If you are a garden owner and think that you can build a tool shed in an obscure corner of the garden in any case without prior planning permission, this can bring you a lot of trouble. In many communities, you are not even allowed to set up a garden house that is not too large without the approval of the authorities, because the public building law sets clearly defined limits for this measure.

A building permit is also required for a garden shed

What does the need for a license depend on?

There are many factors that play a role in the building permit process. Which includes:

  • The type and construction of the arbor.
  • The volume in cubic meters, which is calculated from the size.
  • The planned facility such as sanitary facilities, a heater or a kitchen.
  • The future use.

These conditions are regulated differently in all federal states, depending on the municipality.

The application for permission

The building permit is issued by the responsible building authority in your municipality. When submitting the application, you should have the following documents ready:

  • The completed application form.
  • The building description, from which all relevant data emerge.
  • A precise site plan on a scale of 1:500, which also shows the distances, boundaries and the built-up area.

In some cases, additional documents are required. It is therefore advisable to contact the building authorities in advance and, if necessary, to consult an architect.

How big can a garden shed without a permit be?

In many communities, tool sheds without a foundation, whose height is less than 2.50 meters and which do not exceed an enclosed area of three by four meters, do not require a permit. In the built-up area, however, the volume can be as little as ten cubic meters, which at best corresponds to a very small tool shed. In addition, the limit distances of the applicable building regulations must be observed.

Even if you want to place the shed on a solid foundation, which is strongly recommended for many subsurfaces, permission is often required. The ancillary facilities, which include garden houses, may only be located within strictly defined building boundaries. It is also important to maintain certain distances from neighboring properties.

Don't forget the neighbors

Even if the garden shed (€24.90) requires a permit and the community gives the go-ahead for construction, you should seek talks with your neighbors. Even if you keep the necessary distances when setting up the hut, the house can provide additional shadows, perhaps precisely in those places where the neighbor prefers to relax in the sun. In this case, annoying complaints could be the result and permanently burden the friendly contact with the neighbors.

tips

It is advisable to contact the local building authority before buying an expensive garden house to inquire about the regional requirements. This is the only way you can be sure that you don't have to dismantle the new house just because the desired model exceeds the permitted height or size.

Category:

Garden design