Garden office / studio / shed

[greentown]

We need an extra room but can't afford an extension so we're looking for a garden office/shed which will be warm enough to use all year round - but on a fairly limited budget - probably no more than £2000 or so.

In an ideal world, we'd buy something purpose-built, like this:

www.greenretreats.co.uk/products/inspiration-garden-rooms.html

But unfortunately, that comes in at around the £6 -7k mark - way too much.

What we're looking at in reality is something more like this at about £1000:

www.waltons.co.uk/10-x-8-Contemporary-garden-room-summer-house-with-side-shed?source=awin&awc=3314_1324198140_bdc156a3d3ce391d7dbeb5c51afa3734

We like the design and it's a practical combination of shed and office but it would need insulating and secondary glazing for winter use.
Have you done this and did it work out okay or have you found a cheaper/better option?
Anyone else work from home in a garden shed? If so, what's yours like?

If you're on a limited budget check out getting electric in there before buying. It's what stopped us going ahead with ours

Thanks - we'll get the electric run down the garden and get light and enough sockets in for PCs and stuff and maybe one of those oil-filled electric radiators.
I was thinking of using that silver foil board stuff that they always use in Grand Designs (or most TV property programme) to insulate the walls. It looks as though it would fit between the uprights on the shed walls.
Not sure how to insulate the floor though - what did you use Santac?
Carpet on top of something else?
Proper double glazing would be great but probably too expensive.
Might have to try and find one with fewer windows than the Waltons shed to cut down on the heat loss and save on the secondary double glazing but it would be a shame not to have the big windows in the summer.

Have a look at Garden Affairs - we put up one ourselves apart from the concrete pad and electrics, and it wasn't too difficult. You can get one made to the size you want. It was 6 years ago and I can't remember exactly what it cost, but it is really well made and has served us really well.
www.gardenaffairs.co.uk/

frostyfingers, how did you get the concrete pad done for you? I find it really odd that the providers of garden builders usually don't also do the bases (tho have looked at the gardenaffairs website and it seems that they now do the base work).

If you don't want a permanent concrete base, or just don't fancy the work/cost/hassle of concrete, Waltons also sell this 'Eco Base' product. Looks fine for most sheds.

www.waltons.co.uk/Eco-Easy-Base

I've used paving slabs for a little plastic shed before, and event that felt as thought it was unnecessarily sturdy for the shed.

We had builders here doing other stuff so they did it for us. If you're feeling brave you can do it yourself, or otherwise ask at a local builders merchant for someone who could do it for you. It isn't hard - we've done it before for something else - you just need to read up on it, and then make sure you order the right amount of concrete - the supplier (of the concrete) should be able to tell you how much is needed.

Thanks all for this information.

I'd put up thick curtains too, for dark wintery days.

You'll find that with adding insulation, electrics, plasterboard etc what you think initially would add up to £200 or £300 tops will end up more than £1000 - my dad did exactly what your proposing and went way over budget. End result is gorgeous though!