7 mistakes to avoid when looking for a garden office

InsideOut Buildings' Lynn Fotheringham - our 'go to' contact for all things on the ins and outs of garden office planning permission - has put together a nice piece about the mistakes that can cost you dearly when hunting for a garden office.

"We learn by our mistakes," she says. "But a garden office design that is so wrong that your building don’t turn out as expected, that you don’t want to use, and languishes in your garden as a constant reminder of a failed project that cost you a fortune, would be a very painful way to learn."

Her list includes building too big, too small, buying too cheaply, buying too expensively, deciding too soon, deciding too late and grabbing a 'bargain'. You can see more of her thoughts and the full list here. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Homestead Timber Buildings - Manufacturers of Quality Timber Buildings

New online networking event for homeworkers launched

While the Shedworking staff generally dislikes networking events, we have come across one or two that we like such as the marvellous Afternoon in the Pub and we have of course run our own sessions and Christmas parties for shedworkers.

So we were interested to hear about iHubbub's new online networking venture which they launched last night (always first with the news on this blog...) from their garden offices, attics and spare rooms to prove that online networking can be done from anywhere at any time (are you listening Marissa Mayer?).

Co-founder Ken Sheridan said: “We want to build our speed networking sessions so that as many members as possible get the chance to attend and pitch the products and services they provide.”

The idea is that each attendee has one minute to pitch their business and while they do this their member profile is shown on screen so other speed networking attendees can make contact with each other after the event (attendees last night came from a variety of locations including Munich and Fife).

For more information about the whole thing and the next event on March 21 at 5pm, go to http://ihubbub.com/online-speed-networking.

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Wednesday posts are sponsored by The Stable Company®, the UK's premier supplier of garden offices and garden rooms. Click here

Home Farmer: garageworking

Ruth Tott and Paul Melnyczuk publish a national magazine for smallholders/downsizers/garden farmers called Home Farmer. Here, Ruth explains about their shedworkingesque working arrangements (which of course would not now be welcomed at Yahoo!):

We work from our converted garage (who needs garages for cars anyway?) We dabbled with office space but couldn’t make the move back home quick enough. The two of us share the space with book stock, back issues of the magazine, Suzi the dog, chicken feed (bottom left) and a chest freezer. Yes, it gets cramped, particularly when I’m packing books and magazines using the freezer as my packing desk but it works.

Paul does a drum roll on the desk-top drums when the next issue is finally signed of – a wee bit irritating really.

We aspire to get a wooden, purpose built shed but until then this suits us just dandy.

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Tuesday posts are sponsored by 3rdSpace modular garden rooms.
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Yahoo bans working from home

If you're working from home for Yahoo in a garden office, that's all about to end. All employees have been told by HR top wonk Jackie Reses that they will be have to now commute into a central office because, she says, “Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home” and that they need to be "physically together". This applies not only to full-time homeworkers, but also to those who work one or more days a week from home.


Here's the whole thing...

Yahoos,

Over the past few months, we have introduced a number of great benefits and tools to make us more productive, efficient and fun. With the introduction of initiatives like FYI, Goals and PB&J, we want everyone to participate in our culture and contribute to the positive momentum. From Sunnyvale to Santa Monica, Bangalore to Beijing — I think we can all feel the energy and buzz in our offices.

To become the absolute best place to work, communication and collaboration will be important, so we need to be working side-by-side. That is why it is critical that we are all present in our offices. Some of the best decisions and insights come from hallway and cafeteria discussions, meeting new people, and impromptu team meetings. Speed and quality are often sacrificed when we work from home. We need to be one Yahoo!, and that starts with physically being together.

Beginning in June, we’re asking all employees with work-from-home arrangements to work in Yahoo! offices. If this impacts you, your management has already been in touch with next steps. And, for the rest of us who occasionally have to stay home for the cable guy, please use your best judgment in the spirit of collaboration. Being a Yahoo isn’t just about your day-to-day job, it is about the interactions and experiences that are only possible in our offices.

Thanks to all of you, we’ve already made remarkable progress as a company — and the best is yet to come.

Jackie

 Thanks to Lloyd Alter for the alert.

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Monday posts are sponsored by garden2office, the Swedish garden office specialists. Click here for more details.

