Large base for garden cabin
Discussion
ah, how optimistic that 6 weeks was... after some pretty serious issues with (lack of) customer service from the cabin company and 1 fired sales person later we have a date for the install.. which is the week (literally) of xmas 21st-23rd with the concrete slab being laid on the 16th.
Been a bit of a mare but have managed to come to a financial arrangement with the company involved and to their credit once the top people were involved it got resolved quickly; timing isn't ideal but the deal is acceptable and it's on it's way to being done - and more importantly it means all the stuff can come out of the Garage and we have space in the house for the hordes that will be descending over the xmas period
in the meantime have had the power cable laid down to the location - wall fixed for now with some slack and will be buried next year when we re-turf the middle garden (10mm SWA hehe, prob overkill as it can support something like 9KW); hopefully I can line up the sparky for the same time as the install to at least plug in some basic power.
I'm going to start a blog with some pics as there will be quite a lot of fitting out after the xmas period so will post up the link when it's ready.
Been a bit of a mare but have managed to come to a financial arrangement with the company involved and to their credit once the top people were involved it got resolved quickly; timing isn't ideal but the deal is acceptable and it's on it's way to being done - and more importantly it means all the stuff can come out of the Garage and we have space in the house for the hordes that will be descending over the xmas period
in the meantime have had the power cable laid down to the location - wall fixed for now with some slack and will be buried next year when we re-turf the middle garden (10mm SWA hehe, prob overkill as it can support something like 9KW); hopefully I can line up the sparky for the same time as the install to at least plug in some basic power.
I'm going to start a blog with some pics as there will be quite a lot of fitting out after the xmas period so will post up the link when it's ready.
pmanson said:
Sounds good... Are you going to run some CAT5 down there at the same time?
hehe, oh yes... 
this will be my office/lair and I'm a bit of a geek so have a lot of IT kit and general gadgetry, current plan is to run
4 x Cat5e (maybe Cat6)
2 x coaxial (CCTV & TV)
1 x phone (although I could use VoIP instead, might be useful if I can find an intercom capable phone)
1 x bell-wire (front door bell extension)
2 x pairs alarm wire (to extend the house alarm)
I think my current internal plan with the sparkie is 16 double sockets + interor/exterior lights + 1 x double external socket), but still to be refined
Anything I've missed - or am I just some kind of mad scientist? that does equate to a pretty chunky bundle of cable
Sounds good, we've got 4 CAT5e going in and then power going in, in another trench (to a new garage).
We've doubled up the CAT5e, so should be able to run voice through that. I'm pushing for the trunking to
allow me to push CAT6 through at a later date or other if the need arises (I've got boxes and boxes of CAT5e).
Not quite so many sockets as you though!!
We've doubled up the CAT5e, so should be able to run voice through that. I'm pushing for the trunking to
allow me to push CAT6 through at a later date or other if the need arises (I've got boxes and boxes of CAT5e).
Not quite so many sockets as you though!!
B17NNS said:
Sounds very cheap for the additional concrete in my opinion.
I recently did a base myself for a concrete sectional garage.
Ground was pretty good to start with but I dug out about 9". Infilled with 4" of compacted type 1, blinded with sand, DPM over and 5" of concrete with mesh reinforcement. Garage size was about 30m2. I did all the work myself, materials came in at about £900 I think.
Yes indeed. My garage base is 16' x 20', 6" thick, and cost me £450 just in concrete, a good deal from a fellow PHer. Usually the hardest part is getting the sticky stuff TO the build site, but these guys wheelbarrowed 12 tons of the stuff through my existing garage and out to the new one!I recently did a base myself for a concrete sectional garage.
Ground was pretty good to start with but I dug out about 9". Infilled with 4" of compacted type 1, blinded with sand, DPM over and 5" of concrete with mesh reinforcement. Garage size was about 30m2. I did all the work myself, materials came in at about £900 I think.
The ground work and all was done by yours truly. There are several rather large bags of gravel stuff in there.
A lighter shed would simply need some wood formers and then pour the concrete in.
aberdeeneuan said:
That tree at the back looks close to where the wall will be?
Looks awesome though - I'm going to build a big shed next summer as well so watching with interest!
There's about two feet clearance now it is all built. I should have cut the tree down, knocked that fence base thing out, and built the garage 6 feet further back, but I was lazy, and itching to start building. That hedge is ten feet thick.Looks awesome though - I'm going to build a big shed next summer as well so watching with interest!
I have started the blog about our cabin build, can't wait - but looks like it's going to be the new year before it's properly habitable as I'll need to get the varnishing/sealant stuff done and as it's being installed up to xmas eve it makes getting the electrician in tricky 
http://geekcabin.wordpress.com/
http://geekcabin.wordpress.com/
eliot said:
If you can - I would lay a conduit in the ground.
I spent hours pondering what cables to run into my living room extension and I still got it wrong.
Also run CAT6 or 7 - not cat5e.
I ran 3 lengths of 20mm pvc conduit underground to my garage. So far I have only run an airline through one, but at least they are there in case I want to run water, telephone, heating, whatever. I spent hours pondering what cables to run into my living room extension and I still got it wrong.
Also run CAT6 or 7 - not cat5e.
