Storage Sheds

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Prefab ADU under 120sqft
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May 20, 2024

A popular question in the archives but this is a dynamic topic with the state laws easing up all the time. I am wondering if anyone has current recommendations for an ADU company or recent cautionary tales. We are in El Cerrito, we know our site doesn't lend itself to a structure being craned in but we are otherwise interested in prefab as a faster construction option, we aren't even sure we want to go the full kitchen/bathroom route (for easiest permit streamlining) but may stay under the 120SF option for no permit (no bathroom). We also aren't even entirely sure what we would use it for, but with two teens and two parents constantly crashing into each other in a small house, feel like it would get used for something(?). Anyone else done some thinking on this? Finally anyone recently gone through the City of El Cerrito for a legal no-permit shed but gotten an electrical permit? Does the inspector really just look at the electrical work or do they start poking around everything? Thanks!

May 20, 2024

We just got one of these put up by Type Five and love ours. It is 100SF (no bathroom) but we have a murphy bed in it and use it as an office most of the time (+peloton / work out area), but it becomes a guest room when family is in town. It's made our house feel so much bigger. There was no permitting necessary because technically it's a "shed" but has transformed how we live and feel about our home. Highly recommend Type Five!

May 22, 2024
Architect for street-level storage shed
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Mar 8, 2022

Hi BPN:

We have no street level storage and getting anything into our house requires going up many, many stairs. We're sick of schlepping our (very heavy) electric bike, trash cans, and strollers up the stairs and want to add street level storage.

We're looking to build a simple, good size shed/ garage like structure (we don't need car storage), with a roof, into the hillside, into the retaining wall, that is. It needs to be functional, aesthetic and feasible. We also see this an opportunity to upgrade our landscaping and replace the retaining walls, which have seen better days.

I would love recommendations for architects, landscape architects, or design/build firms to design and construct the shed/garage. We're not sure if this a project for a landscape architect or more in the wheelhouse of an architect or design/build firm.

Appreciate the advice! Thank you!

Mar 8, 2022

You need a licensed landscape architect for this, not a regular architect. We are doing a similar project where we're excavating out the lower part of our driveway, which is on a hill, and replacing two crumbling retaining walls. We initially consulted with the architect we had worked with on a house renovation a few years ago. He was not interested in earth-moving and excavation projects - he would have contracted it out to a landscape architect firm. We ended up going with Lazar Landscape https://lazarlandscape.com/. We worked with them in the past on a fence/walkway project that we are still very happy with. Lazar has a lot of experience with landscaping projects involving excavation and retaining walls. Their work is solid and professional. They do all the construction work in-house and they have wonderful designers.

Just be aware that when there is excavation involved, it's likely to be an expensive project. The planning and permitting process may be long. Your city may have setback requirements that prevent you from building anything close to the street, or at best you may have to apply for a special variance. You'll probably need to get a structural engineering firm involved for the retaining wall, and there may be many iterations on the design before the city will approve your plans. We live in Berkeley and it's taken nearly 2 years to get through all the permitting - multiple permits each with its own hefty fee, as well as neighbor review and appeal periods, specialized drawings and reports, cement testing, earthquake resilience, fire resistance, etc. etc. etc. Lazar has handled all this for us, thank goodness, and we are just about ready to break ground.

Mar 9, 2022

Hi Arielle,

This is a perfect fit for Studio M Merge! They combine landscape and residential architecture. We have been using them for our house/property and have LOVED their work, their attention to detail, and how brilliantly they took our desires and created a master plan that really works for us. I'd recommend at least doing a consultation with them. You can reach Andrea Sessa, the studio lead, at 510-698-4863 or asessa [at] studiommerge.com. Good luck!

Mar 9, 2022

The cheapest thing you can do is a Tuff Shed.

