[Help] Garden office advice please

Berty23 · Nov 9, 2021

Hi all, I am after some advice from the wise folk of NSC.

I have worked from home since before Covid but have had a spare room that acts as guest room, playroom for kids and office. I have three kids and my twin daughter have always wanted to share a room but they have reached secondary school and have decided that rather inconsiderately they would prefer their own rooms. I need somewhere to work and the downstairs is not big enough to box an area to make an office so that leaves the garden.

I have done a bit of research about garden offices and I had absolutely no idea the options were so vast. We don’t have a garden that is particularly big so I will probably only want something about 2.5m*3.5m (or something like that). I want to work out there all year so something that is insulated with electrics is obviously the plan. I almost fell of my chair when I saw the price of off the shelf pods but it feels like the sort of thing I need. I am after something that will last and we were going to move to a bigger house but decided against it (saving 300k) so I can remortgage this house to get some cash freed up.

I am after some advice about key things to consider. Or perhaps more importantly the pitfalls. Any suppliers people would recommend etc. I am based in the Midlands but normally they will travel but charge more. Worth noting I am useless at building stuff so I will want someone to construct it! I will dig out the garden and get a concrete base in so I am after any pointers. As I said I have been on Google and it is just full of info and it is never clear who is just trying to flog you stuff you don’t need!

Any help appreciated.
Thanks

Bold Seagull · Nov 9, 2021

Know your u-values for insulation. Lower the better. One product could be 50mm polystyrene between battens, another could be a higher grade 75mm PIR insulation making it far more insulated. As a guide, for an extension you're looking for a max u-Value of 0.28 for walls, around 0.18 for the roof (varies on type of roof), and 0.22 for the floor.

2 other important things will be air tightness and ventilation. You want it air tight as you can, so all vapour barriers and moisture barriers taped and sealed and likewise construction joints sealed. Then you have to vent it, typically trickle vents in a window or door will be sufficient, with a window you can open every now and again.

Some of the companies are putting together quite a cheap frame, throwing some insulation in it, then fixing some softwood cladding on the outside. That's fine as long as it's followed some decent quality control, and you really then need to think about treatment for any softwood timber cladding. Cladding like larch or cedar is potentially 5 times the price of softwood, but potentially can just be left to weather naturally.

Windows and doors, do you go plastic, wood or aluminium or a wood/ali composite? Green head on surely we need to avoid using plastics and upvc windows can age badly over time, so aluminium or wood or a composite a better but more expensive option.

Roof - GRP or EPDM I would have thought are the 2 go to roofing materials for these buildings, and to be honest both are decent option. The thing I like about EPDM is that it is breathable, so even if vapour gets passed your internal vapour barrier, rather than condense in the structure, it can get through the EPDM.

If digging out a concrete base etc. is a bit of a pain, screw piles are becoming a cheaper, easier go to option. Depends on site conditions etc. https://www.ukhelix.com/garden-room-foundations/

So longevity and how much maintenance you want to put in will be major considerations I would think. You may get a garden office a few £k cheaper with a softwood cladding, but you may have to put in a bit of effort to make that last.

The Antikythera Mechanism · Nov 9, 2021

We got ours from Green Retreats

https://www.greenretreats.co.uk/

They're by far and away the best company for Garden Offices. We ordered ours in July 2020 and it was built this March as there is quite a demand. At the time there were very few companies offering this product, but now the market is swamped with inferior products. The website is transparent as far as pricing is concerned, so nothing is hidden. We chose a TG04 5m x 3m with cedar cladding, plastered wall and ceilings, double sliding doors, aircon etc which cost us £30k but worth every penny.Everything was included from foundations to painting.

Berty23 · Nov 9, 2021

NSC is brilliant for advice. There is always an expert no matter what topic is being discussed. Thanks.

Cheshire Cat · Nov 9, 2021

Next door has been building his own man-cave for a few weeks. No idea how or how much, but he has effectively rebuilt his house from the inside, and installed his own underfloor heating amongst other things.

Lots of concrete, timber, plastic sheeting, roofing stuff, some double glazed units from somewhere cladding etc. Quite a lot of banging and crashing.......