I'm ordering some 32mm flexible conduit today and will run all the cable in that - its steel armoured/plastic coated ~£70 for a 30m run (I need 2 ) but will be job done - my cable bundle will prob fill the conduit.
Its only going to be surface mounted until next summer - when we get the 2nd half of the garden turfed I'll trench it in (have left enough slack to do so)
Now, just need the rain to stop for a bit!
) but will be job done - my cable bundle will prob fill the conduit.Its only going to be surface mounted until next summer - when we get the 2nd half of the garden turfed I'll trench it in (have left enough slack to do so)
Now, just need the rain to stop for a bit!
SaTTaN said:
I'm ordering some 32mm flexible conduit today and will run all the cable in that - its steel armoured/plastic coated ~£70 for a 30m run (I need 2 ) but will be job done - my cable bundle will prob fill the conduit.
Its only going to be surface mounted until next summer - when we get the 2nd half of the garden turfed I'll trench it in (have left enough slack to do so)
Now, just need the rain to stop for a bit!
Whereabouts did you order the conduit from? ) but will be job done - my cable bundle will prob fill the conduit.Its only going to be surface mounted until next summer - when we get the 2nd half of the garden turfed I'll trench it in (have left enough slack to do so)
Now, just need the rain to stop for a bit!
Agreed on the rain front!!!! stop!! (for a week or two at least)
eps said:
SaTTaN said:
I'm ordering some 32mm flexible conduit today and will run all the cable in that - its steel armoured/plastic coated ~£70 for a 30m run (I need 2 ) but will be job done - my cable bundle will prob fill the conduit.
Its only going to be surface mounted until next summer - when we get the 2nd half of the garden turfed I'll trench it in (have left enough slack to do so)
Now, just need the rain to stop for a bit!
Whereabouts did you order the conduit from? ) but will be job done - my cable bundle will prob fill the conduit.Its only going to be surface mounted until next summer - when we get the 2nd half of the garden turfed I'll trench it in (have left enough slack to do so)
Now, just need the rain to stop for a bit!
Agreed on the rain front!!!! stop!! (for a week or two at least)
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/12389/Electrical-Sup...
I used a few lengths of it for securing the wiring round the walls, and I still have a load left in the loft. You might find it is too small if you want to run all the wires together.
A little persuasion from a heat gun and it bends very well:
And buries beautifully, along with my SWA power cable..
how did the cabin end up?
I'm in process of putting up a 4x3m one, its got 2 x 45 mm logs with 45mm insulation panels inbetween.
It also has same insulation underneath (as its built on stilts) but none in the roof (will add later if needed, yes, bit of an oversight if I'm honest)
I'm trying to ascertain if a 1.5 or 2kw heater will be enough to keep it warm in depths of winter, any ideas anyone?
I'm in process of putting up a 4x3m one, its got 2 x 45 mm logs with 45mm insulation panels inbetween.
It also has same insulation underneath (as its built on stilts) but none in the roof (will add later if needed, yes, bit of an oversight if I'm honest)
I'm trying to ascertain if a 1.5 or 2kw heater will be enough to keep it warm in depths of winter, any ideas anyone?
Edited by CraigW on Tuesday 2nd November 17:22
Quite simply, it's awesome - I'm in it at the moment, its about 7c outside and I'm wearing shorts and T-shirt as it's 19c in here.
I've used it throughout this year, just 2 x 2.5kw electrical oil heaters (cheap B&Q rubbish) on the built-in thermostats; I've only had to switch them on in the last month - rest of the year was fine. I usually switch them off at night and manually switch them on manually (due to the crap non-timer thermostats) about 45mins before I start work, and it's lovely and warm by then (tbh, it's never gone below 10c inside, even in the snow) - although I do have about 600w of computer kit that is switched on 24/7 so that probably helps keep it warm!
Mine is single skinned 45mm logs, with roof and floor insulation if that helps for comparison - think the roof insulation will help a lot though.
I've used it throughout this year, just 2 x 2.5kw electrical oil heaters (cheap B&Q rubbish) on the built-in thermostats; I've only had to switch them on in the last month - rest of the year was fine. I usually switch them off at night and manually switch them on manually (due to the crap non-timer thermostats) about 45mins before I start work, and it's lovely and warm by then (tbh, it's never gone below 10c inside, even in the snow) - although I do have about 600w of computer kit that is switched on 24/7 so that probably helps keep it warm!
Mine is single skinned 45mm logs, with roof and floor insulation if that helps for comparison - think the roof insulation will help a lot though.
I'm mid build too.
4m x 3m 34mm walls, double glazed.
Laid my own concrete slab (had the concrete delivered), built the cabin, insulated it (100mm top and bottom and 25mm on walls). Just had the electrician in to hook it up to the mains, already had a fusebox outside in the garage so that bit was fairly simple.
Still got to plasterboard the interior, paint, flooring and finish.
Will post some pics when done, but i am alos cusrious about the heating side of things as i plan on using it all day most days.
4m x 3m 34mm walls, double glazed.
Laid my own concrete slab (had the concrete delivered), built the cabin, insulated it (100mm top and bottom and 25mm on walls). Just had the electrician in to hook it up to the mains, already had a fusebox outside in the garage so that bit was fairly simple.
Still got to plasterboard the interior, paint, flooring and finish.
Will post some pics when done, but i am alos cusrious about the heating side of things as i plan on using it all day most days.
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