UK shedlife revealed in new report

New research released today reveals 65% of British adults own a shed and the average shedowner spends more than a year of their life in their shed. In fact Brits love their shed so much that 6% would like to be buried in them.

The research forms part of the Shed’onomic report, an in-depth study of the nation’s shed behaviour commissioned by Cuprinol to mark the official launch of the annual Shed of the Year competition.

When it comes to shed-love:
- 6% of men admit to getting frisky in their shed to spice up their love life
- A similar number want to be buried in their shed
- Almost half of owners admit they would be lost without their sheds
- More than one fifth of men admit to having spent time in their sheds to avoid arguments
- 7% escape there to make private phone calls
- Around 12% of shed owners prefer spending time in their shed to being with their family

In terms of shed economics:
- Two thirds of the adult population are shed owners, bringing the UK shed-tally up to nearl 16 million
- The under 25s spend the most on their sheds, an average of £493 compared to the over 55s who fork out £360
- Londoners splash out the most on their sheds - an average of £508 - compared to the national average of £396

As for shed uses:
- About a third of Brits take after Damien Hirst and paint in their sheds
- 11% use their shed as an office
- The shed is not just a place to store the garden tools with sheddies admitting to storing children’s toys (28%), fridge/ freezers (11%), books (16%), sunbeds (12%), desk (10%), TV (6%), old gym equipment (18%), bikes (45%) in their sheds

Kathryn Ledson, Cuprinol Marketing Manager, said: "It’s clear that sheds are vital to the British identity and that they are an inspiration to so many of us. At Cuprinol, we’re delighted to be the official sponsor of the annual Shed of the Year competition which celebrates the best of British sheds. If you think your shed is worthy of this prestigious title then you can enter at www.readersheds.co.uk from now until May 3.”

The Shed of the Year competition sponsored by Cuprinol is of course the brainchild of Uncle Wilco who launched the national competition seven years ago. Competition categories include:
• Normal
• Eco
• Garden Office
• Cabin/ Summerhouse
• Workshop/ Studio
• Unique
• Pub
• Tardis

Winners will be announced during National Shed Week (July 1-7).
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Tuesday posts are sponsored by 3rdSpace modular garden rooms.
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Mobile shedworking doubles in last five years

Research among commercial van drivers in the UK has found that modern technology has led to a doubling in the number of small businesses using their vans as a "mobile office" in the last five years.

But AXA Business Insurance warns that many could be leaving themselves and their businesses at risk by failing to take sensible precautions around the equipment that keeps them mobile.

The survey, commissioned by AXA Business Insurance, found that two thirds of van drivers now coordinate their businesses from their vans, a rise from 34% five years ago.  This is reflected by the fact that on average, van drivers spend only half (56%) of the time in their vans actually driving while one in seven spend less than 20% of ‘van-time' actually on the road.

Over two thirds believe that the technology they now carry with them in their vans has had a positive effect on running a mobile office and nearly a third believe it improves the image of the business. However, many admit that losing this equipment would mean their business would suffer.

Today, 71% of those using a van will carry a smartphone with them and 60% a satnav. Nearly half (45%) have a laptop or tablet and seven percent even carry a printer in their van. All of this can add up to well over £1,000 worth of equipment which, if left in a van, could be potentially uninsured. Under a regular van insurance policy, cover will generally be provided for just a few hundred pounds worth of these items. But this cover is also dependent on owners showing due care and attention - which could rule out claims from the half who don't use a functioning alarm or even hide valuables away when they leave their van.

Darrell Sansom, Managing Director at AXA Business Insurance explains: "We appreciate that items such as mobile phones, laptops and tablets are vital to many businesses these days and we, like other insurers, will provide some coverfor items stolen from a van. However, if you are carrying a lot of equipment, not only should you ensure you do not make it easy pickings for thieves by leaving it in your van, you should contact your business insurer to arrange suitable cover for it."

In the last five years, 15% of van drivers have reported having a technological item stolen from their vehicle with smart phones the number one target followed by laptops and tablets.
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Richard Briers

The Shedworking staff were very sad to hear about the death of Richard Briers this morning. While not actually a shedworker, his character Tom Good in The Good Life was keen to show that there are more, and better, ways of working than just turning up to a central office every day. -------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday posts are sponsored by garden2office, the Swedish garden office specialists. Click here for more details.