Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

How much was your garden office?

30 replies

iknowthismuchis · 10/04/2022 20:05

We're trying to figure out if we can afford one, I suspect we can't. If you managed to get one for less than £20,000 could you recommend where/who/how please?

If you don't mind telling me how much you paid even if it's over that amount I'd be grateful- I've no idea what average is

Thanks

OP posts:
MandUs · 10/04/2022 20:59

No idea but we are hoping to get one too so following.

Original poster
iknowthismuchis · 11/04/2022 10:11

Just bumping this please

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 11/04/2022 10:16

Surely it would be pretty huge and fancy to pay as much as £20k for one?

I'd have thought you can get a decent one of sufficient size and quality for most people for around £10k?

I know a friend built a large and very over engineered one himself for £2.5k. How big is this office needing to be?

SalsaLove · 11/04/2022 10:17

We got ours from Green Retreats in summer 2019. It was right around 20k. It’s been the best thing we’ve done. We use it as office space and garden storage.

Primrosefields · 11/04/2022 10:30

We built our own at the start of covid.

Its 6m by 3.6m. £1800 in materials. We got two sets of solid wood glazed french doors for free off gumtree which we sanded down and painted. We reconfigured the one set for full length windows.

My bil is an electrician so he did all the electrics for us.

We use ours as an entertainment space so we have a pool table (bargain from ebay), bar (made ourselves using 3 ft tall bookcases we already had, some tongue and groove panels from homebase and wood leftover from the build) and a projector down there. We also have put a virgin media box down there and bought the cable from amazon. There is full WiFi connection down there too.
We used grey vinyl wood effect flooring.

Thursday37 · 11/04/2022 10:34

My IFA did a log cabin one for £7k all in, we are aiming to spend no more than £10k as prices have gone up.

They put it up themselves, cabin was £3k. They spent £4k on the base and electrics. It would’ve been loads more if they paid for installation but they said easy to do in a day with a few people as all slots together.

The same cabin now is £5k though, from Dunster House I think.

Fernshire · 11/04/2022 11:33

I bought a shed for £300 and then my FIL wired the electrics in and insulated it. Probably about £5-600 in total. I didn't even think about spending £20k on it! That's a deposit for a house where I live!

Original poster
iknowthismuchis · 11/04/2022 15:58

Thanks everyone. We have no practical skills at all so can't build any of it ourselves

The quote we had recently was for £50,000 - about a metre larger than a normal shed. So clearly that's overpriced from the replies on here .

OP posts:
TheNoodlesIncident · 11/04/2022 16:56

Ours was from Solid Sheds, was about £8K I think but it was a few years ago (2017 I think, we had the garden landscaped the following year). We paid extra for them to construct a concrete base, the building construction and electrics were included. It has one double window and door, both double glazed. One of these ones, I'd need to go out and measure it to know which size.

It sounds a lot more doable than the quote you had! Maybe yours included more insulation and flooring and the like...

bubblicious3 · 11/04/2022 17:27

We had ours done last March just as prices were starting to rise. It's big - 5.5 x 5 with a large living area, separate office and storage. It's fully insulated (warmer than our house) has heating & aircon, a full deck and was built on a hill so need foundations. It was about £36k - that was with two sides clad in cedar, and two in cheaper wood. It has hard wired internet and loads of plug sockets. It's the best investment we've ever made as we both work in it, kids socialise in it and we don't have to heat the whole house

bubblicious3 · 11/04/2022 17:29

And that price included full installation (took 2 months) decorating, wood floor, electrics, internet etc. lots of quotes sound cheap, but only include the bare minimum and the extras really add up. We did have additional expense as our old out building had to be knocked down and ground prepared

SalsaLove · 11/04/2022 19:07

@bubblicious3

And that price included full installation (took 2 months) decorating, wood floor, electrics, internet etc. lots of quotes sound cheap, but only include the bare minimum and the extras really add up. We did have additional expense as our old out building had to be knocked down and ground prepared
Ours was smaller but also has a foundation, heated floor, internet and decking. It’s a big investment but it’s an absolute treat! It’s basically a whole other room at a fraction of the cost.
yellowsuninthesky · 11/04/2022 19:17

We got one from Booths Garden Studios. With extras like blinds and extra windows, it was £13K. boothsgarden.studio/

They seem to have risen quite sharply in price though: boothsgarden.studio/ the one we got is £16k on this website.

