Shed and equipment pads around Indianapolis are usually reinforced slabs on a compacted granular base, raised a little above wet ground. Workshops, garages and additions need footings that reach the frost depth your building department requires, plus permits and inspections. Check plat easements and floodplain maps before you build, and contact Indiana 811 before digging.
Last updated
Sheds, pole barns, detached garages, hot tubs and room additions all need a base that won't move. In central Indiana, the big design question is frost: a slab or footing has to stay put while the ground around it freezes and thaws all winter. Small pads can float on a good granular base. Anything that supports walls or living space needs footings that meet the building code your local government has adopted.
Common projects
- Pads for storage sheds, playhouses and garden buildings
- Slabs for workshops, detached garages and carports
- Pads for hot tubs, generators and air conditioning equipment
- Footings and slabs for additions, sunrooms and screened porches
Shed and equipment pads
A shed pad is usually a reinforced slab over a compacted granular base, often with a thickened edge. Size it a little larger than the building, keep it level for the structure but shedding water at the edges, and raise it slightly above the yard so it doesn't sit in water on a flat, wet lot. Check setbacks and easements on your plat first; many Indianapolis-area subdivisions have drainage and utility easements along rear and side lot lines, and building in one may need city approval. Accessory buildings above a certain size usually need a permit, and HOAs often limit size, location and materials.
Workshops and garages
A slab that will carry vehicles or heavy tools needs more thickness and reinforcement than a shed pad, plus footings or thickened edges sized for the walls and for frost. If you'll heat the space, ask about a vapor retarder, under-slab insulation, and where to place floor drains, plumbing or conduit before the pour. Floor drains may need plumbing permits and approval for where they discharge.
Additions and structural work
Foundations for additions and other habitable space must follow the building code adopted locally, which means a permit, footings deep enough to get below frost and sized for the soil, inspections before concrete is placed, and sometimes engineered drawings. Indiana doesn't have a statewide general contractor license, but the City of Indianapolis licenses general contractors through the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services, and its code requires contractors doing construction, driveway or excavation work in the city to be licensed there. Suburbs have their own contractor registration rules. Concrete crews often pour additions under a builder who holds the permit, so make sure roles are clear.
Central Indiana site factors
- Glacial till and wet soils: footings should bear on firm, undisturbed soil. Soft or saturated soil, and organic soil in low spots, may need to be removed.
- Frost depth: required footing depth is set by your local building department. Ask before excavation, not after.
- Floodplains: lots near the White River, Fall Creek, Eagle Creek and other streams may be in a mapped flood hazard area, and Indianapolis requires a floodplain development permit for development there.
- Utilities: Indiana law requires contacting Indiana 811 at least two full working days before digging.
Questions to ask
- Does this need a permit, and who pulls it?
- How deep are the footings, and what thickness, base and reinforcement are included?
- Are engineered drawings needed, and when are inspections scheduled?
- What do you need from the shed, garage or addition builder before you start?
Planning a building or addition in the Indianapolis area? Request a slab or foundation contractor and include the structure's size and use.
See how it works
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit for a shed slab around Indianapolis?
It depends on the city or town and the size of the building. Many require permits for accessory buildings above a certain size, and placing one in a drainage or utility easement may need approval. HOAs often add their own rules. Check with your local building department.
Does Indiana license concrete contractors?
Indiana doesn't issue a statewide concrete or general contractor license. Licensing is local: the City of Indianapolis licenses general contractors, and its code requires contractors doing driveway, excavation and construction work in the city to be licensed. Suburbs have their own registration and bonding rules.
How deep do footings need to be?
Footings must reach the frost depth required by your local building code so they don't heave. That depth is set locally, so confirm it with your building department or the builder before excavation.
Sources and further reading
- American Concrete Institute (ACI)
- Portland Cement Association (PCA)
- City of Indianapolis: Driveway Permits
- City of Indianapolis: Right-of-Way Permits
- City of Indianapolis: Infrastructure and Right-of-Way
- City of Indianapolis: Contractor Licenses
- City of Carmel Engineering: Right-of-Way Information
- City of Carmel Engineering FAQs
- City of Fishers: Right-of-Way Contractor Registration Instructions
- City of Noblesville: Encroachment Permit Applications
- City of Noblesville: Residential New Construction Standards
- City of Westfield: Apply for a Permit
- Town of Zionsville: Right-of-Way Management and Permits
- City of Greenwood: Right-of-Way/Street Cut Permit Application
- Purdue Extension: Indiana Soils, Evaluation for Agriculture and Home Sites (ID-72)
- Encyclopedia of Indianapolis: Geology
- Purdue Joint Transportation Research Program: Concrete Pavement and Deicing Salts
- Indiana Attorney General: Storm Chaser and Home Improvement Contract Tips
- Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor: 811 Call Before You Dig
- Indiana 811
- Citizens Energy Group: Permits and Forms