Shed Footings & Bases
A shed base that stays flat and dry
Gravel, piers or a slab: the cheapest base that will still last depends on the shed's size, its floor and the ground under it. We build all three.
Footing forms laid out on gravel below a blasted rock cut for a new house. Bowen Island.
Can a shed sit on blocks or gravel?
A small shed with a framed floor can sit on blocks or piers on firm, level ground. On soft or sloped ground, blocks settle unevenly and doors start to bind. A compacted gravel pad drains and stays flat, and a concrete slab is the one that lasts longest.
If the slab is the shed's floor, it gets a raised edge so rain doesn't run in under the walls.
More that can change the job
The details that shift the scope, the permit or the price, with the rule behind each where there is one.
Up to 10 m² or bigger
Maple Ridge lets sheds and accessory buildings up to 10 m² (about 107 sq ft) go up without a permit; bigger ones need a building permit and a forms inspection. Coquitlam needs no permit under 10 m², and Vancouver's Building By-law doesn't apply to accessory buildings under 10 m² that create no hazard.
Source: Maple Ridge Building Bylaw No. 8097-2026; Maple Ridge Accessory Building Guide; City of Coquitlam FAQ: decks and sheds; City of Vancouver Building By-law No. 14343
Piers, gravel pad or slab
Piers suit a shed with its own framed floor. A gravel pad drains well under a prefab. A slab gives the longest-lasting floor and can be the shed's floor itself.
Prefab shed over 10 m²
Maple Ridge asks for a sealed structural engineer's letter for prefab structures over 10 m², covering how they're anchored.
Flat lot or slope
On lots with slopes greater than 10%, or at the top or bottom of a bank, Maple Ridge may ask for a sealed landslide assessment or a seismic compliance letter.
Common questions
What is the best foundation for a shed?+
For a small shed with its own floor, piers or a gravel pad. For a workshop, a heavy shed or one where the slab is the floor, concrete. The ground and the shed's size decide it.
How big a shed can I build without a permit?+
In Maple Ridge, up to 10 m² (about 107 sq ft). In Coquitlam and Vancouver, under 10 m². Zoning setbacks still apply. Other cities differ.
Source: Maple Ridge Building Bylaw No. 8097-2026; City of Coquitlam FAQ: decks and sheds; City of Vancouver Building By-law No. 14343
How much does a shed base cost?+
It depends on size, access, digging and finish, so we give you an estimate after seeing the site. Send a photo and rough measurements with the booking form and John will tell you what drives the price on your job.
How it works
Four steps, and nothing is ordered or dug until you sign off.
Call or book a site visit
Call John, or tap Book now and send a photo of the spot with rough measurements if you have them.
Site walk
John comes out, walks the site, checks access, slope and drainage, and tells you which permits and inspections the job needs.
Plan and design
You get a clear plan, the design and a written scope and estimate. Finishes are chosen and the build date is locked in before anything is ordered or any ground is broken.
Build
Forms are set, inspected and poured. You get updates as we go and a clean site at the end.
Rather talk it through? Call John at (778) 200-8030 · All services
Builder or GC? Call John to talk through the project, or email the details and drawings to john@bedrockandcedar.com. How it works for builders