Nowadays, working from home has become a trend in several industries, not only for business purposes but also to ensure employees’ safety during the pandemic. The drawback of this is that certain employees prefer an office setting. This leads them to rent a space in expensive buildings.
Office sheds or backyard offices are a top option to avoid engaging with expensive rentals. The wooded-made office may cost a maximum of $6,380, while vinyl or bricks may be available for $7,950, and metal for $5,250 and up. Apart from the costs, you should also prepare a budget for furniture or finishing.
On the other hand, new equipment or materials may bring more value to your office. If you don’t want to spend too much, you can use your current or old furniture. DIY furniture is another excellent choice, but it will take some time, especially if you’re new to it.
In this article, we will discuss the reasons why office sheds are cost-efficient investments and how much space you need to build one. We will also tackle the materials used in the construction and the breakdown cost of each material and labor.
5 Reasons Why Office Sheds Are Cost-Efficient Investments
Office spaces represent extra expenses when you need to rent a place to establish your own office. Therefore, building an office shed is a great alternative to save money. Such a place will also lessen the travel time from your home to your office, thus allowing you to balance your personal and work lives.
They are particularly useful during the pandemic, as you can ensure your and your family’s safety by staying in your house to work.
1. Avoid monthly rental fees
The first thing you can benefit from when having a backyard office is avoiding expensive rent. Indeed, although some newly established business firms choose to settle in office spaces, the downside strikes in the overpriced monthly cost they pay.
That is why making an office shed in a backyard is a good solution as you only have to invest in the building process, and own the place afterward. Unlike renting in an office space, a backyard office ensures a steady working room. It is a budget-friendly option.
Besides, working inside an office space benefit the team or employees. You will get to know each other’s weaknesses and strengths. Everyone can also express their insights into a certain project. The idea is to do amazing teamwork to develop the workforce, which can lead to the company’s success.
2. Manage your time sensibly
Traveling from your house to work requires having allotted time. Sometimes, we tend to squeeze our life obligations before we proceed to our offices. However, having your own office in your backyard can help you avoid these challenges.
If you wake up late in the morning, you can still manage your time to work because the office is nearby. You don’t have to deal with traffic congestion and other traveling inconveniences. All you need to do is get ready and proceed to your backyard office.
3. Balance life and work
Working from home is the safest choice for everyone. This way, people can balance and compress their work time. This will allow them to spend more time with their family as well as alone time.
Apart from that, it allows an employee to multitask between their job and responsibilities at home. If you go to offices, you can’t do anything except the task attributed to you by your company. Meanwhile, a backyard office allows you to juggle both chores.
4. Ensure safety during a pandemic
We need to stay at home during the pandemic. We all know diseases like COVID-19 may hit everyone, whether you are an adult, kid, or senior. This is why nearly all companies decided to let their employees work from home when the virus stroke.
The scheme of backyard offices helps people have their offices at home. With such, the employee will not head out and expose themselves to any diseases nor viruses, and reducing the number of people leaving their houses can gradually ease any situation.
5. Separate working place at home
If you’re already working from home, you consume a single area inside your house originally intended for other purposes. It will result in overcrowding and may affect other people inside your house.
Instead, you can organize your working materials inside your backyard offices. The space it provides permits you to transfer the tools and equipment from your house to your private space. It is a smart way to prevent congestion inside your home.
Are you tired of working in your living room? Do you want to better focus on your business? If your answer is yes, it is time for you to have your own office. When you’re thinking about this project, the question will inevitably pop up: how much does it cost to build a small office? Read our article to find out.
How Much Space Do You Need for an Office Shed?
An office shed has no required nor exact size. The most important factor is the space you will need for your materials and equipment. For average costing, a 10×10 ft. flooring is ideal, and 10×12 ft. can provide a comfortable ambiance.
There are several types of office sheds you can choose from. You can build one using an old studio, prefabricated shed, and many other things. All that matters is that the size of your shed allows you to store your stuff inside it.
The total cost might affect the measurements you plan to use for your office shed. If you are eyeing a big one, you probably need to prepare for higher equipment costs. On the other hand, for regular costs, it is advisable to create a smaller shed.
