Can you legally live in a shed as a main dwelling? Pennsylvania UCC

realelectrician · Nov 10, 2014

There is a knuckle head on Youtube that claims he is legally allowed to live in a shed year round in Pennsylvania and doesn't have to conform to state construction codes.

A shed is considered an accessory building not a main dwelling. So if you want your shed to be a home it must meet PA UCC requirements correct?

Otherwise the only other classification of the shed would be a "recreational cabin" and even then PA does not allow year round living in a recreational cabin.

Am I correct?

Jay hole · Nov 10, 2014

Was it Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys???

jlsconstruction · Nov 10, 2014

A dwelling has to have power, and plumbing.

jb4211 · Nov 10, 2014

Do you have a link to the video?

TimNJ · Nov 10, 2014

Probably have to meet town zoning requirements also.
A lot of towns have minimum sq footage requirements for houses.

tedanderson · Nov 10, 2014

It's a very grey area. I think that you can get away with it if you are doing it in the woods on public land as it would technically be the same as camping in a tent. There are people all over youtube who are living off of the grid and building houses in remote areas using the materials that are out there.. although I wonder how they manage to sustain power and internet usage if they can post that stuff online.

Seven-Delta-FortyOne · Nov 10, 2014

jlsconstruction said:
A dwelling has to have power, and plumbing.

Not in Cali.

Owner-Builder unit doesn't have to have either, but if it has either, it must be in compliance with CEC and CPC. :thumbsup:

Delta

aaron_a · Nov 10, 2014

In quite a few of the small rural areas there are no permit requirements or anything out here. My friends have land a bit north of the city, the only thing they need to comply with is a setback from the road.

Rio · Nov 10, 2014

It has to comply with whatever code the area is under.

Easy Gibson · Nov 10, 2014

PA only got a uniform code system 15 or so years ago, didn't they?

If I want to live in a shed, why can't I live in a shed? I thought this was America.

Ragebhardt · Nov 10, 2014

Easy Gibson said:
PA only got a uniform code system 15 or so years ago, didn't they?

If I want to live in a shed, why can't I live in a shed? I thought this was America.

Better think again!

maxwage · Nov 12, 2014

Jay hole said:
Was it Bubbles from Trailer Park Boys???

Great reference. For those unfamiliar...:thumbup::clap::laughing:

BucketofSteam · Nov 12, 2014

maxwage said:
Great reference. For those unfamiliar...:thumbup::clap::laughing:

Sad part is I know trailer parks worse than that.

I also know tons of people who live in what you would call sheds.

Red Adobe · Nov 12, 2014

There used to be more loopholes in many towns, but they have been widdled down I think.

25 years ago my Brother in law wanted a "shop' . they had a huge corner lot that had a mobile home, an old foundation and a 10x12 shed next to the foundation. They went to the city for permits and were told they could not build a new shop that size unless they took out the MH first.
Some reading later he figured out that the foundation was grandfathered in and that there was no size limit on "Shed Additions" of existing outbuildings. So he did a small addition to shed that went to the foundation about 8 ft. so shed was 12x18 ish. A few weeks later was memorial day weekend and 12 of us framed and finished the next addition 24x 40. The city was upset to say the least but nothing much they could due.
A few years later they sold it and moved to the country , the fella remodeled shop into a house and got OC permit. So in some aspects I'd say yes you could live in a one time shed.

Patrick S · Jul 18, 2016

We are getting more and more of our customers asking us if they can convert one our installed sheds into a small home. We always direct them to check into zoning laws before we move forward.

m1911 · Jul 18, 2016

Nice plug!

slowsol · Jul 18, 2016

Am I the only one that thought this was an A&E thread before you read the OP's name?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Kowboy · Jul 22, 2016

My father-in-law would be a whole lot better off in his shed than his house if a hurricane ever struck Sarasota.

Rooster Cogburn · Jul 25, 2016

realelectrician said:
There is a knuckle head on Youtube that claims he is legally allowed to live in a shed year round in Pennsylvania and doesn't have to conform to state construction codes.

A shed is considered an accessory building not a main dwelling. So if you want your shed to be a home it must meet PA UCC requirements correct?

Otherwise the only other classification of the shed would be a "recreational cabin" and even then PA does not allow year round living in a recreational cabin.

Am I correct?

I know knucklehead and he has an RV now.
Is there a state building code?

Easy Gibson · Jul 25, 2016

I'm going to stand by my comment from 2 years ago and I'd also like to add, "Who among you is man enough to stop me?"

Can you legally live in a shed as a main dwelling? Pennsylvania UCC

realelectrician

Jay hole

jlsconstruction

jb4211

TimNJ

tedanderson

Seven-Delta-FortyOne

aaron_a

Rio

Easy Gibson

Ragebhardt

maxwage

BucketofSteam

Red Adobe

Patrick S

m1911

slowsol

Kowboy

Rooster Cogburn

Easy Gibson

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