Sheds • Backyard Studio

Magnolia Backyard Shed Studio

A 190-square-foot insulated backyard studio in Magnolia with cedar siding, a full-height window wall, and permitted power — a working office that stays under Seattle's shed exemption.

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Magnolia backyard shed studio with cedar siding and large windows

Overview

Location: Magnolia, Seattle
Timeline: 4 weeks
Scope: 190 sq ft insulated studio
Completed: May 2026

Highlights

190 sq ft — under Seattle's shed exemption
Concrete pier foundation on a sloped lot
Insulated floor, walls, and roof
Ductless mini-split for year-round use
Permitted electrical from the main panel
Cedar siding matched to the house trim
Built-in storage wall for yard tools
Completed in 4 weeks

We'd priced out a prefab kit and a full DADU and neither one was right — one was junk and the other was a mortgage. Marco walked the yard, measured the setbacks, and showed us we could get a real insulated office at 190 square feet without a construction permit. Four weeks later I have a heated room with a window wall and my dining table back. It's the best money we've spent on this house.

Dana R.

The Story

What the homeowner wanted

A real place to work that wasn't the dining room — quiet, warm in winter, and without giving up the yard storage the old shed was supposed to provide.

Our plan

Demo the rotting prefab shed, set concrete piers to clear the slope, frame a 190 sq ft structure to stay under the permit threshold, insulate it properly, run permitted power, and give one wall back to storage.

Build steps (high level)

Prefab shed demolition and haul-off
Layout, setback verification, and pier excavation
Concrete piers and pressure-treated floor frame
Framing, sheathing, and standing seam metal roof
Cedar siding, trim, and window wall installation
Permitted electrical rough-in and mini-split
Insulation, interior fir plywood, and storage wall

Results

Two work-from-home setups without losing a bedroom
Comfortable through a full Seattle winter
No construction permit required for the structure

Backyard studio exterior with cedar siding and window wall

Cedar-shingled shed in the Magnolia back yard

Cedar structure with privacy screen in the rear yard

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What we did

Services performed on this job

Scope highlights:

Pier foundation: Concrete piers sized for the soil and set to level a sloped back corner.
Insulated shell: Mineral wool in the floor, walls, and roof with a vented roof assembly.
Permitted electrical: Dedicated circuit from the main panel, outlets, lighting, and data.
Cedar siding & metal roof: Bevel cedar siding and a standing seam roof matched to the main house.

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