Garden Office Options

[gerrudd]

I came close to building a garden office last year. I changed my mind as I learned I would be going into the office and travelling more often which has happened. However I still work from home a few days per week. My current work location is fine most of the time but can at times be noisy as it's in the heart of the home. I'm now reconsidering a garden office but I don't see the value in spending the £20K I was quoted last year.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a cheaper alternative. I'm looking for a small space that I can use 3-4 hours per day 1-3 days per week. I know I'll need electricity and internet but how minimum could I go. I'm not particularly handy, so probably don't have the skills nor the tools to build something myself.

[bambam]

Surely a decent, strong shed that has double glazed windows and insulated walls and roof would do the job?
Running power from the house shouldn’t be too hard and you’ll need a concrete slab or similar to put the shed on.

You could always set it up with just a few lights etc and add more if needed, use desk lamps etc. Add an electric fire/ heater and you’re sorted.

Not sure how much a decent shed is these days but I’d be very surprised if the whole lot comes anywhere near £20k.

Just an example -
https://dunsterhouse.co.uk/garden-offices/dominator-insulated-garden-room

[thieuster]

Is 20k with or without labour costs?

[Thom4711]

I think have a look at Dunster as suggested above.

You'll need a decent base first and foremost- I used a concrete slab. Get a quote from your local groundwork company.

For electricity, it will likely be possible to connect your house electricity to the office. Mine literally just has a hidden cable run across the fence. £500 from a spark if memory serves.

To build the office, a carpenter or decent handyman would do the job. Mine was built in less than a day by two people.

Should all cost less than half your original quote. I added air conditioning and would recommend for the hot summer weather unless you want a sauna.

And don't forget the dartboard and beer fridge ;)

[gerrudd]

Is 20k with or without labour costs?

It was inclusive of everything except a concrete base.

[Thewatchbloke]

We are currently looking at getting a garden room built and cost seem to be around £1,500 per square metre for a fully finished room custom built on a concrete base. The following details are taken from the company we we will probably be instructing to do the work:

"This includes all labour and structural work including, timber frame, Celotex insulation, reinforced OSB board, all electrical work and connections at site, including cabling to site, 6 X internal LED downlights in main room, 6 X external LED down lighters fitted to the canopy, 5 X double sockets (fitted to suit client’s needs), superior membrane roof, fully plastered, 1 x floating panel heater up to 20sqm, 1 x Aluminium Bi fold door 2400mm X 2050mm in Anthracite grey or White, flooring throughout room (25 colour choices), skirting boards, decorated, canopy to frontal, soffits, fascia’s and guttering, finished in a composite or traditional wood cladding (clients choice) fibre cement board on back subject to a site visit."

All the work is carried out to, or exceeds, current building regs so the room can be included in the square footage of the house if we ever sell. We are having a shower room with basin and toilet and a kitchenette fitted and this is an additional cost to the £1,500 psqm.

The issue we found with companies advertising garden rooms for substantially less than it's costing for ours (for similar square footage) is that they are usually built to a pretty inflexible system and are square (ours needs to be trapezoidal for efficient use of the garden space) and don't include the base or electrical hookups. By the time you get them to spec a room in the size and shape we want with the finish and extras we want the cost has trebled.

The main thing I've learned from this experience is the cost of what we want comes to nearly double what I originally thought it would be!

[Ellietwed]

I built a 5x4 mtr summerhouse in the garden last year..purchased the timber kit from Tuin, laid the concrete base with the help of my dad and some pals...built it ourselves (took about 3 days inc felt tile roof) and then let my bro in law finish the electricals (sparky by trade)..biggest pain was the endless coats of pain inside and out but its brilliant and gets used a lot for home working and socialising (I built a bar :-))...all in Id say cost just over £6k ....really impressed with the Tuin kit and their customer support

[lewie]

I’m just planning a timber framed extension (replacing an old wooden conservatory) on the rear of my kitchen
I already have a concrete hard standing - 3.75 x 2.5m - I’ve calculated the timber framing and OSB roof to be about £1k
150mm of mineral wool all over and some 2.5m bifold doors
I plan to do most my self bar the fiberglass roof and door fitting - I’m ‘hoping’ to be around £6k

[SimonH]

We got a Dunster House Garden room that cost about £5k all in including paint etc., which we built ourselves. It was quite a lot of work but satisfying to do.

We had a base done for £2k, and the electrics etc cost another £2k (there was a fair run from house to the room).

We use it as mainly as a gym so we didn't go for the fully insulated version which would add a bit.

All in all we're very pleased with the result, especially as there was a local company charging £20k plus just for the buildings!

[Suds]

Probably not what you are looking for but I bought a caravan! Perfect home from home for me

[magpie215]

As an aviation fan I'd absolutely love one of these.....

[~dadam02~]

Planning something similar soon for home office so this thread is timely.

Anyone know the best way to get WiFi to the back of the garden? My router is at the other side of the house and no cat6 or ethernet connection. Are powerlines any good?

[lewie]

For powerlines you’ll need to be on the house ‘loop’
I use them indoors and with one in my shed they work ok-

[459GMB]

I found this series of YouTube videos by Ali Dymock a great source of info when I had my garden room built last year.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...d-xujGuorZAs--

[SimonH]

Planning something similar soon for home office so this thread is timely.

Anyone know the best way to get WiFi to the back of the garden? My router is at the other side of the house and no cat6 or ethernet connection. Are powerlines any good?

That's what I use, works fine, I was going to run an ethernet cable but the powerline is fine for what we need.

[Middo]

As an aviation fan I'd absolutely love one of these.....

Any more details on that?

[bambam]

That's what I use, works fine, I was going to run an ethernet cable but the powerline is fine for what we need.

Or a mesh system like TP Link Deco. Great for ensuring strong connections around the house and also in the garden depending upon location/distance.

[hogthrob]

Probably not what you are looking for but I bought a caravan! Perfect home from home for me

That's exactly what I was thinking. Makes a lot of sense.

[noTAGlove]

A 12' x 8' Malvern Pent shed, ermm I mean garden office. It is fully insulated with double glazing and electrics and is used as my WFH office all year round if I want to.

I cost us £7-8k just before Covid struck, so it's now probably £15k, lol.

Another £2k for concrete slab and electrics. Not just an office as our kids use it, and we also put a 55" TV in it so good for the occasional movie night. Less use in the winter, but come to its own in the spring and summer.

[gshort67]

Planning something similar soon for home office so this thread is timely.

Anyone know the best way to get WiFi to the back of the garden? My router is at the other side of the house and no cat6 or ethernet connection. Are powerlines any good?

I wasn’t a fan of powerlines until I tried one for my bar at the back of the garden and it works fine, more stable than anything else I’ve tried.


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[magpie215]

Any more details on that?

https://skypods.co.uk/

[noTAGlove]

I wasn’t a fan of powerlines until I tried one for my bar at the back of the garden and it works fine, more stable than anything else I’ve tried.


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Yep, we use powerlines in our shed, and this also extends our WiFi signal to the rest of the garden better than the hub router in the house does.

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[ant8519]

I recommend Keops. Totally configurable and price wise very reasonable given how well built they are. Ours is 12 years old now and needs a bit of work on the roof but everything I need is available so no complaints at all.