A Kelowna developer needed a storage shed for his lakeside property and the tender was put out. But not just any shed, he needed a shed to match the architecturally designed look and feel of his house.
The Modern-Shed would act as a Storage Shed for a 17,000 Sq/Ft, $15 million dollar house under construction.
“Pre-Fab Houses” is an umbrella term that covers manufactured and modular homes.
Manufactured Homes (previously known as mobile homes) are built on nonremovable steel frames, known as chassis. The chassis are used for transporting the homes and for permanent support. Manufactured homes are built according to Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (HUD Code) and can be placed on permanent foundations, at which point they can be considered real estate. They typically are considered a low-cost alternative to regular construction because of their assembly line construction.
Finally an affordable, custom designed, modern, energy efficient, green, prefab home available nationwide.
Modern-Shed, a Seattle based company, founded by architect/designer Ryan Grey Smith, has been delighting thousands of clients with prefab structures throughout the US and Canada since 2005. Over the years, Modern-Shed has garnered a wide range of attention, from features in The New York Times, Sunset Magazine and Dwell, to public acclaim by outdoor living guru Jamie Durie (host of HGTV hit The Outdoor Room).
Check out Modern-Shed in the local Washington news.
Source: Urban Modern Retreats
The Problem: This client had long been embarrassed by the look of his old metal shed. That said he was hard pressed to install your typical “Big Box Store” style backyard shed or a flimsy “Cedar Shed”. His new North Vancouver Shed had to be one that was architecturally designed to match the scope & scale of his Westcoast style home.
Leave it to a backed up sewer line to force his hand. Cleaning of the plugged pipe led to the removal of the fence which sheltered the old metal garden shed. The metal garden shed was now plainly visible from the road. With the fence gone his rusty little secret was a secret no more.
The District of North Vancouver follows Zoning Bylaw No. 3210 for sheds. A shed under 10 square metres (108 square feet) doesn’t need a building permit, but it still has to meet the zoning rules for location, height and setbacks. Looking for the other municipality? See the City of North Vancouver Shed Regulations.
The District treats a shed as a minor accessory building for storage. Its shed page says sheds aren’t allowed in a front yard in most zones, and they can’t be used for parking or as living space. Zoning Bylaw 3210 sets the final numbers for each neighbourhood zone, so the figures below are the general starting point.
| Building permit | Not required under 10 m² (108 square feet). Required over 10 m². |
|---|---|
| Site plan | Required even when no permit is needed. |
| From a side street | 3 m (10 ft), from a street that isn’t the front |
| From a lane | 1.4 m (5 ft) |
| From a side property line | 1.2 m (4 ft) |
| From any other structure | 1.5 m (5 ft) |
| Max height, flat roof | 3.6 m (12 ft) |
| Max height, sloped roof | 4.5 m (15 ft), for a roof steeper than 3 in 12 |
A shed over 10 m² can be built beside a garage, but the shed itself can’t hold a vehicle. If the building is used for parking, as a studio, as a dwelling or as a hobby space, the District no longer calls it a shed, and it may not be allowed at all.
The District surrounds the City of North Vancouver and includes Lynn Valley, Deep Cove, Blueridge and Seymour. Check your property tax notice or ask the building department if you’re not sure.
For the province-wide picture, see Maximum Shed Size Without a Permit in BC. For finished examples, the North Vancouver Backyard Office shows a small building that doubles as a workspace, and the 8×12 Modern Utility Shed shows a typical shed-size build.
District of North Vancouver Building Department, 355 West Queens Road, 604-990-2480. Start at the District shed page. These rules are a general guide only, so always confirm with the building department before construction.
Not for a shed under 10 m² (108 square feet). Larger sheds need a building permit, and every shed must still follow zoning.
Generally 1.2 m (4 ft) from a side property line, 1.4 m (5 ft) from a lane and 3 m (10 ft) from a street that isn’t the front. Your zone can change these numbers.
