Do I need a shed permit? The short answer is yes!
Before getting your shed project underway, it’s highly likely that you’ll need a Building Permit.
If you’re an owner builder the below information will give you an overview of what is required.
If you’ve decided to work with Buffalo Built in a project management capacity, we can look after the whole application process including all required documents.
Managing Director, Buffalo Built
In this Article:
Why Do I Need a Permit to Build a Shed?
In Victoria, a class 10a building (which includes sheds, garages and carports) that is over 10m2 needs to be approved by a building surveyor to ensure the proposed site and design are up to scratch.
A Building Permit is basically a document certifying that your proposed shed, garage or carport complies with the relevant building regulations. It’s a written approval supplied by a surveyor and allows the building work to be undertaken according to the approved plans and specifications.
Although it can seem like a burden to have to apply for this permit, it is actually a good thing from a consumer perspective, because it gives you a level of protection against shoddy workmanship.
Having a permit for your shed provides you with protection by ensuring:
- The builders or contractors working on your project are registered and insured.
- The right documentation is available so that construction can be carried out correctly and according to building legislation.
- Key stages of the work are independently inspected – for sheds and similar 10a buildings, this is typically only at the completion of the project when a final inspection is required.
You might also like to take a look at our article on preparing the paperwork for your shed permit.
When Don’t I Need a Permit?
The Victorian Building Authority website states that ‘pergolas associated with houses and some garden sheds with a floor area less than 10m2 may possibly be exempt’.
So, if your shed is small – under 10m2 and no more than 3m high (or no more than 2.4m high with 1m of the boundary of your property), you can skip the permit process.
For more specific information on shed permits in Victoria, take a look at the VBA’s guidance note ‘When is a building permit required?’
Ross Barker
Managing Director, Buffalo Built
If You Need a Hand with Shed Permits, We Can Help.
Whether your project is small and simple or large and complex, we’re here to guide owner builders through the process – or take the whole thing off your hands for you!
Call the Buffalo Built team to find out more about how we can project-manage your shed build for total peace of mind.