Working from Home
Three years ago, the office of national statistics reported that 4.2 million people work from home, the equivalent of 13.9 percent of people in employment in the UK, see figure 1 for regional figures. This is the highest percentage since records began in 1998, and seems to be a trend that is set to continue.
Figure 1 – Source: Office for National Statistics
Benefits of working at home include:
- No stressful commute
- No commuting costs
- More time with the family
- Less distractions if you are working alone
- A better work life balance
However the home environment often comes with distractions, and for many people finding a private space to dedicate to work is an issue. An ideal solution would be to take your work outside and create a garden office.
Log Cabins – The Popular Choice for a Garden Office
Due to the increase in people choosing to work from home, the popularity of garden office structures and log cabins has increased. Log cabins are a stylish and efficient way to maximise the potential of your outside space. Typically cheaper than extending a property and much faster to construct, a log cabin garden office adds value to a property with much less hassle and provides a perfect solution for your home office needs.
Before embarking on the process of building a log cabin in your garden there are a few things you should consider:
Securing your Garden Office
Log cabins used as a garden office are often situated at the far end of the garden, well away from the main house so they are as private and quiet as possible. Often garden offices are filled with expensive equipment, including computers, phones or industry specific tools. Offices also usually contain important documentation, often financial records. It is important that you consider how to protect these valuable. At Creative Living Cabins we offer a range of door locking mechanisms but we would recommend an added level of security and privacy for your property and garden office with an electric gate. We often work with Gate-a-mation who offer electric gates which not only provide a barrier to entry but act as a deterrent and visual block to potential thieves.
Log Cabin Insulation
A large proportion of our lives are unfortunately consumed by work, so it is important that during the working day you are warm and comfortable. When considering your new garden office it is important you think about how the log cabin will be insulated. At Creative Living Cabins we offer cavity wall insulation as standard with all our log cabins, as well as double glazing for all year round warmth and comfort.
Garden Office Site Preparation
As with all garden buildings, preparing the ground is really important before starting work on your garden office. Problems with invasive and tenacious weeds, such as Giant Hogweed and Japanese knotweed are surprisingly common – knotweed removal, in particular, is very difficult to eradicate without the help of Japanese knotweed specialists. Knotweed removal is essential as left untreated it can easily cause significant structural damage to log cabins or any other garden buildings. Luckily, there are recommended specialist knotweed solutions that will get rid of the pest. Don’t let Japanese knotweed ruin your garden office log cabin, take the time to prepare the groundwork, and let the experts apply their tried-and-tested knotweed solutions.
It is a fact that log cabins are more susceptible to insect and rodent damage so it’s really important to ensure that your garden office log cabin is sourced from a reputable supplier, such as Creative Living Cabins, with properly treated and sealed wood.
Log Cabin Layout
Working from home can be suitable for a variety of people with very different business needs. It is important to consider how you will be making use of the space available in your garden and what your requirements are of a garden office space. For example a fine artist may require a quiet private outdoor space but with plenty of natural light to provide the right conditions for painting. An architect might require a vast amount of desk space to layout drawings, or a consultant would need space for private working as well as room to meet with clients. Creative Living Cabins offer a free bespoke log cabin design service for you to decide on the exact layout to suit your needs, that is if our extensive range of log cabins doesn’t quite match your specific garden office requirements.
Come and visit us to view and choose from our substantial range of beautifully crafted office log cabins, and begin your new balanced home work lifestyle!
