I recently moved into a new house and I'm considering adding a shed (about 8x12 feet) in my backyard to use as a modern creative outdoor office. I run a small production house and I mostly work from home. With some upcoming projects that I can shoot in my yard, I want to know if anyone has experience setting up a shed like this? Also, what kind of permits should I be aware of? I'm weighing the options between prefab outdoor offices or a DIY setup, and since it gets pretty hot where I live, should I also look into installing solar power? Any recommendations for companies or rough cost estimates would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
I actually built a shed office during COVID and I absolutely love it! Whether you need a permit can really depend on where you live; for me, anything over a certain size required permitting, so check your local regulations. I ran power to my shed and finished the interior myself, which added to the overall comfort.
You're definitely not alone in this! There are tons of YouTube videos on setting up a shed office. First off, check with your city's development requirements—some places allow up to 100 sqft without a permit! But if you want power in your shed, that typically needs a permit. A workaround is to use extension cords from the house or even a generator, and a solar setup is great for power needs—but you might want a backup option as well. Cost varies, but it can run from $1,000 to tens of thousands depending on complexity and permits.
Honestly, I went with a prefab option since I'm not very handy. Just out of curiosity, where are you located? Permits can vary widely; for instance, I didn’t need one for my 10x10 since it was under 200 sqft and didn’t have plumbing. I really recommend checking out the Workpod mini from Autonomous—it's prefab, compact, and comes with insulation and wiring already. It might save you a lot of hassle!