[Help] Garden office advice please

[Icy Gull]

May always be worth checking covenants in the title deeds first.

A family behind us built a lovely contempory garden office similar to [MENTION=756]The Antikythera Mechanism[/MENTION]. Then their direct neighbour, purely out of spite imho as there was no impact on them whatsoever, spotted that it breached the x square feet limit for garden buildings in a covenant in their neighbour's title deeds (bought for £3 from HM Land Registry).

A couple of solicitor's letters later and the guy had to disassemble the whole thing.

So many wankers out there. Probably inspired by green eye in this case I suggest?

 

[Deleted member 2719]

NSC is brilliant for advice. There is always an expert no matter what topic is being discussed. Thanks.

Or so they say.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Good question. I am not self employed. I agree that it is best to get it done properly!

Hope you are claiming the small amount HMG are allowing for WFH’s

 

[Deleted member 2719]

We got ours from Green Retreats

https://www.greenretreats.co.uk/

They're by far and away the best company for Garden Offices. We ordered ours in July 2020 and it was built this March as there is quite a demand. At the time there were very few companies offering this product, but now the market is swamped with inferior products. The website is transparent as far as pricing is concerned, so nothing is hidden. We chose a TG04 5m x 3m with cedar cladding, plastered wall and ceilings, double sliding doors, aircon etc which cost us £30k but worth every penny.Everything was included from foundations to painting.

View attachment 142008

I can't spot where they ran the electrics, did they go through the lawn?

 

[Comrade Sam]

I built a summer house I bought off tinternet. 2.5m X 3.5m. Built it on a 10cm slab of concrete, got a Turkish uncle to connect it to the mains. Insulated it with 25mm jablight and lined it with 12mm MDF. Painted it up all pretty and filled it with storage seating and 50 cushions. Then Bob's your uncle and Fanny's your aunt and for £1500 I have an all year opium den that I can escape the family from. Alternatively my 13 year old has movie sleep overs, with a dinkie projector and a bed sheet for a screen and my 10 year old hangs out there when her mates are over. (Actually Yalçin's my wife's uncle). However I built it 7 years ago and whilst it's as good as new, the same model summer house is treble the price now.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I’m also told that if you naively add running water to the office for a small sink or indeed a loo then you also need planning and have to alert your lender if there is one , as they then deem the room/lodge as a habitat.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

He has an enormous garden that needs watering. That should solve the loo problem.

 

[McTavish]

I bought an 8'x8' summerhouse with basic insulation and put it on a concrete pad. I got an electrician to run power to it and install sockets and lights.

I heated it with an oil heater and sometimes needed a fan in the summer but other than that the temperature was fine and regulated by opening/shutting doors and windows.

I used it for fifteen years and besides re-varnishing it every couple of years and re-felting the roof once, it was maintenance free.

I got the whole lot done for under £2,000 in about 2005.

 

[McTavish]

I bought an 8'x8' summerhouse like this one.



I got basic insulation and put it on a concrete pad. An electrician ran power to it and installed sockets and lights.

I heated it with an oil heater when it was really cold and sometimes needed a fan in the summer but other than that the temperature was fine and regulated by opening/shutting doors and windows.

I used it for fifteen years and besides re-varnishing it every couple of years and re-felting the roof once, it was maintenance free.

I got the whole lot done for under £2,000 in about 2005.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

May always be worth checking covenants in the title deeds first.

A family behind us built a lovely contempory garden office similar to [MENTION=756]The Antikythera Mechanism[/MENTION]. Then their direct neighbour, purely out of spite imho as there was no impact on them whatsoever, spotted that it breached the x square feet limit for garden buildings in a covenant in their neighbour's title deeds (bought for £3 from HM Land Registry).

A couple of solicitor's letters later and the guy had to disassemble the whole thing.

Do the spiteful neighbours still have any intact windows left, dog’s s**t in their letter box or nails in their tyres?

 

[Weststander]

Do the spiteful neighbours still have any intact windows left, dog’s s**t in their letter box or nails in their tyres?

Now they won’t talk for good, incredible really.

This happened in the homes behind us. I wonder what the complainant looks like? I picture a retired, curtain twitcher.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Or so they say.

Best laugh of the day.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Now they won’t talk for good, incredible really.

This happened in the homes behind us. I wonder what the complainant looks like? I picture a retired, curtain twitcher.

I can see how this can cause consternation. My neighbour is currently having a bespoke building put at the bottom of her garden. She had to have it redesigned when I pointed out that our garden border at the end had deviated almost a metre owing to a previous owner bogarting my land. I wouldn't have found this out had I not checked the legals after she started using the back of my house as a right of way for pals during Covid, and I had a 'full spectrum' moment (some of you will understand my reference here) as we were both feverishly checking our deeds. I posted about this at the time. Right of way and public right of way are not the same thing. Luckily for me.