Mar 9, 2022
Backyard shed
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Nov 10, 2019

Hello, we would like to replace our dilapidated backyard shed with something that will actually protect the things we store there. We have no intention of ever using it as an in-law unit or similar, but we would like it to look nice, be insulated and have a lightbulb so it is easy find things. We are open to pre-fab or having one built, would love to hear others' experience on how they made the decision and if they are happy with it. Thanks.

Nov 10, 2019

I suggest building one as big as you can to take advantage of the space. However, if you want some a little more modern or custom you can always hire it out/build yourself. Building a shed is an awesome learning experience on learning carpentry, a skill that anyone can use for the rest of their lives.

Check your county codes in Contra Costa County sheds can be up to 120 square feet without building permit as long as they don't have electrical or plumbing. To insulate it you will need to add some type of wall material such as drywall, which will be at least another, $1500-$3000, depending on who you hire and how nice you want the finish to be. Officially to add electrical it can be permitted but if you don't want that you can find an electrician to run exterior electrical conduit in it for some lighting.

Nov 13, 2019

Hi - I asked a similar question a few months ago and nobody responded, but now I can tell you what we did! We had ours built by the Shed Shop in Hayward. They offered lots of options and were very easy to work with. Their sheds aren't prefabricated, but they put them together quickly from panels. Since we haven't had it for long I can't advise you about long-term wear, but everyone we dealt with was super professional, friendly, and competent. I'd highly recommend them.

Nov 13, 2019
Small shed in backyard, now Berkeley wants to call it habitable
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Dec 6, 2017

We built a shed with a deck off one corner in our yard last year under the requirements for appropriate shed size (under 120 Sq foot). We did not get it permitted because the code in Berkeley says if it is under that size and under 12 foot average height, you do not need to permit it. The shed was then painted with some windows and a large door. Now the city of Berkeley says we can't have a shed be "nonhabitable" if it has windows and a deck. They are considering it "habitable" because of this and want a building permit. There is nothing in the code that says this (if it has a deck or windows it is considered habitable) ANYWHERE. literally nothing. the shed is exactly that, something where our crap is stored, no one sleeps or stays in there, we do not rent it out, we do not spend time in it. But the city wants it permitted as a "habitable" structure because it looks nice and because there is a deck with windows. It is bogus. When we built it we asked all our adjacent neighbors if they were ok with it and everyone said yes.

The shed will not stand up to building code, it is not built to live in! It would have to be completely remodeled for tens of thousands of dollars if we wanted to do that. Has anyone else dealt with this? We are at a loss.

Dec 6, 2017

I am not sure who is telling you this since you didn't go through the permit process - an inspector making a spot house call? Weird, and that means yes one of your neighbors reported you. I would contact your councilmember's office for assistance, and include the code section that says under 120 sf is exempt.

Dec 13, 2017

Hi, I'm a GC in Berkeley, build outdoor structures, treehouses, some sheds, decks, etc. I don't know if I can help you right off, I've never heard of the building department (in berkeley or anywhere) come up with such requirements, ie no windows. If I may ask, how did they recome aware of the situation? If you don't know, it sounds like it could have been a neighbor complaining. I build treehouses with windows, as long as they're less than 120sf and not over 12 ft high, I don't worry about it. Very interested in knowing more.

Dec 14, 2017

I'd send them a copy of their own building code and notate that there is nothing in the code about a shed having windows and deck around it, it must be permitted. Seems unfortunate that the CoB is going to lengths like this to harass people who have tool sheds.

Wish I were an attorney to give you a more concrete strategy, but like you said, this is bogus.

Dec 14, 2017

Something is out of whack here. Windows do not make a shed habitable; many sheds have windows. Similarly, a deck does not need a permit if it is under 200 square feet and not attached to a dwelling. I assume your shed does not have any electricity or plumbing, so you need to document that for the City too. (If it does, then yes, unfortunately you needed a permit for it.) I also agree that it's likely that a neighbor called it in, so I'd be sure you are also compliant with any setback rules Berkeley has and reach out to neighbors who may be upset. Good luck!

Dec 20, 2017