Building a small backyard shed, what's your advice?

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Is there already some existing foundations under the currently standing shed? If you're knocking down the current shed, use the foundation for your new shed, level it out first if it is not. Then you could easily find a YouTube video on how to build it. If you're building it out of timber it is fairly simple after all the cutting etc. I don't know where you live but in some places you can search online and some companies build sheds in which all the pieces just fit together, so all you need to do is follow the instructions. May end up being pricier, but if you have never cut the timber before then you may make more mistakes than it is worth and it would be much cheaper to just buy a pre constructed shed than buying more timber.

I wouldn't bother with a trench or concrete for a small shed. Just make sure you keep the shed floor up off the ground. If you bury stakes in the ground they will rot in a few years. Place non-rotting supports, like bricks or tiles underneath wooden bearers, level the bearers off and just make 4 walls, a floor and a roof out of the material of your choice. Plywood or OSB is good. If you want it cheap, lapped wood is good but takes a lot longer to put together. A felted roof is cheap too but needs refelting after a while, I prefer to use a more expensive wood and treat it to keep the water out.

Are you in a city? Because they have building codes in case you didn't know. There is a permit, a fee, an inspection, an approval, on and on.

Go talk to the building department of your city. They wilk give you the information.

There are various floir requirements. Concrete. Wood, etc. They are concerned about rodents. Freezing. Etc.

If you want to do this in secret, then they'll be sending you a threatening letter or court appearance one day when you'll least expect it.

I am building one this summer. It is a small one too. My wife wants a 8x10, but I am going to go with an 8x12 so I don't have to waste a half sheet of plywood on the floor. 4x4 treated on the ground will be fine. I am using exterior 3/4" probably tongue and groove for the floor. You don't need treated wood unless it contacts the ground. Mine will sit directly on the ground so that I can drag it around if we want to put it in a different spot in the yard. You can set it on bricks or concrete blocks if you want to. My son bought a 12x30 last year. It is setting on concrete block caps. Even that big, it is only sitting on 4x4 runners. I have a 1000 gallon propane tank that weighs about 6000 lbs when full sitting on 4 concrete blocks.

Why not solve all those problems and level the spot, build a frame the size of the

floor and pour a cement pad. that would be your floor. No rotting wood to worry

about,or joists. While the cement is firming, sink bolts upside down in the cement

to tie down the shed. Place them at the edge at the spots where your upright

framing will be.

plan the foundation to shed water and do not use that plan that suggests a trench or that type === your shed needs to be up off the dirt and water fall to stay dry or at least not allow rain water to wash into the shed - thus causing mold and rust and a harbor for bugs and critters .... your idea of 4feet by 8feet allows the max use of the plywood or a rain buffering product of T-111

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where I live the minimum would require 10 inch diameter concrete piers in each corner with metal standoff bolted to them to anchor the shed so a storm won’t blow it away

I would just do the entire floor in concrete, its cheap and lasts a real long time