10’x18′ Backyard Office and Storage in Tsawwassen

About this building

This backyard office replaced a worn-out wooden garden shed in Tsawwassen, in Delta, BC. It’s 10′ x 18′ (180 sq/ft) with a flat contemporary roof, LP SmartSide siding and three big windows. The first 4 feet at one end is a closed storage room, and the rest is bright office and craft space. The old shed was taken down and recycled, a new gravel pad went in, and the finished building was lifted into the yard by crane.

Taking down the old shed

The old garden shed was past repair. It was taken down by hand and sorted so the lumber and sheet goods could be recycled instead of going to the landfill.

A new gravel pad

With the old shed gone, the ground was cleared and levelled, and a new gravel pad was built for the new floor to sit on.

Built in the shop, in one piece

The building was framed and sided indoors, out of the weather, then finished complete with its windows, door, trim and roof. Building it in a shop is also why a project like this goes from old shed to finished office so quickly.

Trucked in and lifted by crane

The finished building was loaded onto a trailer and driven to the site, where a crane lifted it over the house and fence and set it onto the new pad. The whole delivery took a few hours.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Location	Tsawwassen (Delta), BC
Size	10′ x 18′ (180 sq/ft)
Design	Contemporary, flat roof
Layout	4′ storage room at one end; the rest is office and craft space
Porch or deck	None
Overhangs	Front 18″; sides and rear 6″
Siding	LP SmartSide
Ceiling	Pine tongue-and-groove
Walls (inside)	White melamine
Door	32″ fiberglass door
Windows	Three 36″ x 48″ windows
Electrical	4 wall plugs, overhead lighting and exterior lighting
Heat	2,500 W forced-air heater
Foundation	New gravel pad

More photos

The photos below show the old shed coming down, the load-out and the crane set-up.

What to plan before replacing a shed with an office

Swapping an old shed for a finished building takes a little planning on the ground and in the air.

• Permit: in Delta, a building of 10 m² (108 sq/ft) or more needs a building permit, and heat or other mechanical equipment means a permit even for a small one. This building is 180 sq/ft.
• Setbacks and height: Delta limits accessory building height and sets how far it must sit from the lot lines and the front of the lot.
• Crane access: check overhead wires, the street width and where the crane can stand to reach the pad.
• Old shed: plan for taking it down and recycling the materials before the delivery day.
• Power: an electrical permit and a licensed electrician are needed to connect lights, outlets and a heater.

Frequently asked questions

How big is this backyard office?

It’s 10 feet by 18 feet, which is 180 sq/ft (about 16.7 m²). The first 4 feet at one end is a storage room.

How did the building get into the yard?

It was built in a shop, trucked to the street on a trailer and lifted over the house by crane onto a new gravel pad.

Do you need a permit for a building this size in Delta?

Yes. Delta lets you build one accessory building under 10 m² (108 sq/ft) without a building permit, and anything larger, or with mechanical equipment such as a heater, needs one. Setbacks and height limits apply either way. See Delta Shed Regulations.