building permit needed for shed?

[FAS284]

My city uses the International Building Codes (2003) but I do not have access to this. I am planning to build a shed (8' x 10') which will be secured to the ground with concrete (your ordinary Home Depot shed) but am not using their foundation kit or laying concrete as a floor (using concrete blocks over sand). Does this require a permit? Can anyone shed a light on the rules I need to be aware of or point me in the right direction? Thanks!

 

[mugs]

Call someone in the appropriate department in your city.

My town requires a permit to replace an electric outlet, so it's a fair bet I'd need a permit to put a shed up.

 

[rahvin]

Call your city's inspection department and ask them. The IBC doesn't tell you what structures have to follow the code, the city determines that.

 

[Ausm]

Call your city ordanance dept.


Ausm

 

[jaedaliu]

if you don't run electricity, gas, or water. most likely not.

 

[TStep]

it is likely that you do, but I prefer to operate under the guise of stupidity if caught

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: TStep
it is likely that you do, but I prefer to operate under the guise of stupidity if caught

Me too. The city only requires permits so they can soak you of money and make your life increasingly difficult. A friend of mine decided to remodel his entire house and being the nerdy goody goody that he is he wanted to make everything legal and get permits for every aspect of the project. It has turned into a nightmare. The city is a joke. I simply would have remodeled my house and been done with it....wait that is exactly what I did and I have had a lot less headaches. I build stuff better than required anyway so I am not going to worry about it.

 

[DeadByDawn]

Remember to use the word "portable" in your phone conversation with the code nazi's.

 

[SarcasticDwarf]

Just a FYI, if you do not have a permit, it can come back to bite you. At least about 10 years ago, home appraisers (used when selling a house) might inquire as to whether something is up to code. If not, they will knock off a large amount of money from the value of the home.

 

[Kremlar]

My town requires a permit for a shed larger than 10x12. So, I put up a 10x12 shed.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: TStep
it is likely that you do, but I prefer to operate under the guise of stupidity if caught

Me too. The city only requires permits so they can soak you of money and make your life increasingly difficult. A friend of mine decided to remodel his entire house and being the nerdy goody goody that he is he wanted to make everything legal and get permits for every aspect of the project. It has turned into a nightmare. The city is a joke. I simply would have remodeled my house and been done with it....wait that is exactly what I did and I have had a lot less headaches. I build stuff better than required anyway so I am not going to worry about it.

i agree that minor building permits may seem like a cash cow for the municipality or local government body in question, but for larger jobs, permits are absolutely necessary. otherwise, you'd have a bunch of jalopies dotting the landscape, none of them built to code, and property values would be crap in that area because no one would want to buy something that wasn't built to code.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: TStep
it is likely that you do, but I prefer to operate under the guise of stupidity if caught

I believe they can make you tear it down if you do that.

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: meltdown75

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: TStep
it is likely that you do, but I prefer to operate under the guise of stupidity if caught

Me too. The city only requires permits so they can soak you of money and make your life increasingly difficult. A friend of mine decided to remodel his entire house and being the nerdy goody goody that he is he wanted to make everything legal and get permits for every aspect of the project. It has turned into a nightmare. The city is a joke. I simply would have remodeled my house and been done with it....wait that is exactly what I did and I have had a lot less headaches. I build stuff better than required anyway so I am not going to worry about it.

i agree that minor building permits may seem like a cash cow for the municipality or local government body in question, but for larger jobs, permits are absolutely necessary. otherwise, you'd have a bunch of jalopies dotting the landscape, none of them built to code, and property values would be crap in that area because no one would want to buy something that wasn't built to code.

I have no proble getting a permit to add on a room to my house. That is fine. I WILL not go to the trouble of getting a permit to change a bathroom around and redo the plumbiing......it just isn't going to happen. I build things ABOVE the standards set by code.

My shed is free standing and built better than anything you could buy or contract out to have built. I didn't get a permit because I didn't bother to check if it was necessary. We have a HOA and if the shed was a problem they would have come down on me.

 

[HBalzer]

Are you on a busy road? Do you have a bad relationship with the neighbors? If you answered no both of these you probably won?t get caught.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Ronstang
I have no proble getting a permit to add on a room to my house. That is fine. I WILL not go to the trouble of getting a permit to change a bathroom around and redo the plumbiing......it just isn't going to happen. I build things ABOVE the standards set by code.

