In early 2018, Fabric Shelter manufacturer DomeShelter Australia circulated an article titled ‘Shed or Shelter?’, which compared their Fabric Buildings to traditional steel sheds for warehousing or workshops.

Shed or Shelter?

They suggested four questions determine whether a steel shed or a fabric structure is the best option for any given workshop or warehouse situation.

  • Is the structure only required for short to medium-term?
  • Is there a chance it will need relocating during its lifetime?
  • Is the land on which it will be located owned by another entity?
  • Is it required to be installed quickly?

If the answer is No to all these questions, then DomeShelter Australia suggested it is likely a traditional steel shed would be the best-installed option. However, if just one question gets a YES, then there is a strong possibility their Fabric Structures would be a worthy consideration.

Total cost of ownership

One of the important issues not explored in that initial article was the total cost of ownership (TCO) of installing a steel shed or a fabric building.

TCO analysis can show a significant difference between purchase price and total lifecycle costs of a shed and shelter. The difference can be considerable when usage covers an extended timespan. As a result, TCO analysis should send a powerful message to buyers to not just consider the initial purchase cost but to take account of many other costs associated with ownership.

It has been demonstrated that the total cost of ownership of a DomeShelter™ Fabric Structure can be considerably lower than an equivalent sized steel shed.

Large significant corporate buying departments are doing their own calculations as a matter of policy and finding the benefits of installing a DomeShelter™ Fabric Structure go way beyond the initial purchase price.

DomeShelter Australia

For instance, Fabric Shelters also known as Shipping Container Sheds supplied by DomeShelter Australia can often be dispatched within just days of order. They are transported in lightweight kit form to site and can be installed in as little as a few hours to a few days, depending on complexity – most often by client’s own install teams, reducing the cost of transport and specialist shed installers, flying to site, inductions etc.

Once installed, Fabric Covered Structures can be easily dismantled and moved across or off-site to meet changing work needs. They require minimal to no maintenance. At the completion of their contracted use, they can be dismantled, reduced again to kit form and either sold or stored for future use.

Contact DomeShelter Australia to find out how you can install a DomeShelter™ Solution for your workshop or warehouse needs. They supply Australia wide and export to over 25 countries.