Do I need planning permission for a shed?

Generally, you don’t need planning permission for a shed if you live in England or Wales. This applies whether it’s a wooden, metal, plastic or brick shed. However, there are a few conditions your shed will have to meet to not require planning permission: The shed doesn’t cover more than 50% of the garden It’s not in front of your house The shed is single-storey with eaves no higher than 2.5m and the overall height is no taller than 4m for a dual-pitched roof, or 3m for any other type. If it’s located within 2 metres of your property’s boundary, it mustn't be more than 2.5m high There’s no veranda or balcony The floor area is no bigger than 15m2 - up to 30m2 may be covered under Permitted Development if other conditions are met The shed is for domestic use only by those who live in the property and there’s no sleeping accommodation – that means you can’t run a business from the shed unless you apply for planning permission Exceptions Of course, there are always exceptions: If you live in a listed building, you’ll need Listed Building Consent before you can build a shed in your garden If you live in a conservation area or similar, the maximum area of ground covered by outbuildings, pools and enclosures situated more than 20m from any wall of the house mustn’t exceed 10m2 if they’re to be considered as a permitted development If you own a piece of woodland, you must seek planning permission for any permanent structure In Scotland, you’ll need planning permission if any part of the shed comes within 1m of a neighbouring property or is more than 2.5m high In Northern Ireland, there are rules about how close your shed can be from a road that passes by the back of your house. It’s best to check for clarification So if you live in a straightforward house in England or Wales, you shouldn’t need planning permission for your shed. If you’re in any doubt, make sure you check with your local planning office.

How to build a shed base on uneven ground?

Building a shed base on uneven ground can be as easy as digging out a sub-base and checking that it’s level. You can dig down until the soil is light brown and rather compact, then work out where the ground is uneven and move soil around to compensate. Add a weed-blocking membrane down then put plastic grids in to act as your shed base or continue to make a sub-base for paving slabs or concrete. However, you could also build a timber shed base on uneven ground using concrete blocks to level it out. Mark out the area and dig the top layer of soil, trying to get the ground as flat as possible. Build a timber frame to size. Measure out 4 rows of 3 blocks to create good weight distribution and lay in place. Underneath each block, dig around 50mm wider than the blocks and about 150mm deep. Fill the hole with pea gravel until it’s flat. Place timber planks along the rows of blocks and see how level it is. Add or remove blocks where necessary. If it’s only a small difference, use shingle underneath the timber until it’s level. Nail your timber shed base to the timber planks to create a sturdy base for your shed. If you’ve got any questions about building a shed base on uneven ground, it’s best leaving it to the pros. Get in touch with a range of builders who will be able to offer you a quote.

Garden Sheds in Elgin

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Garden Sheds in Elgin

Garden sheds are a crucial component of any functional garden space. They can provide storage for large garden tools, as well as for other equipment. A sizeable shed may offer enough space for plant potting or a general workshop. Additionally, a sizeable shed could be used as an indoor sitting area. Garden sheds are available in an enormous array of sizes and can be specified to your particular requirements, providing you with full control over the amount and placement of windows, type, size and location of door, and style of roof. Garden sheds usually are available in one of three materials. Wooden sheds are the common design and can be integrated well into any garden creating a natural look, especially if the wood used for the shed is matched to encircling fences. Wooden sheds are still very popular, although they will need maintenance by retreating or staining the wood to preserve the lifespan of the shed. Garden sheds are also made of metal, which is very tough and therefore great for storage of tools and other equipment. Metal sheds also require very little maintenance. The final material for garden sheds is plastic, which in modern examples is a lot more durable than might be expected. When contemplating a garden shed, it's critical to make sure that you pick one that will fit in your garden space. Garden sheds will need to be located on a level area, and will need a base to be built as a foundation. This base could be made from either concrete, paving, gravel or a floating timber base, but will need to be the right size for your shed and able to support the weight of your shed when loaded.

