Residential steel sheds for storage, hobbies and the backyard
A residential shed from BWG Sheds is a steel building for a house block or acreage: storage, a hobby or home workshop, a man cave or she shed, or somewhere dry for bikes, mowers and the boat. It is sized to what goes inside and positioned to suit your boundaries, then supplied as a DIY kit or supplied and installed.
Residential sheds
| Typical uses | Storage, hobbies, home workshop, bikes and mowers |
|---|---|
| Roof styles | Gable or skillion |
| Access | Roller door, personal access door, windows |
| Route | DIY kit or supply & install |
| Approval | Usually needed above 10 m² |
What people use residential sheds for
Backyard sheds live close to fences, neighbours' windows and the house, so siting rules matter as much as size.
- Storage that stays dry
- Garden gear, tools, camping kit and seasonal stuff, with a floor that stays above the surrounding ground.
- Hobby and home workshop
- Bench space, power, light and ventilation for woodwork, bikes or a home gym.
- Toys and trailers
- Motorbikes, a trailer or a tinnie, with a door sized to back them in.
Things to get right
Boundary clearances
On most residential lots a shed sits 1.5 m from side and rear boundaries unless it meets the Class 10a allowance for building within the clearance (height up to 4.5 m, mean height up to 3.5 m, no more than 9 m of total length along one boundary). Anything else needs a council referral.
Site coverage
The old siting code limits roofed buildings to 50% of the lot area on lots of 450 m² and over. Your council's planning scheme can set different limits.
Drainage and slab level
Keep stormwater away from the door opening and set the slab above the surrounding ground.
Approval for residential sheds
In Queensland a shed avoids building approval only if it is 10 m² or less in plan area, no more than 2.4 m high (mean 2.1 m) with no side over 5 m, and not in Wind Region C. Most backyard sheds are larger than that, so building approval is normally needed, and siting near a boundary may need a council referral. Requirements depend on your property, proposed structure and local planning/building controls.
Try our 3D shed designer now.
Set out your residential shed yourself: gable or skillion roof, width, length, height, roof pitch and number of bays, then add lean-tos, doors and windows, cladding and colours, and turn it around in 3D as you go. Send us the design with the designer's Get Quote button and BWG Sheds will come back with a detailed price and a timeframe for that exact shed.
- 01Design it in 3D
- 02Send it to us
- 03Get your price and timeframe
We check every design against your site (wind, ground and approval requirements) before we confirm it.
Residential sheds: common questions
How close to the fence can I put a shed in Queensland?
The default siting rules keep buildings 1.5 m from side and rear boundaries, but a Class 10a shed can sit within that clearance if the part within it is no more than 4.5 m high with a mean height of no more than 3.5 m, and all buildings within the clearance total no more than 9 m along that boundary. Councils can vary this, and the new Queensland Housing Code is being adopted council by council.
What size backyard shed doesn't need approval?
Only a small one: 10 m² or less in plan area (including overhangs), no more than 2.4 m high with a mean height of 2.1 m or less, and no side longer than 5 m, outside Wind Region C. It must still comply with the building codes.
Can I build a backyard shed kit myself?
Yes. If the project is worth more than $11,000 including GST, you'll need a QBCC owner-builder permit first.
Keep planning
- Workshop and backyard shed kitsWhat's in the kit and what you organise
- Council and building approval assistanceApprovals are where shed projects stall: a missing site plan, a shed inside the boundary clearance, a flood overlay nobody checked.
- DIY steel shed and garage kitsA kit makes sense when you're handy, you have help and equipment, or you already have a builder.
- Custom shed designMost shed problems start at the design stage: a door a few hundred millimetres too low for the tractor, a slab in the wrong spot for the turning circle, or a building nobody checked against the boundary.
- Do I need council approval for a shed in Queensland?
- What size shed do I need?
- Building a shed kit yourself in Queensland: the owner-builder guide
Residential sheds in our service areas
Quote your residential shed.
Five short steps: the site, the type of shed, a rough size, your timing and how to reach you. Or pick up the phone.