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Sheds

fatboy

Administrator
Joined
Oct 17, 2009
Messages
6,829
Location
Northern CO
We amended the code back to 120 s.f. for sheds not requiring a permit. OK, so I have a a "shed" that is 10' X 12', great. But now I have "lean-to" type roof assemblies attached to either end. No "floor" just roof coverings. The code says a permit is not required when;

"provided the floor area does not exceed 120 square feet"



So, the finished floor area of the shed, bounded by four walls, is 120 s.f.



Permit required, or not?

 
Permit required. Here is the code path I used

2006 IRC ADDITION. An extension or increase in floor area or height of a building or structure.

Floor Area not defined in the IRC so I use R201.3 and look elsewhere in the I-Codes

2006 IRC R201.3 Terms defined in other codes.

Where terms are not defined in this code such terms shall have meanings ascribed to them as in other code publications of the International Code Council.

2006 IBC defines a gross floor area as the usable area under the horizontal projection of a roof. Sounds like the "lean to" area you described. Permit required. ;)

2006 IBC FLOOR AREA, GROSS. The floor area within the inside perimeter of the exterior walls of the building under consideration, exclusive of vent shafts and courts, without deduction for corridors, stairways, closets, the thickness of interior walls, columns or other features. The floor area of a building, or portion thereof, not provided with surrounding exterior walls shall be the usable area under the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above. The gross floor area shall not include shafts with no openings or interior courts.
 
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fatboy,

I concur with mtlogcabin, ...permit required! Your "shed" may also be

encroaching in to the setback distances to property lines. What do

your Zoning Codes / Ordinances require? We are having more and

more problems with setbacks because "Joe Homeowner" goes down to

the local supply business [ aka - The Home Destruction Co. and

others ] and purchases a storage shed, and then places it on his

property, ...sometimes too close to the property lines. Then we

get calls from adjacent homeowners asking if a permit was issued,

and what about the Zoning issues... :eek:



* * *
 
Tell them to make the lean to(s) free standing and no permit would be required.

Here between the shed in the building code and zoning it's a scrambled mess. Well yes it's under 120 sq ft but it's over 7 ft tall and needs zoning approval, etc......

And yes we threw horse shades under 120 sq ft as not needing a permit either. Of course then some one want more in a row and needs engineering. Go figure.
 
Local admin issue if in peachy state of GA.

Local authority has to set its own admin process, including "floor" square footages. One local one pegs it to value, but leaves "structure" undefined.
 
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