LeroyJenkinssss · 11/04/2022 19:20

We also got ours from Green Retreats and was about 20k. Love it although needed to have aircon as it’s south facing.

Did find another company which we are thinking about for another one down the bottom of the garden these guys

Shouldhavebutdidnt · 11/04/2022 19:21

@bubblicious3 that sounds amazing - would you mind sharing where it was from? Sounds exactly what we are thinking about

Tiggytico · 11/04/2022 19:31

We've ordered from this company www.smartgardenoffices.co.uk/

Had looked at Green Retreats who also looked great. Our fairly large 2.6m x 5.9m, top of range Ultra model is costing just over £25k, so definitely doable for £20k.

Ours will be a split between storage and a teenage den due to ds having the box room!

Can't wait until it's installed in June.

Kezzie200 · 11/04/2022 19:35

I know someone who had a quote just after first lockdown for 30k. I don't know how much they eventually paid but I've seen it in online videos and it looks great and a decent size.

On the matter of quotes my parents have had a piece of garden work done for just under 800. One quote was 6k (although he has since gone out of business!)

mooity · 11/04/2022 19:37

Look at Booths Garden Studios. We are about to have one installed. I think it’s 8ft x 16ft. It’s composite rather than wood. 25yr guarantee. Includes all electrics, PIR lights, glazed panels and doors. It’s around £16k all in. A friend of ours has had one for a few years and it still looks new. We are not local to them but paid extra for delivery as we have seen one in the flesh and know how well it has lasted so far.

bubblicious3 · 11/04/2022 19:44

[quote Shouldhavebutdidnt]@bubblicious3 that sounds amazing - would you mind sharing where it was from? Sounds exactly what we are thinking about[/quote]
They are called Tandridge Garden Rooms - website isn't great, they are so busy with word of mouth they haven't had to bother! You can find them on Facebook, I assume they only work in the South east. It's all built individually and they are real craftsmen, no flat packs! Just re-checked the website, my one is the 'latest project' in the gallery. Not sure why the text is in Latin tho!

QuebecBagnet · 11/04/2022 19:50

I got an Alex cabin from cabins unlimited. They did the base, construction of the cabin, supplied paint and with the electrics I would say it was about 6k. The roof and floors are insulated, the walls aren’t but they are a lot thicker than a normal shed. The windows and door are double glazed. I can work all year round with a 1.5kw oil filled radiator so to be honest I’m glad I saved money and didn’t go all out with a fully insulated more expensive one. I was worried this wouldn’t be warm enough but it’s fine. I keep my computer in there all year round.

Anna197264 · 11/04/2022 20:10

For those recommending Booths Garden Studios, is the the one based in Corby? I seem to have found 2 websites

WorkingInTheGarden · 11/04/2022 20:32

We used Cabin Master and ours cost £25,000 all included. We just had to pay for electric out to the bottom of the garden, they did the electrics in the cabin. It's two rooms, total dimensions 7m x 2.5m and the office side has double patio doors. It's suitable for all year round working which is what we needed, hence not getting a cheaper, less insulated one.

Ours has made a huge difference to us and was much cheaper than a loft conversion or moving to a bigger house.

Original poster
iknowthismuchis · 11/04/2022 22:28

Thanks so much everyone! Looks like we maybe can afford one then

OP posts:
misstiggiwinkle · 11/04/2022 22:49

Recently had ours installed by Smart Modular. Whole thing was built in a week and v impressive. 4x3m with garden storage cupboard at the back. C.£20k

nitsandwormsdodger · 11/04/2022 22:52

I bought a caravan an use that as my office but I’m end of Terrace and pushed it in £1500

Swipe left for the next trending thread