Studio Home backyard pod sizes and permit exemption limits

Studio Home, formerly Studio Shed, lists 25 backyard studio sizes in two series. The Signature series has 13 sizes from 8 x 10 ft to 12 x 20 ft. The Portland series has 12 sizes from 8 x 12 ft to 16 x 16 ft. Floor area ranges from 80 to 256 sq ft.

Studio Home quick facts

Models: Signature (13 sizes), Portland (12 sizes)
Floor area: 80 to 256 sq ft
Price: Not confirmed
Ceiling height: Not listed
Insulation: Walls and roof, with a finished installation. R-value not listed.
Power: Electrical package with a finished installation. Outlet count not listed.
Pre-wired: Only with a finished installation
Outside height: Not listed
Permit statement: The FAQ says it depends on size, use and options.

Studio Home sizes and specs

Model	Size	Floor area
Signature	8 x 10 ft	80 sq ft
Signature	8 x 12 ft	96 sq ft
Signature	8 x 14 ft	112 sq ft
Signature	8 x 16 ft	128 sq ft
Signature	10 x 10 ft	100 sq ft
Signature	10 x 12 ft	120 sq ft
Signature	10 x 14 ft	140 sq ft
Signature	10 x 16 ft	160 sq ft
Signature	10 x 20 ft	200 sq ft
Signature	12 x 12 ft	144 sq ft
Signature	12 x 14 ft	168 sq ft
Signature	12 x 16 ft	192 sq ft
Signature	12 x 20 ft	240 sq ft
Portland	8 x 12 ft	96 sq ft
Portland	8 x 14 ft	112 sq ft
Portland	8 x 16 ft	128 sq ft
Portland	10 x 12 ft	120 sq ft
Portland	10 x 14 ft	140 sq ft
Portland	10 x 16 ft	160 sq ft
Portland	12 x 12 ft	144 sq ft
Portland	12 x 14 ft	168 sq ft
Portland	12 x 16 ft	192 sq ft
Portland	14 x 14 ft	196 sq ft
Portland	14 x 16 ft	224 sq ft
Portland	16 x 16 ft	256 sq ft

Model

Size

Floor area

Signature

8 x 10 ft

80 sq ft

Signature

8 x 12 ft

96 sq ft

Signature

8 x 14 ft

112 sq ft

Signature

8 x 16 ft

128 sq ft

Signature

10 x 10 ft

100 sq ft

Signature

10 x 12 ft

120 sq ft

Signature

10 x 14 ft

140 sq ft

Signature

10 x 16 ft

160 sq ft

Signature

10 x 20 ft

200 sq ft

Signature

12 x 12 ft

144 sq ft

Signature

12 x 14 ft

168 sq ft

Signature

12 x 16 ft

192 sq ft

Signature

12 x 20 ft

240 sq ft

Portland

8 x 12 ft

96 sq ft

Portland

8 x 14 ft

112 sq ft

Portland

8 x 16 ft

128 sq ft

Portland

10 x 12 ft

120 sq ft

Portland

10 x 14 ft

140 sq ft

Portland

10 x 16 ft

160 sq ft

Portland

12 x 12 ft

144 sq ft

Portland

12 x 14 ft

168 sq ft

Portland

12 x 16 ft

192 sq ft

Portland

14 x 14 ft

196 sq ft

Portland

14 x 16 ft

224 sq ft

Portland

16 x 16 ft

256 sq ft

Source: the Studio Home pages listed under Sources.

Floor area compared with 15 permit exemptions

The table compares floor area only. The conditions on electrical power, use and height are on each city or county page.

City or county	Size limit	80 sq ft	96 sq ft	100 sq ft	112 sq ft	120 sq ft	128 sq ft	140 sq ft	144 sq ft	160 sq ft	168 sq ft	192 sq ft	196 sq ft	200 sq ft	224 sq ft	240 sq ft	256 sq ft
Seattle	120 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
Portland	200 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
Washington County	200 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
Denver	200 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
Austin	200 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
Phoenix	200 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
Los Angeles	120 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
San Jose	120 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
San Francisco	120 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
Oakland	Less than 120 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Exactly at limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
San Mateo (city)	Less than 120 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Exactly at limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
San Mateo County (unincorporated)	120 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
Citrus Heights	120 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
Sacramento County (unincorporated)	120 sq ft	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Within limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit	Over limit
Raleigh	None	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size	Permit at any size

City or county

Size limit

80 sq ft

96 sq ft

100 sq ft

112 sq ft

120 sq ft

128 sq ft

140 sq ft

144 sq ft

160 sq ft

168 sq ft

192 sq ft

196 sq ft

200 sq ft

224 sq ft

240 sq ft

256 sq ft

Seattle

120 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

Portland

200 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

Washington County

200 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

Denver

200 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

Austin

200 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

Phoenix

200 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

Los Angeles

120 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

San Jose

120 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

San Francisco

120 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

Oakland

Less than 120 sq ft

Within limit

Exactly at limit

Over limit

San Mateo (city)

Less than 120 sq ft

Within limit

Exactly at limit

Over limit

San Mateo County (unincorporated)

120 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

Citrus Heights

120 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

Sacramento County (unincorporated)

120 sq ft

Within limit

Over limit

Raleigh

None

Permit at any size

Studio Home kit, power and permit notes

Studio Home sells panelized kits. The Signature series has a single-slope roof and the Portland series has a gable roof. A finished installation includes insulation in the walls and roof and a code-compliant electrical package, according to the Studio Home FAQ. The product feed and the product text list different starting prices, so the price is shown as Not confirmed.

Conditions beyond floor area

The Studio Home FAQ says 10 x 12 ft or smaller is its most popular size for builds without a permit. The FAQ also says heating or cooling will likely require a permit for the whole structure. It includes a list of questions for the building department.

The building department for the address decides whether a permit is required. This site repeats published rules and compares them with published pod sizes. Zoning rules, HOA rules and setbacks can also apply.