More sheds than households in UK says new report

Lower construction costs, fewer planning restrictions and the growth of shedworking and homeworking in general are creating a buoyant market for outbuildings, sheds, log cabins and garden offices according to tradesmen polled by Screwfix.

Analysis of Google Earth images of suburban streets throughout the UK carried out by Screwfix suggests that there may be as many as 30 million outbuildings in Britain, eclipsing the total number of UK households.

Sales of sheds are booming as economy-minded households have met their living space expansion needs via lower-cost outbuildings. Screwfix sales in the last four months alone have created around 90,000 square metres of additional garden living and working space. In May, Screwfix sold four times the number of sheds it had sold in March, reflecting the accelerating trend.

“Our tradesmen are telling us that their customers are investing in sheds, log cabins and other outbuildings as a way of increasing the size of the domestic living space,” said John Mewett from Screwfix. “Our study of Google Earth images across the UK confirms just how many outbuildings there are in the UK these days of all shapes and sizes. We estimate that there are more sheds than homes, possibly for the first time ever.”
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