Planning Your Shed

What's the shed actually for?

This sounds obvious, but it's the single most important question. Your answer will determine the size, spec, and design of everything else. Have a proper think about it before you pick up a pencil.

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Tool Storage

Lawnmower, spades, bikes — the classic British garden shed. You want a good-sized double door and proper security. An 8×6 or 10×8 is usually spot on.

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Hobby Room / Man Cave

If you want to actually spend time in there, think bigger (10×10+), think insulation, think electrics. This is a room, not just a box.

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Potting Shed

Good natural light is key here — consider more windows, or a glazed apex roof. Doesn't need to be huge; 6×4 can work brilliantly.

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Home Office

This is the big one at the moment. Needs proper insulation, double-glazed windows, electrics, and ideally broadband. Plan accordingly.

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Honest advice: Whatever size you're thinking, go one size up. Genuinely. Everyone says "oh I don't need that much space" and then six months later they're cramming stuff in and wishing they'd listened.

Do you need planning permission?

In most cases in England and Wales — no, you don't. But there are rules. Here's the plain-English version:

Your shed is an "outbuilding"

Under Permitted Development rights, outbuildings don't need planning permission as long as they meet certain criteria. This covers sheds, summerhouses, greenhouses, garages, and the like.

The shed must be in your garden (behind the house)

Permitted Development only applies to structures behind the principal elevation of your house. In plain English: it can't be in your front garden or to the side if that side faces a highway.

Maximum height rules apply

Single-pitch roofs must be under 2.5m high. Dual-pitch (apex) roofs can go up to 4m at the ridge — though if it's within 2m of a boundary, max height drops to 2.5m regardless of roof style.

Footprint restrictions

All your outbuildings combined can't cover more than 50% of the garden area. In practice this rarely causes problems unless you've already got half the garden paved.

Listed buildings and conservation areas

If your house is listed or you're in a conservation area, the rules are much tighter. Check with your local planning authority before doing anything — it's not worth the aggro.

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Scotland and Northern Ireland have different rules. The guidance above is for England and Wales. If you're north of the border, check Planning Portal Scotland. Northern Ireland has its own PD rules too.

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When in doubt, just ask. A quick call or email to your local council's planning department costs nothing and gives you peace of mind. They're usually quite helpful about this sort of thing.

Picking the right spot

Where you put it matters more than most people think. A few things to consider:

Sunlight: South-facing is lovely if you plan to spend time in it. But for pure storage, it doesn't matter much — just don't put it where it'll create a damp, dark corner.
Access: Think about how you'll get things in and out — particularly a lawnmower or bikes. You want decent width to the door and ideally a hard path leading to it.
Drainage: Don't put your shed at the bottom of a slope where water collects. You'll be forever fighting damp. This is Britain, after all.
Proximity to trees: Overhanging branches will constantly dump leaves and moisture on your roof and cause all sorts of problems. Give yourself a bit of clearance.
Neighbour's view: Being neighbourly costs nothing and avoids awkward fence conversations. If it's going to block their light or look a mess from their garden, consider the positioning.
Power source: If you want electrics, think about the cable run from your house now, not as an afterthought.

Common sizes

Size	Best for	Floor area
6×4ft	Mower & basic tools	2.2 m²
8×6ft	Family storage	4.5 m²
10×8ft	Workshop or hobby	7.4 m²
12×10ft	Home office / studio	11.1 m²
16×10ft	Large workshop	14.9 m²

Step 1: Planning Your Shed