It's that time of year again when we allow the staff and interns to take a little time off from tapping at their keyboards and head off for a well-earned break. We'll be back with you in a fortnight.
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A Cosy Garden Rooms garden office. With a hot tub. And a pond. Nice.
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New figures from specialist booking service BeachHuts.com suggest that beach huts leapt in value by just over 100%
between 2022 and 2023 in some coastal areas, costing just ove £123,500 on
average.
Lily Smith, a travel and holiday expert from the BeachHuts.com, said: "Our latest research has revealed huts and chalets are now soaring in popularity as the sunbather's equivalent to glamping. It's not only sixtysomethings, nostalgic for their 1970s childhoods. Our research has revealed the average age of beach hut users has plummeted in recent years as increasing numbers of young people realise the attractions of a home-from-home by the sea."
The Economist has also this week been asking the question 'Why are British beach huts so expensive?' and offers the dual conclusion that scarcity and sentimentality drive the market. Here's a snippet:
Why spend so much for a shack on the sand? Supply is very restricted, for one. Local councils limit the construction of new ones, so as not to spoil the view. Huts rarely come onto the market: they are handed down between generations and become yearly meeting places for communities of families. Ask owners, though, and they’ll also use words like “quintessential” and “iconic”, describing beach huts as part of the fabric of Britain’s history.
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Granted this is an American study, but it seems likely that it can be extrapolated usefully for shedworkers in the UK too. In brief, the American Time Use Survey, the annual report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, show that in 2023, 35 percent of employed people did some or all of their work at home on days they worked, and 73 percent of employed people did some or all of their work at their workplace.
But here's the really key bit, the share of employed people who spent time working at home on days worked was about the same in 2023 (35 percent) as in 2022 (34 percent). So people were still more likely to work at home in 2023 than in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic (35 percent, compared with 24 percent).
Other findings showed that workers with higher levels of education were more likely to work at home than were those who had less education, and that on days they worked in 2023, employed women and men were about equally likely to do some or all of their work at home, 36 percent and 34 percent, respectively.
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A useful guide in the Daily Telegraph looks at the best wifi extenders on the market (click link for full article). These kinds of surveys are generally of interest but this is particularly useful since the jounalist Christopher Hall is specifically testing them on his garden office as well as around his home. Long story short, he considers that the best overall is the TP-Link Deco BE65 pictured above, the best value is the Google Nest WiFi Pro, and the best budget is the TP-Link RE550 Mesh Wi-Fi Extender.
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IPSE, The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed, has put together some thoughts on becoming a shedworker and buying a garden office. It's not too long and well worth reading (click the link above to take a look) but here's a pertinent section on its ongoing value to your property:
Investing in quality can pay off. The value it adds will vary depending on demand in the housing market, but it’s estimated a garden office can add 5-15% to the value of your home. If your property is currently valued at £300,000, you could see an increase of between £15,000 to £30,000 depending on the size and specification you’ve chosen. Obviously, you’ll tend to see more gains from a higher quality construction, and you could see more value if there’s another big rise in demand for home working spaces.
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The delightful Bonni Small model from Oxfordshire-based outbuildings specialist Bonni (who have a very attractive website). It's their smallest offering and perfect for one person shedworking as a garden office, although you may prefer one of their larger offerings. They describe it as a "perfect office space, pool house, garden room, yoga studio – whatever your heart desires". Options include a shower room and kitchenette.
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It's been the UK Men's Sheds annual Shedfest today at the University Arena at Worcester University. Here are some images of the day, courtesy the university, Chris Lee, Phil Parkes, Warm Welcome UK, Sam Moon, and Tackle Prostate Cancer.
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A really interesting video from BBC Sheffield who visited the local workshop of married cutlers Kylie and Steven Cocker who produce handmade knives in their garden shed. As well as the video below, you can find plenty more images of them at work and their superb products at their Instagram page here.
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Most shedworkers will probably just nip back into the house if they need the use of a bathroom, but 'most' is not 'all' and there are increasing numbers looking to add one to their garden office or building for whatever reason (gym usage, spare room, simple comfort). Cosy Garden Rooms (example pictured above) has a useful short piece looking at some of the issues and considerations. Here's a snippet, on drainage:
Prior to incorporating a shower or toilet into your garden room, it's crucial to consider the disposal of water waste. Typically, this involves digging a trench for water pipes to connect to the nearest sewer, facilitating the efficient removal of wastewater. Ensuring that these pipes are installed below the frost line in the ground is essential to prevent potential damage during colder months. While this step may initially seem onerous and costly, the long-term benefits in terms of functionality and durability make it a worthwhile investment.