Just because you do doesn't mean everyone does. And you can blame those idiots if your city requires a permit to change a freaking doorknob.

 

[Thump553]

Like several people said above, call the appropriate department in your town/city government and ask.

A helpful hint: Years ago my father built a shed exactly one inch under the building permit requirements. No only did he not need to get a permit (no problem here, the shed is built like a brick sh*thouse) but more importantly it doesn't get put on the tax rolls and taxed.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: meltdown75

Originally posted by: Ronstang

Originally posted by: TStep
it is likely that you do, but I prefer to operate under the guise of stupidity if caught

Me too. The city only requires permits so they can soak you of money and make your life increasingly difficult. A friend of mine decided to remodel his entire house and being the nerdy goody goody that he is he wanted to make everything legal and get permits for every aspect of the project. It has turned into a nightmare. The city is a joke. I simply would have remodeled my house and been done with it....wait that is exactly what I did and I have had a lot less headaches. I build stuff better than required anyway so I am not going to worry about it.

i agree that minor building permits may seem like a cash cow for the municipality or local government body in question, but for larger jobs, permits are absolutely necessary. otherwise, you'd have a bunch of jalopies dotting the landscape, none of them built to code, and property values would be crap in that area because no one would want to buy something that wasn't built to code.

I have no proble getting a permit to add on a room to my house. That is fine. I WILL not go to the trouble of getting a permit to change a bathroom around and redo the plumbiing......it just isn't going to happen. I build things ABOVE the standards set by code.

My shed is free standing and built better than anything you could buy or contract out to have built. I didn't get a permit because I didn't bother to check if it was necessary. We have a HOA and if the shed was a problem they would have come down on me.

it is true that if you can do minor renos on your own, you're better off doing so. around these parts, applying for even a minor renovation permit will trigger a visit from the property assessment office. upon arrival, many homeowners will say, "but the building inspector has already been here." unfortunately for them, this honcho is there to see if there will be any market value change as a result of the improvments... :evil::evil::evil:

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

Originally posted by: jaedaliu
if you don't run electricity, gas, or water. most likely not.

not true, depends on the local codes...always verify your codes locally.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: Thump553
Like several people said above, call the appropriate department in your town/city government and ask.

A helpful hint: Years ago my father built a shed exactly one inch under the building permit requirements. No only did he not need to get a permit (no problem here, the shed is built like a brick sh*thouse) but more importantly it doesn't get put on the tax rolls and taxed.

good point. if you keep the "shed" under your local limit (in terms of assessable structures), the value will not be added to your assessment. it used to be anything under 100 square feet could not be assessed - now it's up to 200 square feet, which is a pretty substantially sized building, even if it is 19.9' x 10'. again, be sure to check with local authorities so you get the most bang for your buck.

 

[TStep]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: TStep
it is likely that you do, but I prefer to operate under the guise of stupidity if caught

I believe they can make you tear it down if you do that.

From what I've experienced, they can take you to court, but I do not believe they have the authority to make you tear it down without a ruling in their favor. I very well could be wrong, but experienced this:

When we were building my grandfathers house (tore down the old and built the new on the foundation), there was a squabble with the township over us paving our privately owned road for them to approve hte construction (subdivision laws). The township wanted us to sue for a permit. He kindly told them to f-off, sue him if they didnt want to issue a permit, and we proceeded to build the house. About a month later they finally brought over the permit.

So take it for what it's worth.

 

[Adica]

Better safe than sorry. I would call the appropriate department to inquire. Helpful maybe?

 

[nakedfrog]

Originally posted by: mugs
Call someone in the appropriate department in your city.

My town requires a permit to replace an electric outlet, so it's a fair bet I'd need a permit to put a shed up.

To replace an outlet? That seems pretty lame. How do they check/enforce that?

 

[rahvin]

Originally posted by: Ronstang
I have no proble getting a permit to add on a room to my house. That is fine. I WILL not go to the trouble of getting a permit to change a bathroom around and redo the plumbiing......it just isn't going to happen. I build things ABOVE the standards set by code.

My shed is free standing and built better than anything you could buy or contract out to have built. I didn't get a permit because I didn't bother to check if it was necessary. We have a HOA and if the shed was a problem they would have come down on me.

It's not that hard to tear out or damage a structurally important wall, either a load bearing or shear wall. The vast majority of people wouldn't be able to identify these types of walls, that's why the permit exists, so the city can tell you that if you do that you are compromising the structure.