If you’re one of those employees who is being given the chance to continue to work from home, you may be looking at ways to build yourself a garden office. Having a dedicated place to set up your computer makes working from home a bit more comfortable and makes it feel like a genuine lifestyle shift rather than a temporary measure.
Alternatively, you may have decided to devote more time to something you enjoy which was previously a hobby, and so you need space to store your supplies and work uninterrupted.
Deciding to build your own garden office in a shed, summerhouse or log cabin is a good way to achieve this goal. It is a relatively inexpensive way to give yourself some extra space. It costs less than renting a dedicated office in a co-working centre, and in lockdown, is more accessible and even safer too. You’re working on your own, or only with your family or housemates visiting. If you prefer to avoid the office gossip, or dislike interruptions, this could be your answer.
Build your own garden office
So, how can you build your own garden office, on a budget and quickly?
Firstly you need to consider the space and amenities you need. A log cabin could give you enough space to have a decent sized desk, a small meeting table and a drinks corner. You could include water supplies and electricity for heat. Or, if you’re a pet owner, a place for your pets to snooze and keep you company while you work.
Log cabins are fun and affordable, plus they’re a step up from the common-or garden-shed. They’re relatively easy to install and build too – garden buildings less than 2.5m high and smaller than 15 metres squared don’t usually need planning permission but will give you enough space inside to have a reasonable working space. Anything bigger should only take a couple of months to be approved, all being well.
Once you’ve worked out the location and any other rules you need to adhere to, you’re good to go. If you have any other concerns, your local planning office should be able to answer them for you. The one thing you need to be aware of is that many sheds and garden buildings have a roof overhang, so they should not be placed too close to walls, fences, trees or shrubs in order to minimise damage to both building and greenery.
You don’t need a fancy space for your self build garden office
The size you choose for your self build garden office is entirely up to you. You don’t need to buy a custom built log cabin, you can customise your own for a fraction of the price.
It’s much more relaxing working in your own back garden than laying out thousands of pounds on bespoke office space or even shared co-working rooms. If you’re a small business owner, you might still decide to use a co-working space occasionally to meet an important client or conduct interviews.
However, if you’re someone whose large employer has told you to work from home on a semi-permanent basis, or a freelancer who works remotely, then a reliable, fast internet connection with video conferencing bandwidth is likely to be better use for you than any number of upmarket office facilities.
In that case, your self built garden office could also double as a storage space or be used for entertaining. A summerhouse or log cabin can be easier on the eye and look more natural than a utilitarian shed, and is friendlier for use as an office, as you can take advantage of natural light through the windows. It all depends what you want your self build garden rooms for.
Treat your wood well
The main advantage of using wood to build your office pod for the garden is that it is fully natural. It is an integral part of any garden, so it blends in rather than being an eyesore. In fact, it is common for newly installed wooden buildings to need gentle maintenance in the early days.
You might find yourself having to adjust the fitting of doors and windows, and indeed an annual check is usually recommended to ensure the best fit and security. It’s a good idea to completely treat the floorboards with a protective varnish before you lay them to help prevent damage. You should also treat the walls, inside and out, with wood stain or similar preservative once it is built and settled.
One way to consider in order to save money on your new building is to consider an ex display garden room. Many companies will have built models they are looking to sell at a reduced rate
It’s a good idea to install or build your garden office in the spring and summer.
Not only is the weather warmer and sunnier, you have more hours of light to work in. You can take the time to personalise your garden room to your personal taste, in the colours and furnishings you prefer.
Otherwise you run the risk of having your new building being unloved, and showing signs of neglect, with discoloured wood and mould appearing. You don’t want to work in that sort of environment, so it’s best to put in the time when you start out on this project.
Building your cabin
Unless you buy an agreed ex display garden room delivered fully assembled, log cabins and garden offices are normally delivered flat pack in weatherproof packing so they can stay outside for a bit.
You will need to dig and lay the base first, and there are a number of options for that. It is maybe best to do this while you’re waiting for your garden room to be delivered so that as soon as it arrives, you can assemble it, but even if life conspires against you, your new workspace will be protected for a while.
Most flat pack wooden buildings are delivered prefabricated, precut, mostly untreated and ready for assembly.
The parts are usually numbered so the new owner can easily follow the assembly instruction leaflet, and the delivery will contain everything necessary to build a basic garden room from scratch – foundation beams, wall timber, panels, roof and floor planks, the door and any windows, felt for the roof, bracings, manual and all the fixings necessary to build it into a 3-D construction from a flat pack delivery.
A solid base is key
The construction of a solid and steady shed base is vitally important, as without that your new office could suffer all sorts of issues. For a semi-permanent structure such as a garden office, a concrete base is probably best. It is suitable for small sheds or summerhouses up to 10 metres squared.
You will need to dig out a depth of around 10-11 inches (25-30cm) and fill it with gravel and sand before laying the concrete as flat as you can get it. It’s worth levelling it carefully several times to ensure your garden room is well supported.
You might decide that even if you can handle putting your new workspace up yourself, it might be a good idea to hire a local builder to lay the foundation for you. It could work out a bit more expensive, but in the long run, getting it right from the foundations up pays off.
Many warranties rely on proper foundation installation, so if you are in any doubt, don’t risk your warranty, ask a professional.
Your building could turn out to be unusable very quickly if not, with twisted walls, cracked windows and doors which will not shut and lock safely.
The shed base is the trickiest bit, while self assembly of garden rooms is easier by comparison and widely considered to be within the reach of a couple of people used to enthusiastic and careful DIY. Standard manual handling rules apply, where items of the size and weight of shed parts will need two people to ensure safe handling.
To build your garden office yourself, you will also need basic DIY tools such as a hammer, saw, pliers, drill, screwdriver, measuring tape, ladder, knife and spirit level. Building the structure takes a team of 2 people an average of 2-3 days, so you might want to check the weather forecast for a dry spell before starting the build.
Alternatively, outsourcing the whole project to a local builder will make it look ridiculously easy, but should also ensure your self build garden rooms are built to last.
It’s easier to cool down than to warm up
There is a choice of wall thicknesses for the average log cabin garden office. Anything from 28mm to 70mm is routinely offered, with single tongue and groove for the thinner walls and double tongue and groove for the thicker options.
It is generally better to opt for 40mm or thicker walls for a space you intend to use all year round for extended lengths of time. Double glazed windows are also recommended for better insulation. Talking of insulation, that choice is almost an article in itself, limited only by your local weather conditions and your budget.
You should ensure that the floor, walls, roof and windows are all insulated to some degree, if only to secure your personal comfort.
Starting with the floor, insert a layer of insulation before you install the floorboards. Then look at the roof insulation, because heat rises, and you’ll lose around a third of the gains from your floor insulation if you don’t ensure you have effective roof insulation.
After that, you can complete making your new workplace toasty with wall insulation and effective window seals for those double glazed windows. Heating of some sort is also a requirement to stave off the worst of the winter freezes – a log burner will throw off the heat effectively while an electric heater warms the space gradually.
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are also essential for such a small space.
You can always work with the door open, wear your favourite holiday clothes, or have a fan, but if you have no heating, life will be much less enjoyable than it needs to be. Layers are all very well, but they’re not always conducive to your best work.
If you choose to build your own summerhouse or garden office, it may not be the simplest task ever, but you can enjoy working in your own creation for many years. It is also a versatile space, so if your circumstances change, so can the purpose of your garden room.