Best Sheds approvals, sorted fast.

If the work’s already done and wasn’t approved, Councils can take compliance action, so it’s important to get approval sorted. This is commonly referred to as retrospective approval (or as-built).

We can help you with retrospective approvals. Just send us the details and any plans or photos you have, and our team will guide you through what needs to happen next.

If your plans don’t meet the standard setback or site cover rules (e.g. a carport built within a certain proximity of a side boundary), you’ll need Council approval to vary them — that’s called a Relaxation Variation.

It’s not a roadblock, just an extra step. We’ll let you know if your design needs one and take care of the application for you.

For most residential building work over $3,300, the builder must take out QBCC Home Warranty Insurance. This protects homeowners if the work is defective or incomplete. A copy of the insurance cover must be provided to us before we can release your building approval.

Yes. You can prepare your own plans, as long as they clearly show what we need to assess, including the structure location, setbacks and any existing buildings on the site. If you’re doing them yourself, tools like Site Plans Online can help. The key thing is making sure the plans are clear and accurate, as that helps us assess your application quickly and avoid back and forth later.

Yes, most new sheds generally require approval, but some very small structures are classed as ‘accepted development’ and don’t need one.

For example, a shed may be exempt if it’s:

• No larger than 10m²
• No higher than 2.4m
• No side longer than 5m

Not sure if your shed qualifies? Send us your site plans, and we can confirm this quickly before you move forward.

It depends on the type of shed and where the sewer line runs. In most cases, building directly over a sewer isn’t allowed, but some lightweight Class 10a sheds may be possible if specific engineering requirements are met. You’ll also need to keep at least 1 metre clear of the house connection point, and in some situations, a Build Over Sewer (BOS) approval may be required. Send us your plans and we’ll walk you through what’s possible for your site.

In most cases, building directly over stormwater infrastructure isn’t allowed. That said, some lightweight Class 10a sheds may be possible depending on the site, location of the line and how the structure is designed. Extra engineering or a Build Over Stormwater (BOSW) approval may be needed. Send us your plans and we’ll let you know what’s achievable for your site.

It depends on the type of easement and who controls it. In many cases, building over an easement can be possible if the right permissions are in place. We’ll help you understand what applies to your site and build, and what approvals may be needed.

This depends on your property, the boundary in question, and how the shed relates to the house.

There are two key considerations:

• Setbacks
• Fire separation

Fire separation is a requirement under the NCC Volume Two 2022. In most cases, a Class 10a structure needs a minimum of 900mm separation from side or rear boundaries if it’s attached to, or within 900mm of, the house. Some open carports may be exempt, though minimum clearances can still apply. We can review your plans and confirm exactly what’s required so approvals are straightforward and fast.

A ‘relax relaxation’, also known as a ‘boundary relaxation’ or ‘concurrence application’, is a Council application that’s needed when a structure is proposed closer to a boundary than normally allowed. For example, if the front setback requirement is 6m and your shed is proposed at 2m, Council approval is required for the reduced setback. Different councils use different names for this process — such as ‘Concurrence Application’, ‘Siting Variation’ or ‘Referral Assessment’. If we’re handling your building approval, we’ll also take care of your Relax Application too.

Every site and shed is a little different, so we can only confirm if anything extra is needed once we’ve reviewed your plans and property details. Where possible, we’ll flag any additional approvals early in the quoting stage, explain what they’re for, and guide you through the next steps so there are no surprises.

Sometimes, yes. Particularly when building close to boundaries, however, requirements vary by council. The good news? We’ll tell you exactly what’s needed for approval before you proceed, so there are no awkward surprises later.

This really depends on your site and where your shed is located in relation to boundaries. Height controls often link directly to setback compliance. We’ll confirm specific maximum shed heights for your specific site with you.

A DA is a more detailed Council approval, usually required where planning constraints apply, such as overlays or site limitations. If a DA is needed, we’ll explain why and provide clear next steps.

No, you don’t have to engage a builder; you can complete the work as an owner-builder. There are a few things to be aware of though. For example, if works exceed $11,000, you will require a QBCC Owner Builder Permit.

If you do engage a licensed builder and building works exceed $3,300, they’ll need to provide a QBCC Notice of Cover. We’ll let you know exactly what applies to your situation when reviewing your plans.