- Will my shed need a permit?
- Often not for the structure. Seattle generally exempts small detached accessory buildings under roughly 200 square feet with no plumbing from a construction permit — but zoning still applies, meaning setbacks, rear-yard coverage, and lot coverage. Running power out to it needs its own electrical permit. We confirm the current rules with SDCI for your address before we draw anything.
- Can a shed work as a home office year-round?
- Yes, if it's built for it. That means an insulated floor, walls, and roof, a vented roof assembly, permitted power, and a heat source — usually a ductless mini-split. An uninsulated shed with an extension cord run to it is a summer room, and everyone who tries that ends up back inside by November.
- Should I build a shed or a DADU?
- If you want to sleep, cook, or rent it out, you need a DADU — a detached accessory dwelling unit with its own permit path, kitchen, and bathroom. If you want storage, a workshop, or a place to work that isn't a legal residence, a shed is dramatically simpler and cheaper. We build both and we'll tell you which one your actual goal requires.
