The Complete Guide to Garden Offices
Working from home is a great way to manage your work/life balance, but it can be hard to separate your working life from your busy home, and a garden office could be the perfect solution. Instead of working at the kitchen table or alternating work tasks with housework, you’ll have a dedicated space for your work that is clean, clear and well organised.
At Gardenhouse24, you’ll discover a range of garden offices of all sizes and designs so that you can find the professional set-up to suit you. These office cabins and garden offices are made from the finest Nordic timber, so they look beautiful and are built to last, and they are well insulated to offer a comfortable working space all year round. Let’s take a look at the different types of garden office available and find out what could work for you.
Why is a Garden Office Better Than a Spare Bedroom?
Working in a spare bedroom is a solution for many people, and it can be a good option. However, this takes up valuable space in your home and may impact your family and any visitors. While you are working in a spare bedroom, you may be disturbed by the noise of others in the house, or you may even distract yourself when you are in close proximity to household tasks such as cleaning and washing.
Many people find that a separate space enables them to work more effectively, providing the headspace required to be professional. A garden office requires you to physically leave the house, creating some distance between your home and working life, and this can help prepare you to focus on work and leave your housework behind.
Your Guide to Setting up a Garden Office
There are several options when you are setting up a home office, and we recommend considering the following:
• Space. The first thing to think about is what sort of space you need for working from home. If you are running a client-facing business, you will need a space that is suitable for meeting clients, and you may need to seek planning permission for this. You might need a multi-room design that accommodates different working spaces, or you might require a large airy space with plenty of light, especially if you are in the creative industries. When you have chosen your ideal design, you can begin to think about how you will use the space.
• Heating. When your garden office is well insulated, it can provide a comfortable working space all year round, and there are several options for heating it during the coldest months. A freestanding heater or even a woodburner can ensure that your garden office is cosy even in the winter, and when it’s hot, you’ll have a light, airy space with good air circulation via the windows.
• Power supply. You will also need to consider lighting and power outlets in your garden office, and this usually means running cabling from your home. There are some options using energy-efficient technology such as solar panels, and you may wish to explore these, particularly if your business is aiming for carbon neutral status. However, this can be difficult in Ireland, where the weather is unpredictable for much of the year, and you may also need a mains supply or generator as a backup power supply.
• Storage. You’ll need to make the most of your storage when you’re creating a garden office, and we love vertical storage systems and wall-mounted shelves to optimise floor space and organise your equipment and supplies. You can create more space by thinking carefully about the way your doors are positioned and keeping your furnishings simple so that the area feels open and clutter-free.
• Lifestyle. What is your reason for working from home? If it’s to make the most of your work/life balance, you may want to consider a garden office that gives you hobby space at the same time. For instance, you might want to incorporate a gym space into your garden office, or invest in a cabin with two rooms so that you can use the second as a studio or art room.
• Installation. You’ll need to choose whether to put up your garden office yourself or have it professionally installed, and there are several options for preparing the ground and laying foundations. The friendly team at Gardenhouse24 can help you to make the right choices for your site and to find the best garden office design for your needs.
Tax Considerations for Garden Offices in Ireland
If you’re running your own business from home, you’ll probably already have thought about the tax implications of installing a garden office. The garden building and the installation itself will probably not be a tax-deductible expense, as these are not considered capital allowances, but you will be able to claim for the purchases of furniture, lighting and office equipment to set up your garden office.
You will need to separate the expenses associated with the fit-out from the building costs, and you may also reclaim the VAT for both construction and fit-out costs, if your garden building is solely used for your business. If not, you will need to ensure that the VAT is worked out according to the way your garden office is used, so a multi-purpose space may mean you are only entitled to claim a portion of these costs.
When you are working in your garden office, you can claim an allowance for the utilities you use for work. However, this must also be proportional, so if your power is supplied via your home, you will need to work out the amount you are using for your business.
It is also worth considering that your garden office is likely to increase the value of your home, and that any part of it that is used exclusively for business may be subject to Capital Gains Tax. You can discuss all of these implications with your accountant to ensure you make the best decisions for your business.
Garden Office Design Ideas
There are many different options when you’re designing a garden office, and any design up to 25 square metres or 270 square feet does not require planning permission. You might choose a cosy cabin to ensure that you can work in your garden office all year round, or you might prefer to opt for a bright, spacious design with plenty of windows and sliding doors to maximise natural light.
If you have a larger area available to you, you might want to consider an L-shaped or larger model that can give you the space to spread out or to incorporate other elements into your garden office. When you are choosing the right design for your home and your lifestyle, you will need to think about the surrounding area and how your garden office will look in your space, and you can include decking, a veranda or complementary planting to show it off to perfection.
Garden Offices in Ireland
A garden office gives you the freedom and flexibility to work from home in style, and you can add value to your property when you install a beautiful garden building. Gardenhouse 24 also has a fantastic range of garden buildings to upgrade your lifestyle, including summerhouses, cabins and pool houses.
