San Antonio homeowners frustrated with monthly storage fees may find a new solution in backyard structures from Tuff Shed, a company that claims most of its builds are completed in a single day. The idea was the focus of a recent episode of The Building Texas Show, hosted by Justin McKenzie, recorded live at the San Antonio Home and Garden Show.
Richard Castellanos, a sales design consultant with Tuff Shed, discussed how the company helps residents reclaim garages and cancel storage unit rentals by adding customized sheds, studios, and workshops on their own property. “A majority of our business is residential, obviously, but they want to get out of their storage unit that they’re paying for, get something on their property that they can access 24/7,” Castellanos said.
The episode, titled “No Storage Unit. Still 24/7 Access: Tuff Shed,” is the first in a new series focusing on San Antonio home and garden topics. Castellanos walked listeners through practical details that buyers often overlook, including San Antonio’s 300-square-foot threshold for building without a permit and the differing regulations in municipalities like Castle Hills and Alamo Heights.
He emphasized the construction quality of Tuff Shed products, noting the stick-built framing uses 2x4s at 16 inches on center, with upgrades to 2×6 or 2×8 lumber available for designs like the two-story barn. The company serves both residential and commercial clients, including school districts, government entities, and San Antonio Air Force bases, as well as offering portable structures through its Woodmaster’s division, which includes popular chicken coops and greenhouses.
Castellanos attributed much of the company’s success to its employee-ownership model, which he said directly benefits customers. “It’s not just me as a sales design consultant trying to sell you a product. It’s actually me trying to get you an experience that one, you’re going to recommend to your friends and two, is going to keepsake your valuables, your memorables that you’re storing in your shed,” he explained.
Tuff Shed was founded 45 years ago by CEO Tom Saurey and has grown to 74 factories across the United States. In the San Antonio area, the company operates two locations south of Loop 410: a display yard at 410 and Bandera, where Castellanos is based, and a newer site off I-35 in New Braunfels. Turnaround time from design to build slot is currently one to two weeks, with on-site assembly typically completed in a single day.
Customers can also design their own shed online at toughshed.com before speaking with a consultant. The episode is now available wherever podcasts are heard.