Anyway....her new design is nice except the first build of the frame seemed awfully high to me. Then this week the wedge shaped roof suddenly had its high half lopped off. Apparently another neighbour had been reassured that height regs would be adhered to and they had instead been violated, creating a sun blocking tower over neighbour 2's veggy patch. Even though the roof is now fixed the neighbours are no longer speaking.

Mrs T and I are keen to put something else down our bit sometime soon. Materials are grossly overpriced presently, though. Next door's builder knows I'm on the market so he's doing a semi audtion with his current job.

My main concern is that if I get too good a build I'll be finding myself sleeping down there in a few years as Mrs T's patience thins to Welbeck hamstring width as I grow increasingly intolerable with age

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

I can't spot where they ran the electrics, did they go through the lawn?

It’s to one side of the house so only about 4m of cable needed.

 

[South Stand Bonfire]

I can recommend Sensational Spaces in Worthing. I was toying with idea of having a glorified garden shed but having seen the room they built for a friend I’ve upspeced. Mine is being built now with the foundations (15 giant 1m long metal screws already installed) . It’s fully plastered, painted, electric sockets, down lights, electric heater and fuse board linked to your house. External dimensions 6m x 3.5m with two full height tilt/ turn windows and pair of double doors. The cost is approx £26k inc Vat.

Their work is custom built to your requirements so obviously costs will change depending what you want.

I work in construction and am happy with their approach so it would be worth having a chat with Shaun at the company and discuss your options, budget and any planning constraints.

They are busy though so expect a 4/5 month lead in period. Third of the payment on order, a third on commencement and the balance on completion.

He will give you a provisional budget for the electrics ( mine was £2.7k plus Vat) but subject to a subsequent separate quote from an electrician ( mine was a bit more but not too far off +£300/400?) so allow for a bit of contingency for that.

 

[Deleted member 2719]

It’s to one side of the house so only about 4m of cable needed.

View attachment 142019

Okay, I assume it was armoured?

Wouldn't want you sticking your spear and Jackson through it.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Okay, I assume it was armoured?

Wouldn't want you sticking your spear and Jackson through it.

Yes, it’s armoured. Down the wall and under the brick paving pathway.

 

[warmleyseagull]

We had a £15k (£17k with pad and extras) one 4.5m x 2.5m installed for wife’s publishing business in July.

Factors to consider:

1. Get bigger than you think you need, else you will regret not doing so. Marginal square meters are relatively low in cost;;
2. Check planning permission and restrictive covenants. PP generally unnecessary but we have Listed Building in Conservation Area in AONB, so deffo was for us. LB busybodies added several k to our building;
3. Not sure about DIY foundations. Ours needed digger/dumper/skip/gravel/premix lorry. And it had to be precise measurements to avoid splash back (base was checked before installing). A sound base is almost more important than the building.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Seeing some people's mansions, suddenly makes me feel very inferior

 

[Deleted member 2719]

Yes, it’s armoured. Down the wall and under the brick paving pathway.

Nice job all round then.

 

[Weststander]

I can see how this can cause consternation. My neighbour is currently having a bespoke building put at the bottom of her garden. She had to have it redesigned when I pointed out that our garden border at the end had deviated almost a metre owing to a previous owner bogarting my land. I wouldn't have found this out had I not checked the legals after she started using the back of my house as a right of way for pals during Covid, and I had a 'full spectrum' moment (some of you will understand my reference here) as we were both feverishly checking our deeds. I posted about this at the time. Right of way and public right of way are not the same thing. Luckily for me.

Anyway....her new design is nice except the first build of the frame seemed awfully high to me. Then this week the wedge shaped roof suddenly had its high half lopped off. Apparently another neighbour had been reassured that height regs would be adhered to and they had instead been violated, creating a sun blocking tower over neighbour 2's veggy patch. Even though the roof is now fixed the neighbours are no longer speaking.

Mrs T and I are keen to put something else down our bit sometime soon. Materials are grossly overpriced presently, though. Next door's builder knows I'm on the market so he's doing a semi audtion with his current job.

My main concern is that if I get too good a build I'll be finding myself sleeping down there in a few years as Mrs T's patience thins to Welbeck hamstring width as I grow increasingly intolerable with age

The boundary or fence thing is commonplace (not just folk on the spectrum ). People pinch land where they can, often having fencing done when their neighbour’s gone up on holiday. Sometimes the new fence posts just happen to be 4” further over, expanding the beneficiary’s garden by that all the way along the boundary. Another thieving technique, is to plant a hedge on the neighbour’s land, expanding the garden by 2’ or 3’ feet’s width all the way along. Or an ‘accidental’ dog leg to grab some land. Other times, attempts at adverse possession.

Don’t know if this is just a British thing.