Garden Office

[CIS121]

I'm doing quite a major extension/refurb on a propety and considering a garden office. I've spoken to a few companies who make them for between 12 to 18k, which is over my budget and I'd be inclined to build one myself. Probably timber frame and timber clad, definitely insulated, powered and with a double glazed window and French doors. It's a desirable area just outside West London with a very long garden.

Thing is I'm going to be moving in a couple of years and not sure what this will do for resale value. Do most buyers tend to view such buildings as glorified sheds with a limited life or do they have appeal if properly constructed and decked out?

Your experiences please :-)

[blackcab]

My mate was going to build a garden office until he saw the price, he intends to move soon anyway due to growing family - he took the decision to buy a caravan and works out of it all year round, he has everything he needs, no planning issues and its a fairly stable in terms of resale value

if you have the room its worth a look at I think

[NikB]

I built one about 4 years ago for less than 2k all in. I did do all the work myself like pouring the base, putting it up and finishing the interior. I still use it regularly, I work from it 3 days a week.

It's based on a summer house from Waltons, I added a laminate floor and plasterboarded the inside. We are planning on moving, some of the people that view the house love it, others aren't that bothered, presumably because it's not something they have ever even considered using. I am planning on doing exactly the same one we have moved, but will look for something with some sort of double glazing and I would definately install underfloor heating. This will push the price up a fair bit, but it's so useful it's worth it.

[CIS121]

Thanks folks.

Nik - I've looked at a few from Waltons. Which model did you get? I'm surprised plasterboard hasn't suffered from the moisture. My neighbour's currently kitting out a studio office and is put off plasterboard in case of these problems (his is fully insulated with double glazing)

I'd like to get a basic shed with double glazing too, but the ones I've looked at with DG seem to already be specced for use as a home office and pretty pricey.

[Silver]

Check out my post in this thread:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I got a garden office put in back in the summer. It's a decent-sized space, double-glazed and looks pretty good. The cost was about 5K all in and took about 4 days to complete.

[NikB]

CIS121 said:

Thanks folks.

Nik - I've looked at a few from Waltons. Which model did you get? I'm surprised plasterboard hasn't suffered from the moisture. My neighbour's currently kitting out a studio office and is put off plasterboard in case of these problems (his is fully insulated with double glazing)

I'd like to get a basic shed with double glazing too, but the ones I've looked at with DG seem to already be specced for use as a home office and pretty pricey.

I've had a quick look at Waltons - they don't seem to do the one I have anymore, which is a shame. It's ideal because the whole front opens up which is ideal in summer for 'working from home'!. This is probably the closest:

http://www.waltons.co.uk/waltons-helios-summer-hou...

I lined the walls, floor and ceiling with plastic sheeting, then put polysyrene insulation in the voids between joists, then put the plasterboard over this, and laminate on the floor. I've not had any problems with moisture at all in the 5 years it's been up, and for the cost I would not mind having to replace it every 5 years.

I currently use an oil filled radiator to heat it, which I bung on 15 minutes before starting work and leave on all day, works fine, even in this weather.

[SaTTaN]

I have had one for the last year, it's been totally usable even in the current snow, it was 23c in there today and -5 outside

Not sure about resale value, but it would defo add appeal, ours cost about 7..8k built, double glazed and insulated with a lot of electricals, I would hope to see that again if we sold, but you never know

I kept a blog of the build at http://geekcabin.wordpress.com/