Jobs you might need to do when buying a garden office
Garden offices, apart from the self-build options are often sold as fully project managed services, known as ‘turnkey’ projects. This offers you, the customer, peace of mind because your supplier will handle everything for you, and you can just sit back and watch the building take shape.
If you are not buying your garden office on a turnkey basis, there are some preparation tasks you may be asked to undertake. Ask your chosen company what they expect you to have done before they arrive on-site, and what jobs you will have after the installation team leave site. This will save problems later on in the project.
Site clearance
In some cases, a supplier will have expected you to clear the site from vegetation before they start work. This would involve cutting back trees and shrubs that overhang the plot and removing the grass where the building will sit. Modern foundations such as ground screws can be fitted without needing to remove the grass. Once the building is in place, the grass will die from lack of light.
You may be asked to clear the site of vegetation ready for your garden office to be built.
Prepare the base
Depending on the package, you may be asked to organise the installation of the foundation, before they arrive on site with the building.
In such cases, you will be given drawings and measurements, and a suggestion of the foundation make-up to guide you. Organising the foundation usually requires you engaging a local builder who will excavate the site and install the foundation.
Trench for the electrics
A common job left to the client is the connection of the garden offices electrics to the mains supply. This needs to be undertaken by a certified electrician, and not all suppliers send one to the site.
This connection requires a trench to be dug from the garden office up to the house. This is labour intensive, and you could save a chunk of money digging the trench yourself. Your electrician will advise you on the depth of trench needed. It only needs to be about a spade width, wide.
Connecting the electrics to the mains supply in your house involves digging a trench. You may be able to save money by digging this trench yourself.
Decorating
Some companies, often those offering standard designs, will leave the interior for you to decorate. This typically involves painting the walls and ceiling.