Will my shed need a permit?

A small storage shed often won't. Seattle doesn't require a construction permit for a detached, single-story shed with a roof area of 120 square feet or less that's used only for storage or gardening. A bigger shed, or one you'll work in, does need one — and zoning applies either way, 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.

Portfolio

Sheds and backyard structures we've built

Storage, garden buildings, workshops, and insulated offices — sited to the setbacks and built on foundations that hold.

Get a shed estimate Or call (206) 334-3825

Insulated backyard studio with cedar siding and a window wall in Seattle

Storage / garden shed build: 1–2 wks
Insulated office build: 3–5 wks
Permit-exempt storage shed: ≤120 sq ft
Setbacks verified first: Every job

A shed is a small building, and small buildings fail for the same reasons big ones do: no real foundation, a roof with no overhang, and no flashing where the roof meets the wall. Most of the sheds we're called out to replace were fine for six or seven years and then went bad quickly. The ones on this page were built to a different standard.

Sizing matters as much as construction here. Seattle only skips the construction permit for single-story storage sheds with a roof area of 120 square feet or less, so we settle the permit path before we draw anything — and tell you plainly when what you actually want is a DADU instead.

Case studies

The full story behind the photos

Sheds & Backyard Structures Magnolia · 4 weeks

Magnolia Backyard Shed Studio

A 190-square-foot insulated backyard studio in Magnolia with cedar siding, a full-height window wall, and permitted power.

190 sq ft studio with a full-height window wall
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

Read the full case study

Shed details

Cedar siding, real roof assemblies, pier foundations, and finished interiors.

Cedar-shingled backyard shed with a gable roof

Cedar shingle siding and roof detail on a backyard shed

Cedar backyard structure with a privacy screen and covered seating

Services behind this work

Read what's involved, what it costs to get wrong, and how we scope it.

Thinking about a shed or backyard office?

Tell us what's going inside and roughly where you'd put it. We'll check your setbacks, recommend a foundation, and price it out.

Request an estimate Shed building services

Frequently asked questions

Can't find the answer you're looking for? Give us a call.

Will my shed need a permit?: A small storage shed often won't. Seattle doesn't require a construction permit for a detached, single-story shed with a roof area of 120 square feet or less that's used only for storage or gardening. A bigger shed, or one you'll work in, does need one — and zoning applies either way, 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.

Service Areas

Serving the Greater Seattle Area

From Snohomish County to Federal Way, if you need help call Saddle & Spur Construction today.

Seattle
Ballard
Fremont
Greenwood
Phinney Ridge
Wallingford
Queen Anne
Magnolia
Capitol Hill
Eastlake
Ravenna
Madison Park
West Seattle
Beacon Hill
Columbia City
Rainier Valley
Northgate
Shoreline
Lake Forest Park
Kenmore
Bothell
Mountlake Terrace
Bellevue
Kirkland
Redmond
Sammamish
Issaquah
Mercer Island
Newcastle
Renton
Kent
Tukwila
Burien
SeaTac
Des Moines
Federal Way
Covington
Maple Valley
Auburn
Lynnwood
Edmonds
Mukilteo
Mill Creek
Everett
Marysville
Lake Stevens
Monroe

Map of the Greater Seattle service area, covering King and Snohomish County from Everett to Federal Way