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What changes the cost of a brick shed?
In Cheshire, the cost of a brick shed depends on its size, the foundations, the type of wall and brick, the roof, the doors and windows, and any power it needs. We print no build price, so ask builders to quote for the same size, roof and finish, with the groundwork described the same way.
Last reviewed:What a brick shed is
A brick shed is a small outbuilding with masonry walls, built on site by a builder or bricklayer. It may be single skin brick, blockwork rendered or faced with brick, or a double skin with a cavity. People choose brick for security, fire resistance, a finish that matches the house, or a workshop that will last for decades.
Unlike a timber shed that arrives in panels, a brick shed is a small building project: groundwork, footings, bricklaying, a roof, doors and windows. That is why its cost depends far more on the builder's time than on a catalogue price.
QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns. This guide prints no build price. It explains what goes into the job, what changes the cost, and the planning and building limits to check.
Foundations
Masonry is heavy, and walls that move will crack. A brick shed usually sits on a concrete strip footing under the walls, or a reinforced slab under the whole building. The depth depends on the ground: clay, nearby trees and soft spots mean digging deeper.
Groundwork is often the part of the quote that changes most once digging starts. Ask each builder what foundation they are pricing, how deep they plan to dig, and what happens if they find poor ground, roots or old drains.
Walls and bricks
- Single skin brick. One layer of brick, often with piers for strength. Common for stores and workshops.
- Blockwork. Concrete blocks, quicker to lay, usually rendered or clad to look better.
- Double skin with a cavity. Two layers with a gap, which keeps out more damp and allows insulation. More materials and more labour.
- Matching bricks. Bricks to match the house can cost more and may take longer to source.
- Damp-proof course. A layer near the base of the wall to stop damp rising.
- Openings. Doors and windows need lintels above them to carry the brickwork.
Ask each builder to describe the wall build in the same terms, so you can compare.
The roof
The roof is a big part of the cost and of how the building looks.
- Flat roof. Timber joists with a deck, covered in felt, rubber membrane or another flat roof system. Usually the simplest.
- Mono-pitch roof. A single slope, often with a sheet or tile covering.
- Pitched roof. Two slopes, often tiled to match the house. More timber, more labour and more weight.
Guttering and a downpipe to a drain or soakaway may be needed so rainwater does not run down the walls or pool by the footings. A roofer may be involved for a tiled roof. For more on roofs, see the roof repair cost guide.
Planning and building limits
Many brick sheds fall within permitted development. The Planning Portal says outbuildings can be permitted development if single storey, with eaves no higher than 2.5 metres and an overall height of no more than 4 metres with a dual-pitched roof or 3 metres otherwise [S1]. Within 2 metres of a boundary, the whole building should be no higher than 2.5 metres [S1]. The same page says these rights do not apply within the grounds of a listed building, and may have been removed in some areas by an Article 4 direction [S1].
For building regulations, the Planning Portal says they generally do not apply to a detached outbuilding under 15 square metres with no sleeping accommodation [S2]. Between 15 and 30 square metres, approval is not normally needed if there is no sleeping accommodation and the building is at least one metre from any boundary or built substantially of non-combustible materials [S2]. Ask your builder or your council's building control team whether your design counts as built substantially of non-combustible materials.
GOV.UK: building regulations approval. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
Power and lighting
A brick shed used as a workshop often needs sockets and lighting. That is a job for a registered electrician, and this guide gives no DIY steps. The Planning Portal says a complete new circuit is notifiable work, and an electrician registered with a competent person scheme can self-certify it [S3]. A buried cable from the house is easier to lay before the footings and paths go in, so plan it early.
Electrical Safety First: find a registered electrician; NICEIC; NAPIT. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
What changes the cost of a brick shed
| What is being priced | What makes it bigger or smaller | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Floor area and wall height | The internal and external sizes |
| Groundwork | Digging, spoil removal, ground conditions | How deep they plan to dig and where spoil goes |
| Foundations | Strip footing or slab, depth | Which foundation and why |
| Walls | Single skin, block, cavity, matching brick | The wall build, and who sources the bricks |
| Openings | Doors, windows, lintels | Which doors and windows are included |
| Roof | Flat, mono-pitch or pitched; covering | The roof structure and covering |
| Rainwater | Gutter, downpipe, soakaway or drain | Whether rainwater goods are included |
| Floor | Concrete slab finish, screed | The floor finish |
| Electrics | Cable from the house, sockets, lights | Who does them, and what certificate you get |
| Access | Carrying distance, skip, mixer position | Whether site access is a problem |
| VAT | Whether the business is VAT registered | Whether the total includes VAT |
A business must register for VAT when its taxable turnover goes over £90,000 [S4]. Ask whether each total includes VAT.
Brick sheds in Cheshire
When you post the job, give the size you want, what you will use it for, and photos of the site including the nearest boundary and any trees. A builder covering Crewe, Nantwich, Sandbach and the villages around them can then say what foundation the ground is likely to need and whether the height you want fits the permitted development limits.
