Lancer525
Well-Known Member
I'm planning for the build of a small tool shed, to store my lawnmower, rakes, gardening stuff, table saw, and a few other odds and ends, and have run into a bureaucratic nightmare.
I'm going to do one of those "precut" wooden shed kits, primarily because lumber prices are horrifying right now. I really don't want to put it on treated wood foundation, but would rather put a nice little 4" concrete slab down. Here's where the issues are starting. Since it is bigger than 120 square feet, I am required by local ordinance to have a building permit. That requires construction drawings, and the use of a licensed contractor. I have zero experience with concrete, and cannot do it myself. I called the local building inspection office, and explained I was wanting to build a small tool shed in my backyard. Since it was bigger than 120 square feet - And this is where the guy cut me off and started reciting "all residential construction of concrete foundations must have full 12" by 16" footings in a 6" thick slab, with #4 rebar and be inspected. Two sets of construction drawings signed by a certified engineer must be provided, and a full building permit including electrical and plumbing drawings must be submitted before construction begins." I tried to explain that I'm not building Windsor Castle, and that all three of the concrete contractors all told me that unless I was parking a semi on it, that a 4" slab with fencing mesh would do for a tool shed, but the building code guy just would not listen. He kept repeating himself, and finally, he told me to "Consult the building codes" and hung up on me.
So, can someone please point me to the exact place in the IBC that says that the concrete slabs for tool sheds must be built like Fort Knox? Or, in the more likely event, exactly where it is in the codes is the part about where tool sheds have to have reinforced concrete slabs? I can't find anything that specific, and I've been looking at them for a couple of weeks now. They're maddeningly imprecise.
Any help here? Please?
I'm going to do one of those "precut" wooden shed kits, primarily because lumber prices are horrifying right now. I really don't want to put it on treated wood foundation, but would rather put a nice little 4" concrete slab down. Here's where the issues are starting. Since it is bigger than 120 square feet, I am required by local ordinance to have a building permit. That requires construction drawings, and the use of a licensed contractor. I have zero experience with concrete, and cannot do it myself. I called the local building inspection office, and explained I was wanting to build a small tool shed in my backyard. Since it was bigger than 120 square feet - And this is where the guy cut me off and started reciting "all residential construction of concrete foundations must have full 12" by 16" footings in a 6" thick slab, with #4 rebar and be inspected. Two sets of construction drawings signed by a certified engineer must be provided, and a full building permit including electrical and plumbing drawings must be submitted before construction begins." I tried to explain that I'm not building Windsor Castle, and that all three of the concrete contractors all told me that unless I was parking a semi on it, that a 4" slab with fencing mesh would do for a tool shed, but the building code guy just would not listen. He kept repeating himself, and finally, he told me to "Consult the building codes" and hung up on me.
So, can someone please point me to the exact place in the IBC that says that the concrete slabs for tool sheds must be built like Fort Knox? Or, in the more likely event, exactly where it is in the codes is the part about where tool sheds have to have reinforced concrete slabs? I can't find anything that specific, and I've been looking at them for a couple of weeks now. They're maddeningly imprecise.
Any help here? Please?