Before you order and put down money you need to make sure the new building is allowed on your property.
If your residence is outside city limits and you do not have an HOA, no permits or permissions are required. You may have deed restrictions or easements that could restrict your shed placement, so it is best to check those.
If you are within city limits, all cities in Williamson and Burnet counties require permits depending on the size of your shed. Georgetown requires a permit for any size shed. Other cities have size thresholds from 120-200 sq ft that trigger the need for a permit.
If you need a permit, you will need your property survey to verify any easements and building setback lines (how far the shed must be from your property line).
You must mark the location of the shed on your survey and submit as part of your application.
Impervious cover: This is a technical term for surfaces on your property that water cannot penetrate. This includes your house, driveways, sidewalks, patios, garage, pools (50 percent of the surface area) and any other hard surfaces. You will have to add up all the square footage of your current impervious cover (including your new shed) and compare that to the total square footage of your property. Most cities require your impervious cover to be no more than 40 percent of your total property size.
- Adding electrical to the shed, you will need a separate permit.
- If you live in an historic district, the city will typically have mandates for the design and aesthetic features of your building.
Is your neighborhood part of an HOA or POA?
If so, you will need to obtain permission from your governing committee.
You will need to provide your property survey and mark the location of the shed.
The HOA will be concerned with how the exterior looks. Paint, shingle color and, sometimes, the building materials are usually pre-determined and typically must match your house. HOAs usually require a mockup of what your shed will look like as well.
HOAs will often have strict size and height restrictions. Sometimes they also require the shed to be built on a slab.
If you are in an HOA and within city limits, you will need both a city permit and HOA approval. Approval from one entity does not guarantee approval from the other.
Once you are armed with the requirements for your shed, you are ready to go shed shopping! Make sure your shed provider can meet the requirements to keep you in compliance. Some shed builders will take care of the city permitting for you for an additional fee. HOAs typically require the homeowner to apply for approval.
Taking the time to understand what’s allowed will save you time, money, and the headaches of unforeseen regulations.
Moore Liberty Buildings Chad & Amanda Moore
Thousands of structures built since 2015. MooreLibertyBuildings.com • 512-548-6474