Well worth a browse via the link above if this is something you're considering.
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Shedworking is a sucker for before and after transformations. Here's a fine example from Heritage Garden Studios of one such in Doncaster, a 7m x 4.7m build with a 5m x 2m canopy, and a large decking platform, low-maintenance composite slatted cladding in teak, SIPS walls, roof, and floor, and an EPDM rubber roof, plus Anthracite aluminium sliding doors.
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This week's entry in the Friday Finery folder is the tip top Malvern Garden Buildings' Hopton Summerhouse model, owned by writer and broadcaster Martin and his wife Jill in sunny North Yorkshire. As well as a spot for relaxing, Martin also uses it as a garden office for writing his garden magazine articles.
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Make your mark today, not only in the General Election, but also in this year's Shed of the Year which has released its own candidate shortlist.
You can see the full shortlist at the usual readersheds.co.uk online polling booth or via organiser Uncle Wilco's latest Substack newsletter, but pictured above are the two finalists in the Workshop/Studio category which is the nearest to a garden office. Pop's Shed is the work of Leicestershire's Martin Blenkinsop who uses it for painting and drawing. "As I am now 76 and registered disabled, I have just finished what will probably be my last shed, and this one was more of an indulgence than a necessity," he writes. "I now have a prosthetic leg and no longer consider myself disabled. I drive, garden, climb ladders and build sheds, but with the future in mind, my latest shed has a ramp built into the base, an extra wide push access door, ride under workstation and accessible fixtures and fittings. It also has a great view of the garden."
Cheltenham Corker is owned by Iain Jameson from Cheltenham who says: "This project was created for a retired couple who are also my parents in Cheltenham. They asked for a new potting shed that was as sustainably designed as possible to allow them a workshop space and a place to sit in the sunshine."
The Shed of the Year polls close on August 2 but perhaps best to vote now so you don't forget (although we'll be posting reminders in the leadup to the big day).
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According to Ben Willmott, head of public policy at “During periods of hot weather, health and safety needs to be a number one priority. Employers should be particularly mindful of those with a disability or health condition, or those in safety-critical roles like drivers and construction, as the heat can affect people’s concentration and cause fatigue.
“Where possible, employers should offer flexible working options in terms of where and when their staff work. Working from home may allow employees to be more comfortable and productive. Where roles can't be done from home, employers should explore other forms of flexibility. For example, flexibility in start and finish times to avoid the peak hour commute, which can be particularly challenging or disrupted in hot conditions."
He added that some workplaces, such as old buildings, feel the impact of a heatwave more than others, and while there’s no specific legal maximum temperature for workplaces in the UK, employers should take steps to try and ensure the temperature is reasonable.
“Businesses should put measures in place to maximise employee comfort, so they can get on with their jobs," said Willmott. "These can include providing fans if there’s no air conditioning, easy access to cold drinking water and relaxing strict uniform dress codes. Employers may also want to be proactive about support and adjustments ahead of any hot weather, so people can discuss options with their manager in advance.”
Photos courtesy Smart Modular Buildings
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Shedworking was delighted to hear the other day from Nic Frankland whose Sheds for Living designs we showcased in the very, very early days of the sit as well as in the book Shedworking: The Alternative Workplace Revolution. He's been busy since then and his new project is wudl which produces affodable and sustainable timber frame buildings of various sizes including garden office-friendly ones.
The newest range from wudl is the 'Sojourn in the garden', ideal for shedworkers which come with a pitched roof with high-level ceilings to give a spacious feel inside. Nic emphaises that the company only uses natural and recycled materials (foundations are galvanised steel ground screws which have much less carbon than a concrete base). All the timber is FSC Certified and wudl uses 150mm SupaSoft recycled plastic bottle insulation in all of the building panels which is vapour permeable as well as good for the environment. The doors and windows are made by Velfac, a very durable timber-aluminium frame. The standard external finish is timber cladding (Douglas Fir) but other options are available, as are the likes of solar panels, battery storage, smart lighting, underfloor heating, laminate flooring and a range of wallpaper from Miss Print.
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A delightful, and short, video below by architect Paul Westwood from design collective RIOS explaining how he converted the unusable garage at his London home into a garden office, pictured above. Features include plenty of recycled materials (such as reclaimed doors and timber from a local sawmill), a big skylight, underfloor heating underneath a sandstone cobble floor, textured plaster walls.
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