Toying with the idea of building an outdoor office when we move (hopefully in the next 3 months or so). Had a look at a couple of hand-crafted options last year – both were olde worlde cottage style creations that while lovely to look at, were over-priced and lacking security.

I reckon I’m after 120-150 sq ft, insulated, heated and double glazed.

So what do you already have? Who would you recommend? Who else is looking for similar?

Office / workshop / nuclear bunker…

Patio doors in place, but not quite fitted. by brf, on Flickr

18mm Ply floor in place by brf, on Flickr

Is that the building you’ve just had put up?

Is that the building you’ve just had put up?

yep, just need to find the time to finish it off….

You had it built from scratch as opposed to going to any specific garden office specialists IIRC?

Me – I am! But I want mine built on to the back of the house. I don’t want a conservatory, don’t like them and would be wasted as the space it is going in backs onto a wall and a hedge so i’d lose the benefit of the windows on those sides. I don’t want / can’t justify / don’t want the weeks of hassle caused by a full extension.

So instead i want a garden room of ca 4x3m that is accessed from the back patio door, covering half of my 4x6m patio so half is left as patio, made of SIPs so it can be made off site, brought in in sections and laid on a piled base, which would essentially be two blank wall sides (maybe high slot windows for light) and the third longer side will be a trifold door so we can open it up in good weather and have the outside in – BBQ on the patio, dine in the garden room!

Similar concept to this but a bit bigger.

http://www.thegardenroomguide.co.uk/garden-room-becomes-cool-venue/2013/01/08/

Is it an optical illusion or are the doors not square with the shutter?

Is it an optical illusion or are the doors not square with the shutter?

Shutter isn’t 100% level, but I can’t be arsed to refit it as it works just fine.

You had it built from scratch as opposed to going to any specific garden office specialists IIRC?

Yep, I laid the foundations and hired various trades in to do bits and then fitted it out myself. There’s a long thread on the subject here:
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/rate-my-brickie

My bro has one from these people…

http://dunsterhouse.co.uk/garden-offices-range

I helped him put it up, and was impressed. There was a thread on here a few months ago.

Hmm, some good prices on those Dunster builds – obviously don’t know if those really are discounts of genuine RRPs though. Added to the shortlist.

For design inspiration, as these are most likely over-priced, I think these are lovely:

From a company called ‘Dwelle’.

Or, not very practical I guess, but you could always build something yourself – blueprints and instructions on this website..

http://www.irishvernacular.com/

Now that really isn’t a Photoshopped image is it?

It should be possible to build something better and cheaper than an off the shelf kit.

I made this for around £500 – £700. If it had some insulation and a heat source (thinking woodburning stove) for winter it would be ideal for my office needs.

https://picasaweb.google.com/113038090087066024057/20120505TennisCourtPavilion#

No chance of looking at interweb pron in there…

So this isn’t 120-150 sq ft, insulated, heated or double glazed – but it is a bloody relaxing place to sit and do some work…

I’ve got tiger sheds, gardenbuildingsdirect and waltons saved in my favourites for such an occasion but I need to finish the kitchen first 😐 Can’t comment on any company from first hand knowledge but it’ll give an idea of prices.

Mine’s a work in progress. Will be just a bit of outdoor undercover space, that we can use as on office if we fancy.

The black roof membrane is waiting for a living green roof doofer in the spring. I’ll be making the 2 pairs of bi-fold doors this weekend while snowed in!

Narrow side will have a window, two long sides along the fence will be double skinned and insulated, roof will be insulated too.

Probably put a nice li’l log burner in there for cosyness as well (and to satisfy STW pre-requisites).

Electric already installed.

@mcmoonter – what have you glazed that with? Good work for £600.

@mcmoonter – what have you glazed that with? Good work for £600.

Salvaged bus shelter glass.

looks good McM.

I’ve just taken delivery of some clear perspex glazing sheets, so pretty similar, and that has re-assured me that it will look good.