but can be replied to if you wish to reach a real human.
In my lifetime, I’ve literally had my hands on thousands of sheds—and I look forward to helping you build yours.
Jeremy Horning
Founder
HOW URBAN SHEDS GOT STARTED
1956 (my grandfather)
1994 - 2000
March 2001
July 2014
2014 - 2017
Current
I grew up in Lebanon County Pennsylvania in the small village of Waldeck (an old high German name meaning "wood" "corner"). We lived on a small 4 acre homestead where my father was born and raised. My father operated the small family woodworking shop which was started by my grandfather back in 1956.
As a child I spent many hours working side by side with my father and grandfather, building furniture and tinkering on my own projects in the wood shop. It was here that I learned the elements of craftsmanship and hard work, but most of all the character and stories that shape the foundations of my life.
In the early 2000's, at the age of 16, I moved to western Massachusetts with my family. I had the opportunity to become the first employee of a newly developing storage shed company. Being the first employee, I soon shifted to foreman and then shop manager as the company grew. I spent over a decade in this environment, managing the production of thousands of sheds as well as learning to better understand people, their needs and desires.
After many years of building sheds in western Massachusetts, I moved to Boston in 2014. I naturally got back into building sheds again, this time starting my own business, Urban Sheds.
Having my own business, I had a lot of flexibility to innovate in the way things were done. I started building the sheds onsite and liked the ability to work directly with my customers vs. building sheds in a manufacturing plant. I found that by building the sheds onsite I could create better connections with my customers and create storage solutions that fit their exact needs. I also found in working with the customers, that solving their storage problems was often the beginning of a relationship that lasted for years. For some customers, I would build their shed, then a new deck, then a pergola or anything else they had in mind.
With modern technology I saw the opportunity to expand and bring this same advantage to many communities. So we started recruiting craftsmen in other areas who had the same vision of quality construction and local building. With our online shed design tool we make it easy for customers anywhere in the USA to design their shed and hire an expert builder.