Generally 3.6 m (12 ft) with a flat roof and 4.5 m (15 ft) with a roof steeper than 3 in 12.
That changes the building’s use, so it may no longer count as a shed. See the North Vancouver Backyard Office for an example, and check with the building department first.
BCBC 2024 Division A 1.1.1.1(2)(e) says the Code doesn’t apply to accessory buildings less than 10 m² in building area that don’t create a hazard, and “hazard” isn’t defined, so the local building official decides. The 10 m² figure on this page comes from the District’s own shed page, and the setbacks and heights are the District’s general figures, which each zone can change.
Browse more Backyard Outbuildings built across Metro Vancouver. Looking for the other municipality? See the City of North Vancouver Shed Regulations.
Shed Living an Affordable Housing TrendShed Living and Small Houses are the new “In Thing”, and this practical little living space couldn’t be more in vogue.
The “Shed for Living,” designed by Manchester England based FKDA Architects, provides all the necessary amenities for living in a compact unit.
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Constructed of FSC certified timber-framed walls, double paned windows, cellulose fibre insulation from 100% recycled newspaper and interior finishes with low VOC content. (more…)
Across British Columbia the usual dividing line is 10 square metres, about 107 square feet. Below it most municipalities don’t ask for a building permit; at or above it they do. Zoning still applies either way, and each city sets its own numbers, so this page is the starting point rather than the final word. For a city-by-city example, see North Vancouver shed regulations.
In British Columbia, the building code applies to a shed that is 10 square metres (about 107 sq/ft) or larger, or one that creates a hazard. Many cities follow this and don’t require a building permit for a smaller shed. Common sizes like 8′ x 10′ (80 sq/ft), 8′ x 12′ (96 sq/ft) and 10′ x 10′ (100 sq/ft) usually fit under the limit. A larger shed needs a building permit from the local municipality.
“No building permit” doesn’t mean “no rules.” Zoning bylaws still set where a shed can go, how tall it can be and how much of the lot it can cover. A shed used as an office or a place to sleep, or one with electrical or plumbing, can also need permits even when it’s small.
Rules outside BC differ. For example, some Ontario municipalities allow storage sheds up to 15 m² without a permit. Always check your own city’s rules.
Finding the limit for your own city is easy. Call your municipality’s building department and ask these three questions:
The roof-print versus foot-print question matters because each measurement gives a different size. The foot-print measures the outside corners of the walls and siding. The roof-print measures the outside corners of the roof overhangs.
In the diagram, the green foot-print is 10′ x 10′ = 100 sq/ft. The red roof-print is 12′ x 12′ = 144 sq/ft. It’s the same shed, but one measurement is under the 107 sq/ft limit and the other is over it. Find out how your municipality measures before you build, because the last thing you want is a shed that’s too large.
Start with your own city’s website:
Most BC cities don’t require a building permit for a shed under 10 m² (about 107 sq/ft) that doesn’t create a hazard. Zoning rules still apply, and each city sets its own limits.
It depends on the municipality. Some measure the foot-print (the walls) and some the roof-print (the roof overhangs), so ask your building department which one it uses.
Often yes, but check first. Some cities require a building permit when a small building is used for living, sleeping or long working hours, and electrical work needs its own permit. See an example of a North Vancouver backyard office built without a building permit.
The 10 square metre line comes from the Code itself. BCBC 2024 Division A, sentence 1.1.1.1(2)(e) says the Code does not apply to accessory buildings of less than 10 m² in building area that do not create a hazard. Two things follow from that wording. “Hazard” is not defined, so the local building official decides what counts. And 10 m² is 107.6 square feet, which is why you see both 107 and 108 square feet quoted around the province: round down and you stay inside the limit.
The Code is only the floor. A municipality can be stricter, and the zoning bylaw, not the Code, is what sets your setbacks, height limit and lot coverage. Where a city’s own documents are silent or contradict each other, the provincial default above is what applies.
For more, see the Saanich shed rules and North Vancouver shed regulations, or browse Backyard Outbuildings.