Personally I would get "a man" in.

Harry Wilson's tackle · Nov 9, 2021

The Antikythera Mechanism said:
We got ours from Green Retreats

https://www.greenretreats.co.uk/

They're by far and away the best company for Garden Offices. We ordered ours in July 2020 and it was built this March as there is quite a demand. At the time there were very few companies offering this product, but now the market is swamped with inferior products. The website is transparent as far as pricing is concerned, so nothing is hidden. We chose a TG04 5m x 3m with cedar cladding, plastered wall and ceilings, double sliding doors, aircon etc which cost us £30k but worth every penny.Everything was included from foundations to painting.

View attachment 142008

That's lovely. :thumbsup:

Monkey Man · Nov 9, 2021

We were recently looking to get a garden workshop built to the same standard as a garden office and came very close to ordering from this lot:

https://dunsterhouse.co.uk/garden-offices

We were having building work done at the same time and asked our builders if they'd assemble the thing for us. They said they could build something similar, with better insulation and foundations, for about a third of the price. So that's what they did. Admittedly they were able to re-use some materials from another parts of the house that were coming down (including larch cladding and double doors) so I think the cost to use was only about £2k in the end, including electrics and internet.

All of which is a long way of saying that you may find a local builder who can base a design on something you like online, and create it for a much lower price.

PoG · Nov 9, 2021

If you want a cheap option do what I did. Bought a 8X6 pent shed, built it on a slabbed base which is very easily done if youre not that way inclined. Bought some isulation boards to put between the panel studs and boarded over with shiplap on the inside. Get a sparky to do the electrics. I think negating the electrics it cost me about £700. Lots of videos on YT showing how to properly insulate, eg keeping a gap between the panels and the insulation.

el punal · Nov 9, 2021

The Antikythera Mechanism said:
We got ours from Green Retreats

https://www.greenretreats.co.uk/

They're by far and away the best company for Garden Offices. We ordered ours in July 2020 and it was built this March as there is quite a demand. At the time there were very few companies offering this product, but now the market is swamped with inferior products. The website is transparent as far as pricing is concerned, so nothing is hidden. We chose a TG04 5m x 3m with cedar cladding, plastered wall and ceilings, double sliding doors, aircon etc which cost us £30k but worth every penny.Everything was included from foundations to painting.

View attachment 142008

Now that looks like the man cave equivalent of a luxury penthouse - I bet you don’t brew your own beer.

kjgood · Nov 9, 2021

Had one built at the beginning of last year from scratch 4.5m x 3m. Fully thermal insulated walls, floor and ceiling (Don't forget the floor) plaster boarded and plastered, heated. Use it to work from two days a week, fully wifi'd big TV and leather sofa plus beer fridge along with a PC, printer, sound system, bass amp and four guitars. Used acoustic insulation where I could.

Cost me all up approx £10k, really happy with it. When I go down the garden I'm at work (Do lots of video calls at the moment). I looked at the pre-made panel jobs but think for my money got a far better job by building from scratch using decent timber rather than the rather flimsy stuff you get from the off the shelf products.

Yes I was able to assist by installing the insulation and vapour barriers, running the cables and installing internal and external down lighters ready for connection and certification by a qualified electrician to keep costs down. Money well spent for me.

Mellor 3 Ward 4 · Nov 9, 2021

The Antikythera Mechanism said:
We got ours from Green Retreats

https://www.greenretreats.co.uk/

They're by far and away the best company for Garden Offices. We ordered ours in July 2020 and it was built this March as there is quite a demand. At the time there were very few companies offering this product, but now the market is swamped with inferior products. The website is transparent as far as pricing is concerned, so nothing is hidden. We chose a TG04 5m x 3m with cedar cladding, plastered wall and ceilings, double sliding doors, aircon etc which cost us £30k but worth every penny.Everything was included from foundations to painting.

View attachment 142008

Looks great!

zefarelly · Nov 9, 2021

My workshop/man cave is a conventional block build, but I guess that depends on access and planning. building like a mini house must be the most effective robust and affordable way ?

