October 10, 2024, 11:26 am | Read time: 8 minutes

There are a few things to consider when planning a garden shed. For example, do you need planning permission? myHOMEBOOK reveals the answers to the most important questions so that hobby gardeners don’t lose track.

Can garden sheds be erected in your own garden?

My house, my garden, my shed? If you want to erect a shed on your property, you cannot do so without further ado. This is because the legal regulations also apply to your property. In other words, whether it’s an arbor, shed, vacation home, or sauna, these are basically ancillary facilities that are subject to certain regulations. Before building, it is therefore essential to check the legal regulations of the respective federal state and municipality that apply throughout Germany!

Which legal provisions must be observed?

Anyone planning a garden shed should inform themselves about the following legal regulations, as with any building project:

• Planning law applicable throughout Germany
• State building regulations
• Municipal development plan
• Municipal special regulations

These regulations provide information on the areas of the garden within which a shed may be erected, how large it may be, and when a building application is required. It is also important to know whether the property is located in a development area or an outlying area, for example, on the outskirts of a town. Stricter conditions apply to the latter.

What regulations apply to allotment gardens?

The Federal Allotment Garden Act applies to allotment gardens. This regulates all aspects of the allotment garden colony with the leased gardens. Paragraph 3 explicitly addresses the erection of a shed. According to this, gazebos up to a size of 24 square meters – including a covered outdoor seating area – may be erected without planning permission. However, the Federal Allotment Garden Act also states that the shed may not be permanently inhabited.

Does a building application have to be submitted?

A building application does not necessarily have to be submitted for every garden shed. Depending on the federal state, the regulations regarding the area not requiring planning permission vary significantly in some cases. According to the state building regulations of Brandenburg and Bavaria, for example, garden sheds of up to 75 cubic meters are considered “permit-free buildings.” As “procedure-free building projects,” they, therefore, do not require a building application. The situation is different in Lower Saxony. Here, only garden sheds up to 40 cubic meters do not require approval.

However, there are also binding guidelines that apply across state borders. Garden sheds that do not require a permit may only be used temporarily. They must also be single-story and demountable. Furthermore, they may not have the following installations:

• fireplaces (stove, permanently installed barbecue, heater, oven, fireplace, wood-burning stove)
• recreation/living rooms
• toilets
• guest rooms
• power connection
• concrete base plate

Tip: It is always best to obtain information from the local building authority before building and with your specific building project. They will usually decide immediately whether a building application is necessary. You can also enquire about the applicable laws here. This can save you a lot of trouble later on and also prevent potential disputes with neighbors.

Can neighbors prohibit the construction of a garden shed?

Unfortunately, a garden shed is not always to everyone’s taste. Especially if the neighbors are not so well-disposed, such a house can quickly mutate into a bone of contention. And in fact, the neighbor has a certain say in the construction of a shed. Municipal ordinances regulate boundary development. Most of them stipulate that a shed may not be higher than three meters. It may also not be longer than nine meters on the border to the neighboring property. A heated shed may only be erected at a minimum distance of three meters from the adjoining property.

If you keep this in mind and seek a friendly discussion with your neighbors in advance of the construction work, you are on the safe side. So don’t hesitate to involve the neighbors in the construction plans. This way, they will be able to name any concerns in advance.

More on the topic

Requirements, application … The most important questions and answers about the housing entitlement certificate

A reader reported Neighbor lights a fire pit in the garden every evening – are fire pits allowed?

New kitchen, floor coverings, … No floor plan available? How to determine room dimensions

How do you find the right garden shed?

Finding the right garden shed for your garden is not that difficult – provided you ask yourself the right questions. The answers will then guide you effectively through the many available offers:

1. How do you want to use the garden shed?

Garden sheds can be used in many different ways. For example, they can be used as a tool shed, for storing bicycles, as a play area for children, a hobby room, a sauna or a cozy vacation home with a terrace.

2. How big should the garden shed be?

The size of the shed depends on various factors:

• the available space in the garden
• the desired storage space
• and the usable space required, for example, to store furniture

While a tool shed offers plenty of storage space in just six square meters, you should plan around ten square meters of space for a larger table that can accommodate several people and some small pieces of furniture. If the shed is also to house a cooking area and sleeping facilities, at least 15 square meters are appropriate.

3. How much space do you have in your garden?

Be sure to consider the size of the plot when choosing the right garden shed. In a small garden, a large shed can very quickly reduce the usable area of the garden. In a large garden, on the other hand, a shed that is too small can quickly look lost.

4. What is the soil like on your plot?

It is particularly important to check the condition of the soil in advance for garden sheds with a foundation. If it is too poor, a garden shed that is too large and heavy will not have the necessary stability.

5. What material should the garden shed be made of?

Whether wood, metal, or plastic, these three common materials differ not only in terms of their appearance. While a wooden shed certainly looks very homely and pleasant, it does require a lot of maintenance. Metal and plastic are not. They are also UV-resistant and weatherproof.

6. Should the garden shed have a foundation?

Placing a garden shed on a foundation has various advantages. It ensures easy assembly and stability and extends the durability of the garden shed. Depending on the size of the garden shed, you can choose between the very stable but cost-intensive foundation slab, a strip foundation, or a more cost-effective point foundation. A building application is required for garden sheds with foundations.

7. What style should the garden shed be designed in?

The garden shed should of course match the garden and enhance it visually. Depending on your taste, you can choose between various classic and modern designs.

8. Would you like to build the garden shed yourself?

If you are confident and have enough time and manual skills, you can build your garden shed entirely by yourself. The advantage: It can be a wonderful DIY project for the whole family and can be built entirely according to your own wishes. There are various suggestions and instructions on the Internet.

DIY stores also offer assembly kits. If you don’t want to do it yourself, you can, of course, have your garden shed delivered and erected.

9. How expensive should the garden shed be?

The larger and more elaborate the garden shed, the more expensive it is, of course. So, should it be an inexpensive tool shed or an elaborately designed vacation home? Medium-sized garden sheds are already available for 200 euros in a prefabricated kit. On the other hand, you can expect to pay at least 2700 euros for imposing log cabins. Of course, there is no upper financial limit to the dream of your own garden shed, depending on the features and individual wishes.