Chicken Coop Materials Summary

French cottage-style coop + walk-in run · 5'×10' coop, 16'×4' run · for 15 hens

Reflects v11 plan set (5'×10' coop) · supersedes all prior versions

Budget at a glance

Total estimated cost for the full coop + run build is approximately $4,240 (v11), broken down across 12 categories. Prices are Home Depot national-chain estimates as of May 2026; verify locally before purchase. SLC area pricing is generally consistent with national averages. Note: the authoritative source for all quantities and costs is coop-materials-list.xlsx — if any figure here disagrees, trust the spreadsheet.

This budget excludes the salvaged transom and slider windows you already own. Tools are included as line items, but several at $0 reflect tools assumed already owned (circular saw, drill/driver).

Note: this total is higher than the original $3,300-$3,500 target because four rounds of plan review identified structural and predator-proofing improvements (hybrid foundation for kid-safety, additional hardware-cloth screws, knee bracing, etc.). See CHANGES-v10-to-v11.md for the full revision history.

Cost by category

Recommended buying sequence

Don't buy everything at once. Materials get damaged, lost, or warped when stored too long. Stage purchases to match the build phases.

Phase 1 — Foundation (week 1)

• Concrete and forms: 14 bags Quikrete Fast-Setting (50-lb, no-mix sonotube formulation), 8 × 10" Sonotube forms, 8 EPB44HDG brackets, EPB post fasteners: (8) 0.162×3½ nails or (8) SD10 1½" screws per bracket
• Run mid-span hardware: 4 deck blocks, 4 × 18" rebar pins, 2 bags crushed gravel
• Floor framing lumber: all PT lumber for floor (4×4 posts, 2×10 rim joists, 2×6 end and floor joists)
• Hardware: Simpson LUS26 joist hangers + hanger nails
• Decking: ¾" PT plywood (2 sheets)

Foundation must cure before walls go up, and PT lumber is the most weather-tolerant if you have to store it briefly outside. The 8 concrete footers (4 coop + 4 run corners) pour in one day; the 4 mid-span deck blocks set the next day.

Building in phases (coop first, run later)

If you're building the coop now and the run later — a common approach — defer the run foundation work to whenever you start the run. For Phase 1 in coop-first mode, pour only the 4 coop footers (6 bags Quikrete, 4 sonotubes, 4 EPB44HDG brackets, 4 × 20" coop posts). Drive 4 stakes at the run corner positions to lock in the run geometry while you build the coop. When you're ready to build the run, the run foundation work becomes a separate 1-2 day phase using the same procedure: 4 more footer holes, 6 more bags of concrete, 4 more EPB44HDG brackets, plus the 4 mid-span deck blocks and rebar pins.

Materials to defer in coop-first mode: U01 (run posts, all 8), U02 (4 deck blocks), U03 (gravel for blocks), U11 (rebar pins), U13-U16 (run-corner concrete/sonotubes/brackets/bolts). You'll order these months later when you're ready to build the run.

Phase 2 — Wall and roof framing (week 2-3)

• Wall studs and plates: all 2×4 SPF and 2×6 SPF for walls and top plates
• Roof framing: 2×6 rafters, 2×8 ridge, 18 Simpson H1 hurricane ties
• Sheathing: ½" OSB sheets (4 for coop roof, 3 for run roof)

SPF lumber is more sensitive to weather than PT; minimize storage time. Buy this batch when ready to start framing.

Phase 3 — Weatherproofing (week 3-4)

• Roofing materials: 30# felt, 4 bundles shingles, 1 bundle ridge cap, drip edge, flashing, roofing nails, roofing cement
• Siding: board-and-batten lumber (1×8 boards, 1×3 battens), trim boards, 1×6 fascia
• Caulk and sealants: exterior silicone caulk, roofing cement

Get the roof on quickly to weatherproof. Siding can wait briefly under tarps if needed.

Phase 4 — Doors, windows, finish (week 4-5)

• Hardware: all hinges, latches, hooks, hardware cloth (1 × 100' roll + 1 × 25' backup roll)
• Hardware cloth fasteners: poultry staples + 300 self-tapping screws with neoprene washers
• Interior fixtures: plywood for shelf/cabinet/nest box, rolled linoleum, astroturf nest pads
• Paint and primer: exterior paint, primer, trim accent color, brushes/rollers
• Dutch door astragal trim (1×2 weatherstripped strip)

Phase 5 — Run construction (week 5-6)

• Run-specific lumber: 4×4 PT posts (8), 2×6 PT top rails (5), 2×4 PT bottom rails (5), 2×3 SPF studs, 1×6 PT skirt boards (5)
• Run roof: 2×6 SPF rafters, OSB sheathing, share shingles + felt from Phase 3 order if any leftover
• Structural fasteners: 150 × #10 × 3½" structural wood screws, 8 carriage bolts + washers
• Diagonal bracing: 3 × 2×4 SPF for 8 knee braces

Run can be built in parallel with coop finishing once the run foundation is in. Some items (hardware cloth, structural screws) overlap with the coop order — buy once.

