Custom steel garages for Brisbane homes

The Brisbane garage question is siting

On a suburban Brisbane block the size of the garage is usually decided by where it can go. Queensland's default siting rules allow a Class 10a garage within the side and rear boundary clearance only if the part inside it is no more than 4.5 m high with a mean height of no more than 3.5 m, the total length of buildings along that boundary is no more than 9 m, and it stays at least 1.5 m from a required window of a habitable room next door.

Brisbane adds its own layer. On lots under 450 m², the City Plan's small-lot dwelling code prevails over the state rules, and in character areas, residential zones and neighbourhood plan areas the council can assess amenity and aesthetics where a design does not meet the listed acceptable outcomes. Your certifier can seek a referral for an alternative setback. We design the garage around these limits before you pay for drawings.

Approval in practice

Brisbane City Council says sheds are generally accepted development for planning, subject to requirements in residential zones, but a garage is building work: anything over 10 m², over 2.4 m high or with a side longer than 5 m needs building approval through a certifier. We can prepare the approval documents as part of the job.

The Queensland Housing Code began on 1 September 2026 and will replace the state siting rules council by council during a transition to 2029, so we confirm which rules apply to your lot at the time of design.

Flooding and slab height

Brisbane City Council's Flood Awareness Map covers river, creek, overland flow and storm tide flooding, and the FloodWise property report gives flood levels for the lot. For a garage, the flood information decides how high the slab sits and whether storing a car at ground level makes sense. The February 2022 event showed flash flooding can hit suburbs well away from the river, with a record 344.8 mm in a day at Alderley.

Built or as a kit

Brisbane is about 81 km from our Crowley Vale yard by road. We build complete garages including the slab where quoted, or supply a kit with its engineering documentation. QBCC allows owner-builders to build a garage, carport or residential shed under an owner-builder permit where one is required.