To invest in a garden office

[Mummyratbag]

DH works from home, has been working at kitchen table which is less than ideal.

Are garden offices (if insulated) a good alternative? Or are they like conservatories a pain in the arse to keep at a reasonable temperature? Any advice gratefully received.

As long as you can run out some electricity out there you'll be fine. I don't have heating in mine but I do have a space heater thing and because the room is so small it keeps it nice and toasty! Warms up fast too. I keep a pile of blankets in there too just to keep myself boiling hot in winter 😂

A good quality garden office will be easy to keep warm but it will also cost you a fair amount of money to install. Ours was around £18k but it came fully insulated, decorated (including curtains), double glazed and with a radiator. It was worth it for us though as my husband wfh almost every day and it's given him his own space. He keeps it warmer than the house 🙄

Yikes I was imagining in the region of 10-12k! Thanks for info.

Ours was 22k in the Southeast. Get the underfloor heating or your feet freeze.

Can I ask how big these are please?

3x4m

I've never had a conservatory so I can't compare, but I love my garden office.
I've had it for about 20 years now and was £10,000 back then. It's 2m x 4m inside and has a covered porch/deck. It's on a concrete base, has its own electrical whatnot (big fat cable from the house to a little switchboard in the GO), laminate floor, fully double glazed.

It's too big for what I need day to day really, but it wasn't bought with WFH in mind, but more an easy way to get an extra room (small terrace house).

Adult DS sleeps in it when he's home which works well as he has his own space. DS2 and his mates have their sleepovers in it, and occasionally other guests, but it doesn't have a loo or anything so you have to go in the house for that.

For WFH it's perfect. I can 'go to work' and it really helps with the work/life switch. It's a bit like a caravan to keep warm in that it gets cold quickly, but is quick to heat up. I have a free standing elec heater which I'm sure isn't the most economical, but cheaper than keeping the whole house warm all day and I'm not using any fuel commuting.

One downside is that it's obviously not as soundproof as the house and if neighbours are going mad with their outside DIY, leaf blowers, workmen radios it drives me to distraction. It's not a frequent occurrence.

When DS2 is home from school or on holiday he knows I'm working and respects that.

I looked into this also but the cost put me off. To do it properly - have it look aesthetically pleasing in the garden and ensure it’s a nice comfortable place to spend the whole day - you’re looking at 20k easily.

Kitchen table is really not suitable though. Are there no other alternatives? A small desk in your bedroom that you can fold away? A front room/living room you don’t need use of during the day?

@pumpkinpillow - ideally it would be somewhere for the kids to go too like you.

@loropianalover - we are generally running out of room anyway so unless we extend, the kitchen is the only place that can take all the stuff he needs (IT job).

I appreciate everyone's feedback - thank you.

Have a look at Costco OP - they have some lovely ones for around your budget - that's installed too. Their high end ones are gorgeous!

www.costco.co.uk/Garden-Sheds-Patio/Garden-Structures/c/cos_9.3

We designed ours and had it built by a home conversion builder guy. Cost around 15k.

We have moved now and I miss it so much! It really created a break between work and home. I will say you get what you pay for and if you did it on the cheap it just ends up as a posh shed.

Probably better value that an extension if you are looking for space. And less likely to have problems with dodgy builders/build quality.

I would only get one if fully insulated, with double glazing and underfloor heating too. Otherwise, it will only get used in the summer. Also, install a fan for hotter weather!

MIL had a large one installed a few years ago. No idea of the cost, but she left a heater on low in it year round to stop damp! I assume it wasn't insulated. Whoever installed it, hadn't added some sort of strapped to the roof and patio, overhanging roof. During a large storm- the entire roof flew off in 1 piece, landing in a neighboring field! She had it re-built, but this one is fully insulated and cozy. Again, no idea of costs I'm afraid.

I know this eco grid can be used under sheds, instead of a concrete base. Its very quick to install and cheaper than concrete. It might be a cheaper option for under a garden office too- but you'd need to check. Not to use as a driveway, but just the eco grid, filled with soil is what I saw could be used under sheds. https://ecogrid.co.uk/

I would only get one if fully insulated, with double glazing and underfloor heating too. Otherwise, it will only get used in the summer. Also, install a fan for hotter weather!

Mine does not have full insulation or underfloor hearing and is used perfectly well all year round. The heater is only on when I'm in there and it doesn't get damp.

I have a simple desk fan for the super hot days.

We love ours. It's insulated and has electricity (you don't need underfloor heating!!) and we just have a small heater in there and it warms up fairly quickly. We use it as an office and as a hang out space as it's quite large. They are definitely worth it if your DH is likely to be working from home long term. It makes a huge difference if you can 'go' to work (even if it's just into the garden) and keep the office stuff out of the house. We bought an ex-display model and it was more like £12-13k but you will also need a proper solid / concrete surface to put it on which cost about £1500, plus another £300 or so for the electrics to be fitted / connected.

In the end we’re moving but when I was considering one I was hankering after one from a company called Hully Pods that seem fairly reasonable and easy to install

I love mine, it's super close to the house on a raised patio- I live on a hill. Mine was £7k including hard wired internet. Since found out I could have done it cheaper but I'm still happy.
I've got an oil fired radiator and it's all I need and I don't have the heating on in the house during the day so sure it's saving a lot.
It has made a big impact on my work life balance.

we have one that we use as a gym. 6m x 4m, insulated panels, underfloor heating on a timer thermostat. Always warm in the winter and costs very little to heat. Cost c.£20k, but required quite a lot of groundwork as was built on a slope at the back of the garden. Done by a local company rather than the big manufacturers.

Have a look around at some of the places selling them, collect brochures, decide what you want and then find someone local who can build it for you, will come much cheaper!

Thanks everyone. I think the work -life balance thing is a very big thing. He has WFH for a few years now and does some ridiculous hours. Local builder sounds like the cheaper option, but builders are very short on the ground here (as most places).

We have a 5m x 3m one and we absolutely love it. It gets used every day. My kitchen is falling apart and rubbish and we prioritised the garden office and we love it. It's as warm as a room in the house as it's properly insulated and has oil filled radiators. It did cost about 18 grand though so they are not cheap.