Sandy caps accessory buildings by lot size, from 750 sq ft on smaller lots up to 2,000 sq ft on an acre. Here are the rules and what a steel shop costs in Salt Lake County.
| Sandy at a glance | What it means for your building |
|---|---|
| Permit needed | One-story storage buildings of 200 sq ft or less are exempt (zoning still applies). Over 750 sq ft or walls over 10 ft: Utah-engineer-stamped structural plans required (ours are PE-stamped). |
| Size cap (all accessory buildings) | Up to 14,999 sq ft lot: 750 sq ft · 15,000 to 19,999: 1,000 · 20,000 to 39,999: 1,500 · 40,000 and up: 2,000. Never more than 25% of the rear yard. No single building over 1,500 sq ft without a conditional use permit. |
| Height | Rear yard: 15 ft (R-1-12 and smaller), 20 ft (R-1-15 and larger). Side yard: 10 ft. Over 15 ft, setbacks grow 1 ft per foot. |
| Setbacks | 2 ft from side (in the rear yard) and rear lines, 30 ft from the front line, 6 ft from the house, 10 ft from the neighbor's house, plus a 3 ft clear path to the rear yard. |
| Design | Must be compatible with the architecture of the house. No separate utility meters. Two accessory buildings per lot (not limited in A zones). |
| Elevation | About 4,450 ft, Salt Lake County. East-bench lots run higher, with heavier snow. |
From Sandy's published code and permit pages, checked October 2026. Rules change, so confirm with the city before you build. Snow, wind and seismic values: see the Salt Lake County guide.
Building package estimates for Salt Lake County from our live estimator (October 2026, 3:12 roof, 10×10-class roll-up doors). Foundation, site prep and erection are separate.
| Building | Salt Lake County estimate |
|---|---|
| 24×30×12 garage or small shop | $16,600 – $20,700 |
| 30×40×14 shop, 2 roll-up doors | $28,800 – $35,900 |
| 40×60×16 shop, 2 roll-up doors | $57,800 – $72,000 |
Your written quote is the firm number. More on steel shop pricing in Utah →
A conditional use permit can add about 25% more total square footage, or up to 50% more on lots over 40,000 sq ft or in A zones, and can allow height up to the zone's house height. In A zones with 40,000 sq ft or more, a barn or storage building up to 20 ft and 2,000 sq ft can sit in the front or side yard if it is in scale with the house.
No attached two-car garage? Sandy lets you add a detached garage up to 480 sq ft regardless of the coverage cap.
10000 Centennial Parkway, Room 210, Sandy, UT 84070 · (801) 568-7279 · Planning (801) 568-6058. City permit page →
All accessory buildings together are capped by lot size: 750 square feet on lots under 15,000 square feet, 1,000 up to 19,999, 1,500 up to 39,999 and 2,000 on lots of 40,000 square feet or more, and never more than 25 percent of the rear yard.
In the rear yard, 15 feet in R-1-12 and smaller zones and 20 feet in R-1-15 and larger zones. In a side yard, 10 feet.
Yes for accessory buildings over 750 square feet or with walls over 10 feet tall. Every Royalty Metal Buildings order includes PE-stamped drawings.
A 30x40 shop with 14-foot walls and two roll-up doors estimates at about $28,800 to $35,900 for the building package in Salt Lake County on our live estimator (October 2026). Foundation and erection are separate.
Get a live estimate now, then a firm quote with drawings engineered for your address.