If you want bricks to match the house, a close-up photo of the house wall helps. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business on QuoteZila.
Security, damp and ventilation
People often choose brick for security, so think about the door and windows early. A steel or solid timber door with good locks, and small or barred windows, add cost but suit a store for bikes and tools. Ask the builder how the door frame will be fixed into the brickwork.
A masonry shed can suffer from condensation, especially with a cold concrete floor and a metal roof. Air bricks or vents high and low, a damp-proof membrane under the slab and a damp-proof course in the walls all help. If you plan to store anything that rusts or rots, ask the builder how the building will be kept dry and ventilated.
What to have ready before you ask for quotes
- the size and height you want
- what the building is for: storage, workshop, bike store or something else
- photos of the site, the nearest boundary and any trees
- the wall finish you want, and whether bricks should match the house
- the roof style you want
- the doors and windows you need
- whether you want power and lighting
- the access route, and space for a skip or materials
- your postcode, and when the work could be done
How to compare brick shed quotes
Check each quote for:
- Size and height, inside and out.
- Foundation type and depth, and what happens if the ground is poor.
- The wall build and bricks.
- Roof structure, covering and rainwater goods.
- Doors, windows and floor finish.
- Electrics, and who does them.
- Stage payments, whether VAT is included and whether it is a fixed price.
Citizens Advice suggests getting written quotes from at least three traders and not agreeing to a deposit of more than 25% [S5].
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts. "Build a brick garden store with a flat roof and a steel door at the side of the house." Or: "Single skin brick workshop with a pitched tiled roof to match the house, power and lighting." Or: "Replace a rotten timber shed with a small block-built store, rendered."
Get quotes for a brick shed
Describe the building, the site and your postcode, and add photos. Up to five matched local businesses can reply [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
See the builders page, the roofers page or the electrician cost guide. For a lighter building, see the shed with installation cost guide.
Official and public sources
QuoteZila is not affiliated with these organisations.
- Planning limits for outbuildings: Planning Portal [S1].
- Building regulations for outbuildings: Planning Portal [S2].
- Electrical work: Planning Portal: electrics [S3].
- Quotes and deposits: Citizens Advice [S5].
- VAT: GOV.UK on when to register [S4].
- Registered electricians: Electrical Safety First: find a registered electrician.
Questions about brick shed costs
How much does a brick shed cost?
This guide does not print a build price. Size, footings, the wall build, the bricks, the roof, the doors and windows, power and access to the site all change the total. Ask builders to quote for the same size and specification, and to list groundwork separately.
Is a brick shed more expensive than a timber shed?
Usually, because it needs proper foundations, bricklaying, a roof structure and longer on site. In return it is solid, secure and does not need regular timber treatment. Compare the two on what you need the building for, not just the first price.
Do I need planning permission for a brick shed?
Often not, if it stays within permitted development. The Planning Portal says an outbuilding within 2 metres of a boundary should be no higher than 2.5 metres overall. Check with your council if the house is listed or in an area with extra controls.
Does a brick shed need building regulations approval?
Usually not for a small one. The Planning Portal says approval is not normally needed between 15 and 30 square metres if there is no sleeping accommodation and the building is at least one metre from any boundary or built substantially of non-combustible materials.
What foundations does a brick shed need?
Brick walls are heavy, so they need firm footings, often a concrete strip under the walls or a reinforced slab. The depth depends on the ground and nearby trees. Ask each builder what foundation they are pricing and how deep they will dig.
Can I have power in a brick shed?
Yes, from a registered electrician, and this guide gives no DIY steps. The Planning Portal says a complete new circuit is notifiable work, and that an electrician registered with a competent person scheme can self-certify it. Plan the cable route before the footings go in.
Does QuoteZila check the builders who quote?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
Related guides
- Builders: footings and bricklaying
- Roofers: tiled and flat roofs
- Electricians: power and lighting
- Garden room cost guide
- All cost guides
Part of Cost guides. All services
Related trades
Cost guides
Related pages
- Building a Garage: What the Rules Turn On. Building a garage in Cheshire turns on height, position and whether it is attached. This guide prints no build price. It sets out the permission tests.
- Building a house in Cheshire: the cost drivers. What changes the cost of building a house in Cheshire: the site, the specification and the permissions. No build price per square metre is printed.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and jobs-for-tradesmen copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila terms and matching notes.
- S1: Outbuildings: planning permission, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-26. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/outbuildings/planning-permission/
- S2: Is building regulations approval needed for an outbuilding?, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-26. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/outbuildings/is-building-regulations-approval-needed-for-an-outbuilding/
- S3: Building Regulations: general information, electrics, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-26. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/electrics/building-regulations-general-information/
- S4: Register for VAT, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-26. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat
- S5: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-26. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/