Frequently Asked Questions

To assist you in better understanding the design, order, and installation process, please click here for an overview.

Our typical turnaround time for unpermitted Studio Shed orders is 4-6 weeks from the order date. The timeline for installed products can vary with the availability of our professional installation teams. If you are permitting your structure, lead-times could be longer and depend on the timeliness of your city/county building department.

It depends on the size, use, and options included with your Studio Shed. Be sure to check local regulations before ordering. Increasingly municipalities are requiring permits for any size unit with electrical. Heating and/or cooling your unit will likely require a permit for the entire structure and additionally require compliance with energy codes. Unpermitted projects have a shorter turnaround time and are generally less expensive. For this reason, our 10 x 12 or smaller Studio Shed models are our most popular.

Questions to ask the building department:

• Is there a certain size/sq footage where a building permit is required?
• What is your zoning and allowed building forms?
• Is an engineer-stamped plan set required to pull a permit?
• Is there a limit to the number of structures you can add to property?
• What is the max lot coverage for all structures?
• Any wall or roof height limitations?
• What is the required distance between structures on your property?
• What are your setbacks (distance off the property line to the new structure)?
• Any special easements (utility, cable, access roads, open space, corner lot) that affect where you shed can go?

No, acquiring a permit is the responsibility of the customer. If you would like permitting assistance, Studio Shed offers a full set of permit-ready plans tailored to your configuration and specific build location, when you order directly through Studio Shed.

Before you begin your order, check that the type of unit is allowed on your property to reduce the chance you will have to change the size or location of the shed.

Yes! Studio Sheds are designed to comply with the International, state, and local codes. However, because of our unique design, we do have to justify compliance through energy calculations and structural calculations in plan review.

Building code allows us to make some assumptions, but ultimately the building official is allowed to request a soils report. If you are unsure, we recommend reaching out to the building department to determine if they’ll require one for your project.

If any foundations on your site are showing signs of settling, or if you’ve needed to provide them in past, we recommend pursuing a soils report for your Studio Shed.

If you are interested in financing your Studio Shed, many of our customers use an existing HELOC. We also recommend Acorn Finance for quick and easy financing.

Studio Shed Costco Next is available only to the contiguous U.S.

Studio Shed’s Costco NEXT selection of products include installation in the package price. Your install professional will build your Studio Shed, install all interior options, wire the unit for electricity, and perform a final walkthrough at completion.

Current material lead times are the largest factor in the production timeline. We are generally able to build and ship units within just a few weeks of permit approval, but site work and special materials can occasionally cause delays.

Yes – all Studio Sheds arrive as a flat packed kit. Our pre-finished panels are fabricated in our factory, then crated and shipped to each building site where they are professionally installed by our Professional Installation partners.

All Lifestyle Interiors include high-efficiency insulation in the walls and roof, your choice of finished flooring, code-compliant electrical package, all interior/exterior fixtures and outlets, and all finish trim and hardware.

Clients who choose our Studio Shed Professional Installation also get a seamless finished and painted smooth knock-down (level three) drywall interior – turnkey and ready to use. Interior wall cladding is not included with Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Lifestyle Interior purchases, but a specific materials list is included to facilitate the easy purchase of these readily available materials by you or your contractor.

Studio Shed models with Lifestyle Interiors include an electrical package for a simple electrical hookup and include all fixtures, switches, and outlets. Trenching and hookup to the home are the responsibility of the homeowner. In most cases our Professional Installers can work with you to provide this service. Depending on your municipality, you may need a permit.

Note: If it is required, obtaining an electrical-only permit is usually much simpler than a full building permit, which is not generally required for our most popular Studio Sheds.

Trenching and hookup to the home are the responsibility of the homeowner. In most cases our Professional Installers can work with you to provide this service. Depending on your municipality, you may need a permit. The electrical schematic is a guide for code-compliant installation relative to configuration of the door and Vistalite window (if Pagoda model). Click HERE to view the schematic.

Popular HVAC solution is the ductless, mini split wall unit system typically sourced through the local installer.

Note: the mini split creates a conditioned, habitable space. As such, most municipalities expect a building permit to be pulled and for the unit to meet local energy codes such as California’s Title 24 and ZNE for solar.

Studio Shed products are designed to be placed on either a poured concrete slab or installed with a self-supported joisted floor system similar to a deck. There are multiple options to attach our floor system to the earth. The most popular method consists of simple poured or pre-cast concrete piers. For small, unfinished units, a 4×4 skid foundation may suffice.

Because every site is different, other than for our pre-configured selections, Studio Shed does not directly quote the cost of foundations or pour concrete. However, this is a service that the majority of our professional installers provide, and they will work with you directly to get the best foundation for your site in an efficient way.

Yes

Studio Sheds are designed to meet the needs of all people who wish to use them. Universal and/or accessible design methodologies are typically a better fit for your project than full ADA compliance. While most projects do not need to comply with ADA requirements, we work with each individual to ensure their Studio Shed design will meet their specific needs

ADA Compliance: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. The ADA requires compliance in all commercial buildings while residential projects generally do not need to follow these design parameters.

Universal Design: The design of buildings, products, or environments to make them accessible to all people, regardless of age, disability, or other factors.

Accessible Design: A design process in which the needs of people with disabilities are specifically considered.

All Studio Shed products as well as our certified installations are backed by a 1-year warranty covering material defects and workmanship. Additional manufacturer warranties apply to our doors, windows, roofing, and certain other products included with your Studio Shed.

Note – the warranty is void for metal components (door hardware and roof metal) for installations less than 5 miles and 1100 yards (5/8th of a mile) from salt water.