Where to source

Home Depot / Lowe's (~85% of budget)

Most lumber, hardware, plywood, OSB, fasteners, paint, and shingles will come from a national chain. Both stores carry essentially identical product lines at this scale, and prices are usually within a few percent. Pick whichever is more convenient.

Pro tip: sign up for the contractor account (free, both stores) for paper-account billing and bulk discounts. Also check the "clearance lumber" rack — slightly imperfect boards are fine for chicken coop work and often run 25-50% off.

Specialty / online (~10%)

• Astroturf mats for nest boxes — Amazon
• Decorative cupola finial — Etsy or Wayfair (or fabricate from scrap)
• Auto chicken-door opener if going automatic — Amazon, ChickenGuard brand
• Foam padding for egg trays — craft store or Amazon
• Simpson structural connectors (EPB44HDG, LUS26, H1) — Home Depot carries them, but a specialty supplier may have better prices in bulk

Local lumber yard (~5%)

For specific structural lumber (PT 2×10s especially), a local yard often has better quality and pricing than chains. Worth a comparison call. Check Sutherlands or any SLC-area independent lumber yard.

Salvage (already acquired, excluded from budget)

• 72" × 12" transom window — owned
• Two 24" × 24" residential slider windows — owned

If you want to source more from salvage to reduce cost: SLC Habitat for Humanity ReStore often carries PT lumber, plywood, trim, and hardware at 30-60% off retail. Worth a visit before placing the Phase 1 lumber order.

Where to save (or splurge)

Easy savings

These changes don't compromise the structural or kid-safety improvements identified during plan review:

• Pre-fab Dutch door → build your own: pre-fab cottage Dutch doors run $400-600; building from 1×6 T&G with hinges costs $50-75 (already assumed in BOM)
• Stud-grade vs premium SPF: stud-grade 2×4s are 15-25% cheaper and structurally identical for this scale
• Asphalt shingles vs metal roof: architectural asphalt is ⅓ the cost of metal and lasts 25-30 years
• Used lumber from Habitat ReStore: 30-60% off, especially for non-PT framing lumber
• If you own a circular saw, drill, post-hole digger, and level: subtract ~$80 from the tools line
• Source the hardware cloth from farm supply (IFA in Utah) rather than HD — often 10-15% cheaper for 100' rolls

Do NOT save on these

These were specifically identified during plan review as kid-safety or structural items that should not be downgraded:

• Run corner concrete footers + EPB44HDG brackets (the whole reason the run is safe for kids)
• 150 × #10 × 3½" structural wood screws (rail-to-post + knee brace attachment)
• 300 × self-tapping screws + neoprene washers for hardware cloth (predator-resistant attachment at all high-stress edges)
• Galvanized hardware (hinges, latches, gate hardware) — non-galvanized rusts within a year outdoors
• PT lumber wherever the BOM calls for it — using SPF in ground-contact zones leads to rot in 5-8 years

Realistic budget scenarios

Key design decisions (for future-you or anyone helping you)

What the plans include and why

• Hybrid run foundation: 4 corners on concrete footers + EPB44HDG brackets, 4 mid-span on deck blocks with rebar pins. Chosen specifically to handle kid-loads (children climbing, hanging, running into walls). Concrete corners provide positive mechanical anchorage where lateral and torsional loads concentrate.
• No wall insulation: SLC climate with cold-hardy breeds doesn't need it. Insulation traps moisture and causes frostbite (the actual chicken-killer in winter is moisture, not cold). Ventilation matters more — hence the cupola + gable vents + slider windows.
• Rolled linoleum floor running 2-3" up walls as cove base: fewer seams = easier cleanup, less mite/debris harborage than tile squares.
• Cupola with louvered sides: passive moisture exhaust at the peak. Hot moist air rises out of the coop overnight.
• 8:12 roof pitch: French cottage aesthetic per spec; also sheds SLC snow well.
• Dutch door on south wall: classic cottage element + allows ventilation when top half is open in summer.
• Run roof slopes 3:12 to north: keeps rainwater off the south yard, drains to fence buffer instead.

Field decisions still pending

These aren't bugs in the plan — they're items where actual on-site measurements will determine the final detail:

• Run-roof-to-coop-wall flashing: install Z-flashing or step flashing where the run roof tucks under the coop's west wall siding. Exact dimensions depend on measured fit.
• Run post final cut lengths: cut conservatively long, then trim each post after measuring its actual bracket or block elevation post-pour.
• Optional foam-board ceiling insulation: ~$30 in materials, optional add for cold winters. Trade-off: small thermal benefit vs. risk of moisture/mice. Owner's call after first winter.