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Sheds, Garages, Cottages & More
Outbuildings
for
Historic Homes

Outbuildings
● Definition: A detached building
subordinate to a main building
● Range from small, rustic, poorly built
structures to large, elaborate, high
style buildings
● Early uses for Florida outbuildings
concentrated on separation of
functions

Typical Florida Residential Historic Outbuildings
● Farm uses
○ Livestock
○ Agriculture
● Detached Kitchen
● Outhouse
● Carriage House
● Pump House
● Laundry
● Servants Quarters
● Chapel
● Storage
● Garage
● Garage Apartment
● Guest House
● Tool Shed
● Potting Shed
● Workshop

Common Historic Uses, no longer needed
● Outhouse
● Pump House
● Carriage House
● Laundry
● Servant quarters
● Barns, chicken coops, stables, etc.
○ Change in property use
○ Change in farming techniques
● Business uses
○ Tarpon Springs sponge drying sheds
Can often be adapted to new uses due to the simple nature of the structures

Common Outbuildings Still in Use Today
● Garages
● Garage Apartments
● Cottage/ Apartments
○Accessory Dwelling
Units
● Sheds
○Storage
○Workshops

Why Keep a Historic Outbuilding?
● Part of home’s history
● Adds depth to neighborhood character
● Designed to complement home
● Adaptable to many uses
● Extra space!
● Zoning
● Setbacks

Why would you need an outbuilding today?
● Storage
○ Lawnmower, tools, sports equipment, motorcycle, boat,
etc.
● Home Gym/ Yoga Room
● Guest House/ Rental Unit
● Pool Cabana
● Outdoor Kitchen
● Screen Room
● Play Room
● Pub Shed/ Entertaining Space
● Man Cave/ She Shed
● Home Office

Garages
● Natural evolution from the carriage
house
● First distinguished as a separate type
of outbuilding in 1912
● Detached due to fire concerns as well
as odors
● Generally set to the rear of the lot
○ Subdivisions designed w/ alleys
○ Bungalow/ Pedestrian Courts
● Designed to hold one or more vehicle

Early Garage Design
● Available from mail order catalogs
● Early garages had double swinging doors
○ Sliding track doors
○ Overhead doors invented in 1921 by C.
G. Johnson (Overhead Door Company)
• Also invented electric garage door
opener in 1926
● Can match the main house or be different
architectural style
● Wood, metal, brick, stucco all common

Garage Apartment/ Cottage Apartment
●2-story Garage Apartment w/ parking below and apartment above
● Common in 1920s boom-era Florida suburbs
●Cottage Apartments
○ typically 1-story
● Servants, nanny flats, rental
● Mission, Mediterranean
Revival, Craftsman, Tudor,
any style

Cottages/ Tiny Houses
● Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADUs)
● Rental Units
● Granny Flats/ In-Law Suites/ Students
● Often allowed in Historic Districts
○ Design Guidelines
● Zoning Codes
● Building Codes

Accessory Dwelling Units/ Tiny Houses
Zoning
● Varies in each municipality
● Is your project allowed?
○ Owner Occupancy
○ Kitchens
● Setbacks
● Size
● Occupancy (maximum)

Cottages/ Tiny Houses
Building Codes - Statewide
● Residential Building Code 5th Edition
○ Updated every 3 years
● Permits
● Life Safety issues
○ Structural, including wind
○ Egress
○ Fire Spread
○ Health
○ Materials/ Product Performance
● Min. Room Dimensions - Total size not given

Home Office/ Man Cave/ She Shed
● Separate Work from daily life
● Quiet/ Professional atmosphere
● No commute

Sheds
● Definition: a slight or rude structure built for shelter, storage,
etc.
● Can be adapted to many uses, but most commonly used for tool
storage or gardening equipment

Designing a New Outbuilding
● Determine size appropriate for your use
● Keep the outbuilding visually subordinate to the main
building both in size and detail
● Plan the outbuilding location
○ Use to block undesireable areas
○ Avoid low lying areas
○ Easy Access
○ Zoning setbacks
○ Avoid Trees/ Utility Lines
●Design Review

● Form
○ Roof shape
○ Roof Slope
○ Soffit/ rafter tail design
○ Roof overhang
○ Proportions

● Exterior materials
○ Siding material, dimensions
● Paint in a complementary
color scheme
● Doors and windows
○ Mimic window proportions and
configuration
○ Draw from details on existing home

● Trim/ Details
○ Window and door surrounds
○ Outriggers/ brackets
○ Cornerboards
○ Skirtboard

● Look around for design inspiration
○ Neighborhoods
○ Historic images
○ Books
○ Web
• Flickr and other photo sharing
sites
● Think what would have been built
during the era your home was
constructed

Historic Shed
● Custom design based on main structure
● Built in our facility with quality control
● Use historically appropriate materials and
methods

Historic Shed
● Dismantled and reassembled on site
● Meets modern code requirements

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Outbuildings for Historic Homes

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Outbuildings for Historic Homes