Sheds we build in Dundas
A shed has to suit the yard it sits in, so we build to the lot you've got. We put up storage sheds, garden sheds, and bigger backyard workshops, sized and laid out around how you actually use the space and the room you have to give it. On the tighter lots in the King and Sydenham core, that usually means a compact shed tucked along a fence line or into a back corner. On a larger lot with more room to work, we can go bigger: a real door for a mower or a bike, windows, and a roof line that matches the house.
As a Dundas shed builder, we handle the whole job with our own hands: the base, the framing, the walls, the roof, the door, and the trim. Custom sheds in Dundas, ON start with a free on-site quote, where we walk the yard, look at access and grade, and figure out the size and style that fit you. The Hammer Construction is licensed and insured, and the crew that quotes the job is the crew that builds it.
Want a backyard shed and a matching fence done at the same time? We build fences too, so one crew handles both.
Permits and zoning for a shed in Dundas
Most backyard sheds in Dundas don't need a building permit, and the size is what decides it. Under the Ontario Building Code, a detached one-storey shed used for storage, 15 m² (about 160 sq ft) or smaller, with no plumbing, does not need a building permit. Go over 15 m², or add plumbing, and a building permit is required. If you want power run out to the shed, that needs an electrical (ESA) permit on its own.
No permit doesn't mean no rules. Zoning still applies at any size. Your shed has to sit back off the property lines by the required setback, and it has to stay under the height and lot-coverage limits for your lot. Those numbers vary, so we confirm them with the City before we build, set the shed where it's allowed to go, and keep it under the cap. That way it's done right the first time and there's nothing to move or argue about later.
We sort the permit and zoning side as part of the job. You get a straight answer on what your shed needs at the free quote.
A shed base that won't heave (slope + frost)
Dundas is the Valley Town, and it builds like it. The streets climb up off the valley floor toward the escarpment, so a lot of backyards here carry real slope, and the older lots in the core are tight on top of it. A shed needs a level, stable base, and on sloped ground that takes planning, not a few blocks dropped on the grass.
What the shed sits on depends on its size. A smaller storage shed can sit on a compacted granular pad or pressure-treated skids, levelled and drained so it sheds water instead of sitting in it. A larger shed, or one on a real foundation, needs footings dug down toward the frost line, about 1.2 m (4 ft) in this part of southern Ontario, so it bears on undisturbed soil and doesn't lift. Ontario's freeze-thaw winters push shallow bases up when the wet ground freezes, then drop them in spring. That's frost heave, and it's what racks a shed door so it won't close and tilts a floor within a season or two. The fix is a base built for the size of the shed and the slope of the lot.
Before we dig any pad or footing, we book the locates through Ontario One Call. It's free, and it's the law: anyone digging in Ontario has to have the buried utilities marked first. We make the call and wait for the marks before a shovel goes in.
There's one more layer in Dundas. Spencer Creek runs through the valley and the escarpment closes in, so the Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) regulates land near watercourses, floodplains, wetlands, and steep slopes. Under Ontario Regulation 41/24, you can need a permit before site alteration in those areas. On a steep escarpment lot, near Sydenham Hill, or close to Spencer Creek, that can apply, so we check it and confirm with the HCA before we break ground, rather than dig and find out after.
What working with us looks like
Here's how a shed build runs with our crew:
- Free quote. Send your details through the contact form, or call or text (647) 424-1148. We come out, walk the yard, and look at the size, access, and slope.
- Design and permit. We lock the size, style, and spot, confirm the zoning setbacks and height with the City, and pull a building or ESA permit if the shed needs one.
- Base and locates. We book the Ontario One Call locates, then prep the base: a granular pad or skids for a smaller shed, footings down toward frost for a larger one.
- Build. We frame, sheath, roof, and finish the shed on site, doors, windows, and trim included.
- Walkthrough. We clean up the site and walk the finished shed with you before we call it done.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a shed in Dundas?
Usually not. Under the Ontario Building Code, a detached one-storey storage shed 15 m² (about 160 sq ft) or smaller with no plumbing doesn't need a building permit. You do need one if the shed is over 15 m² or has plumbing, and running power to it needs an electrical (ESA) permit. Zoning setbacks and height limits apply either way, and we confirm all of it with the City before we build.
How big can my shed be without a permit?
Up to 15 m², about 160 sq ft, as a detached one-storey storage shed with no plumbing. Above that you're into building-permit territory. We can build either side of that line, and we'll tell you at the free quote which way your shed falls and what it needs.
Can you build a shed on a sloped Dundas lot?
Yes, and a lot of Dundas lots slope. We level the base into the grade, use taller footings or a built-up pad on the low side, and keep the floor dead level. Sloped, tight backyards near the escarpment are normal here, and we plan the access and the base around them.
What does the shed sit on?
It depends on the size. A smaller shed sits on a compacted granular pad or pressure-treated skids, levelled and drained. A larger shed or one on a foundation gets footings dug down toward the 1.2 m (4 ft) frost line so it doesn't heave over winter. We pick the base to suit your shed and your lot.
Do I need locates before you dig?
Yes. Ontario law requires a locate request through Ontario One Call before anyone digs, even on your own property and even for a shed pad. It's free, we book it on every job, and we wait for the buried lines to be marked before we start.
Get a free shed quote in Dundas
Want a straight answer on your shed? We'll come out, walk the yard, look at the size, access, and slope, and give you an honest quote with no pressure. The Hammer Construction is local, licensed, and insured, we sort the permits and locates, and we build the base to suit your lot so the shed holds level for good. We also build decks if your backyard project needs more than a shed. Get a free quote through our contact form, or call or text (647) 424-1148.