Average Garden shed cost in Elgin

The typical cost of Garden shed is £600. Costs vary based on the materials and the organisation selected. The upper price range can be as high as £690. The material costs are typically around £150

Average price per Garden shed job in 2025

Avg. price low	Avg. price low £450
Avg. price	Avg. price £600
Avg. price high	Avg. price high £690

£800

£600

£400

£200

£0

Prices based on actual Garden shed costs for Elgin, as reported by local LeadsDoWork members.

Garden shed installation cost in Elgin 2025

	Labour cost	£420
	Material cost	£150
	Waste removal	£30

Time frame: 1-2 days

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Elgin

Elgin is actually a previous cathedral city and Royal Burgh within Moray, Scotland. It's the admin and commercial centre for Moray. The town originated to the south of the River Lossie on the higher ground above the floodplain.

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FAQs

Generally, you don’t need planning permission for a shed if you live in England or Wales. This applies whether it’s a wooden, metal, plastic or brick shed. However, there are a few conditions your shed will have to meet to not require planning permission:

The shed doesn’t cover more than 50% of the garden
It’s not in front of your house
The shed is single-storey with eaves no higher than 2.5m and the overall height is no taller than 4m for a dual-pitched roof, or 3m for any other type. If it’s located within 2 metres of your property’s boundary, it mustn't be more than 2.5m high
There’s no veranda or balcony
The floor area is no bigger than 15m² - up to 30m² may be covered under Permitted Development if other conditions are met
The shed is for domestic use only by those who live in the property and there’s no sleeping accommodation – that means you can’t run a business from the shed unless you apply for planning permission

Exceptions Of course, there are always exceptions:

If you live in a listed building, you’ll need Listed Building Consent before you can build a shed in your garden
If you live in a conservation area or similar, the maximum area of ground covered by outbuildings, pools and enclosures situated more than 20m from any wall of the house mustn’t exceed 10m² if they’re to be considered as a permitted development
If you own a piece of woodland, you must seek planning permission for any permanent structure
In Scotland, you’ll need planning permission if any part of the shed comes within 1m of a neighbouring property or is more than 2.5m high
In Northern Ireland, there are rules about how close your shed can be from a road that passes by the back of your house. It’s best to check for clarification

So if you live in a straightforward house in England or Wales, you shouldn’t need planning permission for your shed. If you’re in any doubt, make sure you check with your local planning office.

Yes, it is possible to insulate a shed. You might want to do this if you’re planning on working in it during the winter. A professional will be able to help you find an insulated shed or advise you on how to insulate a shed that you already have. Always seek professional advise first before attempting to do this yourself!

Building a shed base on uneven ground can be as easy as digging out a sub-base and checking that it’s level. You can dig down until the soil is light brown and rather compact, then work out where the ground is uneven and move soil around to compensate. Add a weed-blocking membrane down then put plastic grids in to act as your shed base or continue to make a sub-base for paving slabs or concrete. However, you could also build a timber shed base on uneven ground using concrete blocks to level it out.

Mark out the area and dig the top layer of soil, trying to get the ground as flat as possible.
Build a timber frame to size.
Measure out 4 rows of 3 blocks to create good weight distribution and lay in place.
Underneath each block, dig around 50mm wider than the blocks and about 150mm deep. Fill the hole with pea gravel until it’s flat.
Place timber planks along the rows of blocks and see how level it is. Add or remove blocks where necessary. If it’s only a small difference, use shingle underneath the timber until it’s level.
Nail your timber shed base to the timber planks to create a sturdy base for your shed.

If you’ve got any questions about building a shed base on uneven ground, it’s best leaving it to the pros. Get in touch with a range of builders who will be able to offer you a quote.

Yes, your shed does need a base. This is to give it a solid, level foundation. Open soil will not help with the longevity of the shed itself or the contents within. The best materials to use to make your shed base are concrete, natural stone or wood.

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