Garden Office (all year round use)

[timetex]

When we move, we're looking at adding a garden office, along the lines of:

http://www.thegardenoffice.co.uk/

or

https://the-green-room.co.uk

It'll be large enough for 2+ to work comfortably in (probably at least 5m x 4m) and because it is more than just a shed (built with SIPS panels etc.) it should be great to work in all year round, with minimal heating requirements. Electrical connection, obviously, with sufficient sockets, and I'll probably even get a full ethernet connection pulled down to it as well so internet access will be reliable. Finally, will also connect it to the non-mains drainage (biodisk) and inbound water supply so it can be plumbed for toilet / sink.

Anyone any experiences of either company, or alternatives? Or suggest something different?

[Slagathore]

I would consider having something brick/block built.

If you're going to go to the expense and effort of having services to it, you may as well go with something not prefab.

I reckon for that sort of money - £20-25k, you could get a really nice timber frame building made exactly how you want. Or maybe with some mates rates and seperating the trades out, a brick/block built place.

[anonymous-user]

There are loads of options. If you know a competent jobbing builder ideas and build your own for a fraction of the price.


I quite fancy a converted airstream caravan.

[battered]

That's lovely, but expensive. My dad built a 6m x 4m shed for a fraction of that, he then decided it needed insulating. I did a lot of the work with him. By the time it was finished it was built to a better standard than my house at the time. It was toasty. Double doors to the front, wide enough for a car (except there was no driveway) and with 2 opening windows on one side. Cost ~1500 materials, plus labour. Lots of labour, when I say he built it, he had a lorry load of timber delivered and set to with a bench saw.

I would be absolutely happy to live in a structure like that, they are easy to heat and pleasant places to be, winter and summer. As an office it would be marvellous, and it was very nice looking. A commercial log cabin would offer all those benefits for less labour, albeit at a modest cost.

[timetex]

Thanks for the input.

I'm not sure something brick / block built would end up that much cheaper, would it? It would also still have to be under a certain height to make sure no planning was required. I've not checked to see if a block / brick built building would still need planning.

We'd also like to avoid major foundation work.

Also wanted to avoid something too much like a shed or log cabin. Did consider things like an old Airstream, or a Shepherd's Hut but although these are perhaps a little unimaginative, at least they are fit for purpose as that's what they were designed for!

Will look into it further....

[battered]

timetex said:

I'm not sure something brick / block built would end up that much cheaper, would it?

No but probably more durable. It's brick after all.

timetex said:

I've not checked to see if a block / brick built building would still need planning.

Almost certainly if it's the same size as the proposed sectional building. Sheds and cabins escape because they are "temporary structures" so provided they fit within the regs of max height, more than 2m from the fence, etc, you can fill your boots. Try that with a brick building the same size and you will have Planning down on you in no time.

timetex said:

We'd also like to avoid major foundation work.

Cabins will sit on concrete slabs on sand, no footing needed. Not so bricks.

timetex said:

Also wanted to avoid something too much like a shed or log cabin.

Right then, that's out!

timetex said:

Did consider things like an old Airstream, or a Shepherd's Hut but although these are perhaps a little unimaginative, at least they are fit for purpose as that's what they were designed for!

Each to their own, I'd have a log cabin 10x over before either of them! Have you considered a craned-in office based on a shipping container? Ugly, but effective.

[Squiggs]

Last year I had a 5m x 4m built.
Wooden frame, the exterior is finished in concrete board (or is it Marley board [?]- it looks like coloured weather boarding but it's maintenance free).
2 smallish (750mm x 750mm) double glazed double opening windows and a set of double glazed french doors.
50mm insulation to the walls, ceiling and floor, 2 internal walls were boarded in wooden sheet (so I can get solid fixings for shelving etc), then all internal walls and ceiling were plaster boarded and plastered (not decorated)
The roof was covered in some sort of rubberised membrane (guaranteed for 25 years)
...... all for £8K
The internal electrics (excluding fittings) were an extra £750.
I'm not sure what the concrete base or the running of power to it came in at as that was done as part of our extension costs (by the same builder) whilst there was still decent access.

NB. Builder kept saying he lost money building the 'shed' (but they all say that - don't they?)

[Murph7355]

Me again

A good mate of mine had a really nice one built by these guys:

http://garden2office.co.uk/About/

Not sure they'd travel though as he was SW London.

Really nice space though.

[BobberKing]

I’m currently looking myself. These guys don’t look bad:

https://ihusannexe.com

... if you’ve got a spare £100k!!!