Thinking of adding a home office?
The number of people working from home is on the rise, with over two million people currently using their kitchen table or spare room! The need for a more dedicated space is becoming a real must-have for many families and budding entrepreneurs when house hunting, but what can you do in your current home?
So, what is the best option for your home? Here are a couple of ideas to inspire you, or if you are still stuck, how about calling us we can help share the load and advise what can be achieved in your current space! Read on….
#1 Garage conversion
A lot of people have garages attached to their homes, which don’t often get used for cars, but more as a place to ‘store things’ so why not extend your living/working space and convert your garage.
The costs of a garage conversion do vary depending on your personal specifications, the location of your garage to your home etc., but expect to spend between £10k - £15k as a guide.
In most cases, you won’t need planning permission as it with permitted development as part of your existing structure, but we would always advise you get some professional advice from a planning consultant or your local authority, just to be sure. Especially if you live in a conservation area or have any kind of listed property.
Whatever the case, building regulations will still apply, which will result in a chat and inspection from your local authority anyway.
Once done, the main aspects of the garage conversion will cover, replacing the garage door to be watertight and secure, floor and wall insulation, adding a window, adding internal doors, and any utilities you need (electricity, Wi-Fi, phone line access etc)
The biggest problem with garage conversions is working out where are you going to put everything that you store in there?!
#2 – A Garden Office
Having a short commute to your garden will give you a little more separation from your work and home. And can be more cost-effective if space is tight in your existing home.
We would always advise getting professional advice as there may well be planning issues to resolve before the build commences. We can work with you to look at these issues to make sure you are compliant but equally, you get the space you need for your office.
If you are considering building just a timber-based office, then you do not need to inform building regulations. And you will be spoilt for choice with a flat pack and ready-made options out there. We have a number we can recommend if you choose to take that route.
Cost wise, there is a huge degree of difference depending on your requirements. Considering suitable insulation, for walls and flooring, extensions of electricity, wifi and phone lines are other expenses to consider if your business requires regular external contact. And double-glazed windows and doors can notch up your budget even more.
For most small business needs, a budget of around £6,000 would get you a great work space of around 3m x 4m, comfortable all year round.
#3 Loft office conversions
Our final option is to develop your loft space to create an empire at the top of your house.
Of course, not all houses are suitable for loft conversions, but we are happy to take a look and provide you with sound advice on this.
Providing an extra set of stairs is a good way of separating your office from the rest of the house and provide you with more than just an office if space allows for an additional shower room, sleep space or storage.
The cost for loft conversions can be anything between 20k and 40K depending on the level of work and any additional requirements as mentioned already.
We have completed a large number of loft conversions over the year and would be delighted to discuss your requirements in detail anytime.
We hope this has given you a little insight into the home office scenario. Before we sign off, we would also like to add, please consider how your office equipment and valuables will be insured, added to your home insurance or taking our specific business office insurance?
And finally, will you be having potential customers visiting you at your office, this might be worth considering if you are taking people from your home to your office.
If you are interested in speaking to any of our customers or need a recommendation from our network of suppliers, please do contact us on 01423 360622 or drop us a line at info@cw-properties.co.uk