Medwayseagull · Nov 9, 2021

I had a garden room installed last year - Nordic garden buildings. Price includes installation once the base is laid - although they can recommend a contractor to do that. You would need to liase with them about the electrics. They have a display at GBC garden centres and the rooms come in different styles, finishes and sizes. Easy enough to find on-line.

Berty23 · Nov 9, 2021

Getting electricity to the bottom of the garden seems a pain. At what point does this happen? I assume I would be best hiring a mini digger for the day to dig a trench for laying power cable and get an electrician to connect it all up to the house. Intuitively it feels like it would be better to have this ready for anyone installing to connect to when they arrive but I have no idea if that is right.

Annoying we have decking by the back door so I will need to get some of that up to dig uncertain the deck and then go from there (I assume).

I reckon the next play is visit a few show rooms and speak to them about the timings and make a start on clearing the bushes from that part of the garden.

Cowfold Seagull · Nov 9, 2021

The Antikythera Mechanism said:
We got ours from Green Retreats

https://www.greenretreats.co.uk/

They're by far and away the best company for Garden Offices. We ordered ours in July 2020 and it was built this March as there is quite a demand. At the time there were very few companies offering this product, but now the market is swamped with inferior products. The website is transparent as far as pricing is concerned, so nothing is hidden. We chose a TG04 5m x 3m with cedar cladding, plastered wall and ceilings, double sliding doors, aircon etc which cost us £30k but worth every penny.Everything was included from foundations to painting.

View attachment 142008

I have to say that looks magnificent, not only for use as an office l imagine, but can have multiple usages, anything from a sunroom through to storage.

Bold Seagull · Nov 9, 2021

Berty23 said:
Getting electricity to the bottom of the garden seems a pain. At what point does this happen? I assume I would be best hiring a mini digger for the day to dig a trench for laying power cable and get an electrician to connect it all up to the house. Intuitively it feels like it would be better to have this ready for anyone installing to connect to when they arrive but I have no idea if that is right.

Annoying we have decking by the back door so I will need to get some of that up to dig uncertain the deck and then go from there (I assume).

I reckon the next play is visit a few show rooms and speak to them about the timings and make a start on clearing the bushes from that part of the garden.

External electricity cable doesn't have to be underground, so your decking could be safe if there is a safe route to run the cable. https://professional-electrician.com/technical/external-installations-cables/

timbha · Nov 9, 2021

Can’t remember if you said you were self employed? I presume you are and will reap the tax benefits an office will accrue.

Don’t skimp on using proper tradesmen. If you use bodge job Bob to do your electrics you are asking for trouble. Don’t forget the extra insurance

Weststander · Nov 9, 2021

May always be worth checking covenants in the title deeds first.

A family behind us built a lovely contempory garden office similar to [MENTION=756]The Antikythera Mechanism[/MENTION]. Then their direct neighbour, purely out of spite imho as there was no impact on them whatsoever, spotted that it breached the x square feet limit for garden buildings in a covenant in their neighbour's title deeds (bought for £3 from HM Land Registry).

A couple of solicitor's letters later and the guy had to disassemble the whole thing.

Berty23 · Nov 9, 2021

timbha said:
Can’t remember if you said you were self employed? I presume you are and will reap the tax benefits an office will accrue.

Don’t skimp on using proper tradesmen. If you use bodge job Bob to do your electrics you are asking for trouble. Don’t forget the extra insurance

Good question. I am not self employed. I agree that it is best to get it done properly!

Chicken Run · Nov 9, 2021

Weststander said:
May always be worth checking covenants in the title deeds first.

A family behind us built a lovely contempory garden office similar to [MENTION=756]The Antikythera Mechanism[/MENTION]. Then their direct neighbour, purely out of spite imho as there was no impact on them whatsoever, spotted that it breached the x square feet limit for garden buildings in a covenant in their neighbour's title deeds (bought for £3 from HM Land Registry).

A couple of solicitor's letters later and the guy had to disassemble the whole thing.

I’m also told that if you naively add running water to the office for a small sink or indeed a loo then you also need planning and have to alert your lender if there is one , as they then deem the room/lodge as a habitat.

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