# DIY Garden Office Build Ideas & Advice Please



## Nanoman (Jan 17, 2009)

I work from home a lot and with baby number 2 due in the next few weeks I need a quiet space to work from.

If you do a google image search for this there's some really cool ideas: build your own garden office

There are plenty spaces offering garden office buildings but I've never really been too impressed by the ones I've seen, plus they seem dramatically overpriced so I'm toying with the idea of building one myself.

It won't be big, probably just 4-8 square metres. I'd need something that wassn't going to be too warm in summer and not too cold in winter so it will need to be insulated.

I have toyed with the idea of buying a small log cabin from somewhere like shedstore and insulating it with kingspan type boards. Would this work or would I be asking for trouble with this? http://www.shedstore.co.uk/log-cabins/6x8-alpine-kimberley-19mm-log-cabin

If I do go down the DIY design & build route is it going to be much more complicated than building a simple timber frame, boarding the exterior, insulating them with Kingspan, boarding the interior, cutting/leaving holes for windows and doors and sticking a boarded roof with roofing felt?

For windows I was contemplating just getting double glazed panels and making simple timber frames, or buying some double glazed uPVC units online or second hand. I can get a set of french doors including frames from Wickes etc for around £400-£500 which would be the biggest cost excluding the timber required.


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## slim_boy_fat (Jun 23, 2006)

I suppose it al depends on your level of DIY competence.

You can _probably_ do a better build than buying a proprietary one, just don't skimp on size - bigger is better, subject to any local Planning restrictions of course.


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## m4rkymark (Aug 17, 2014)

i know a couple of folk who have went down completely separate routes for garden buildings.

The first friend bought a proper round log cabin which I think was partly assembled for them in the garden - cost them £10K - i think it was a massive amount of money but it is very sturdy.

The second friend went to a joiners and asked them to build a self assembly type building - they built the frame in their workshop, the frame consisted of panels that bolted together but all the panels were clad with 19mm shiplap on the outside, the whole thing bolted together in a day then he had to put the roof on etc. which probably took another week but it was quite a big building. 6m x 5m IIRC. The price of it was very reasonable compared to other quotes he was getting from places like shedstore. Because they had done things like this before it was really easy to put together. The inside was clad with kingspan and plasterboarded and its as warm as toast inside.


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## Nanoman (Jan 17, 2009)

I hadn't thought about asking a joiner to make the frame for me so I can just bolt it together and clad it. That might be an idea. 

I'm capable of building stud walls, replacing floors, flooring lofts and have customised a few free-standing wardrobes into bespoke fitted units. I can build sheds, lay paving/blocks, etc but haven't taken on anything as big as building an entire outbuilding. 

The Mrs is asking if we can make it into a gym area too so it might end up being a bit bigger. Or... We might just move to a bigger house instead. Will need to see what happens.


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## Versoman (Jan 6, 2006)

some good stuff done with these things with some imagination
http://www.portablespace.co.uk/product/8ft-x-8ft-one-trip-shipping-container-blue?gclid=CKChzJWs5soCFSP3wgodtTwF_A


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## Nanoman (Jan 17, 2009)

Good idea but I don't have experience of metalwork and it wouldn't fit down the path to the garden.


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## Sean15 (Jan 13, 2016)

Nanoman said:


> Good idea but I don't have experience of metalwork and it wouldn't fit down the path to the garden.


Buy one complete and crane it in.


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## Nanoman (Jan 17, 2009)

Sean15 said:


> Buy one complete and crane it in.


I suspect my budget won't get me that. I'm looking at £2000-£3000 max.


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## Sean15 (Jan 13, 2016)

What about summet like this:
Ebay item number: 231813100573


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## Nanoman (Jan 17, 2009)

Sean15 said:


> What about summet like this:
> Ebay item number: 231813100573


Unfortunately it's way too expensive, it wouldn't fit down the path and I reckon I could build something better for a lot less myself.


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## ardandy (Aug 18, 2006)

Buy a £3000 campervan and park it in the garden!


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