A gray storage shed and a matching detached garage behind a newer two-story Olathe home

Outdoor structures in Olathe, KS

Sheds, garages, and ADUs for Olathe's newer subdivisions.

Site-built sheds, detached garages, backyard offices, and accessory dwelling units for Olathe homeowners, under a city ADU ordinance that needs only a building permit.

DistanceAbout 28 miles from our Lee's Summit shopAround 40 minutes west on I-435 and K-10, across the state line.CountyJohnson County

Olathe is the Johnson County seat and one of the fastest-growing cities in the metro, with most of its housing built after 1990 and the newest growth along the K-7 corridor and south of 159th Street. Those subdivisions share a pattern: a two-story house, a modest yard, a two-car attached garage that fills up fast, and no storage for the lawn equipment, the bikes, and the second freezer.

Olathe also has one of the clearest accessory dwelling unit ordinances in Kansas. Since 2022 an ADU has been allowed in every residential district with a building permit and no separate administrative review, as long as it matches the house and stays within the size limits. We build on the Kansas side every month and handle Olathe's all-digital permit process for you.

Permits

Permits in Olathe

Olathe runs an all-digital residential permit process and treats storage sheds, pool houses, and detached garages as permitted accessory structures. What the city publishes:

We prepare the drawings, file the application, and schedule the inspections. You sign, we do the rest.

Accessory structuresStorage sheds, pool houses, detached garages, and carports each have an online accessory structure permit application with plans and a site plan. Small sheds under the code's exemption size may not need one; we confirm the current threshold for your lot before we build.
ADUsAllowed as an accessory to a single-family home in all residential, downtown, and planned districts. Attached, detached, or converted from an existing building. One per lot.
ADU sizeUp to 1,000 square feet or 50 percent of the house, whichever is less, with no more than two bedrooms, and no taller than two stories or the house.
ADU placementAt least 6 feet behind the front of the house and 10 feet from the rear lot line. Must match the architectural style and materials of the house. Total lot coverage stays under 75 percent.
ADU processBuilding permit only; no separate administrative review. Separate address, separate utility easements, and one off-street parking space, which can be in the existing driveway.

Source: City of Olathe, Residential Building Permits, and Olathe UDO 18.50.025. Verified September 2026. Rules change; we confirm current requirements for your address before the quote is final.

Where we build in Olathe

Olathe neighborhoods we work in include:

  • Cedar Creek
  • Stonebridge Meadows
  • Prairie Highlands
  • Daytona Pines
  • The K-7 corridor
  • South of 159th Street

Questions from Olathe homeowners

Does Olathe allow accessory dwelling units?

Yes. Olathe's 2022 ordinance allows one ADU per lot in every residential district as an accessory to a single-family home. It can be attached, detached, or converted from an existing building, up to 1,000 square feet or half the house, whichever is less, with a building permit and no separate review.

Do I need a permit for a shed in Olathe?

Olathe lists storage sheds under its accessory structure permit, applied for online with plans and a site plan. Very small sheds may fall under the building code's exemption size; we confirm the current threshold with the city for your specific shed before we build.

You are in Missouri. Do you build in Olathe?

Yes. Our shop is in Lee's Summit, about 40 minutes away, and we build on the Kansas side every month. Olathe's digital permit process and Johnson County requirements are routine for us.

Can an Olathe ADU be over the garage?

Yes. The ordinance allows an ADU as a new building or as part of an existing accessory structure, up to two stories, as long as it stays within the size limit and matches the house. A garage with a unit above it is a common way to do it.

Ready to build something that lasts?

Tell us what you want to build. We will review your property, walk through the options, and put together a clear quote. No obligation.