Some backyard offices were built with enhanced and new finishes made on old structures, meaning it is not required for you to create a new shed if you already have a room in your backyard. Asking for some advice from carpenters or construction experts is advisable. They can assist you in transforming or refurbishing that old structure into an office shed.
Before starting the construction, make a budget plan and structure scheme. The process will take time and need manpower. It is better to hire carpenters, bricklayers, or handymen for that.
Things You’ll Need to Create an Office Shed
To build your office shed, you will need several things, such as windows, paint, door, electricity, walls, roof, floor, insulation, and office equipment. In creating a budget plan, make sure that you listed all the things required to estimate the total cost.
1. Windows
All offices, buildings, and houses have windows. It is substantial to add a window to your shed as it permits ventilation inside the room. Without one, your office space can become suffocating.
Small windows are ideal for DIY office sheds but require someone to set them up on their own. On the other hand, prefabricated sheds have intact windows, which can lessen the building process.
2. Paint
Paint does not only bring life to a structure; it also protects and extends the quality of the materials. Indeed, materials like wood are vulnerable to several climate conditions. These kinds of materials are fragile in the long outdoor exposure.
Paint your office’s walls in a color that matches your house. It is best to choose tints that make your atmosphere more comfortable while working. Select an option that harmonizes with the usual office settings. Even if the materials you use are metal and bricks, paint is a good complement to apply to them.
3. Door
Of course, you will want to install a door on your office shed as it is a crucial part that acts as your entrance and exit. Your door’s size depends on the things you may want to bring inside your shed.
Sometimes, however, doors are not required as some people prefer their place to be open so they can put up firewood at night. Still, a door plays a big role to secure your things inside your office shed.
4. Electricity
Another major factor that contributes to an office is electricity. Without it, your office space is worthless.
Contact an electrician to install electric lines in your backyard office. Never do it yourself if you lack proper knowledge. Plan where you want to put the plugs so that you can arrange where you should set up your computers and lights.
5. Walls
Walls can be made of metal, wood, concrete, or anything that fits your preferences. Remember that each material has a different cost. We will be discussing this in the next topic. Most of the time, people use plywood for their walls.
Clad walls are effective materials employed in the external parts of office shed walls. They work like paint, where they protect the walls from any weather condition. This was created mainly to intercept cold and hot weather that cause the quality of the walls to decline.
6. Roof
Roofs work best with roofing sheets. These sheets come in many varieties and are made from different materials, including PVC, polycarbonate, fiberglass, and more. Although, the most commonly suggested roofing sheet is PVC.
7. Floor
This makes up the whole construction of your office shed. Sometimes, a specific type of flooring affects the ambiance of the whole area. To make your shed look like an office, you should use a floor frame that suits that of an office setting.
8. Insulation
Insulating an office shed does not only permit you to regulate the temperature. Some types of insulation panels can also lessen noises. These materials aim to adjust the heat and cold, depending on the season.
There are several types of insulation used in houses, such as foam, fiberglass, cellulose, and many others. The said insulating materials are also known to be efficient at home.
Most times, you will need to hire an expert to help you decide what and where to put up the insulation on your office shed’s walls. However, you can do it yourself if you have the proper knowledge. Bear in mind that this is a huge factor influencing the atmosphere of your office. Insulation, in this manner, should be well constructed for maximum effect.
9. Office Equipment
Your space won’t be called an office if it doesn’t contain furniture like tables and chairs. Although some people just buy new stuff, to avoid extra expenses, old furniture will do the trick.
On different social media platforms, you will find thousands of DIY tutorials, including for making furniture. Although this can be challenging, you can save a lot of money doing so.
Building a brand new home office is costly, especially when you’ve just moved to a new house. So, it makes a lot of sense to turn your yard shed into an office instead. If you have decided to do this project, read our article to learn how to turn your yard shed into an office.
Costs Breakdown of Building an Office Shed
You should create a budget plan before you start building your backyard office. To give you an idea, a wood office shed will cost around $6,020 to $6,380, while a vinyl one costs at least $7,950. Brick ranges from $3,500 to $7,950, and metal from $2,700 to $5,250 and up.
The breakdown of costs includes the pay for the laborer and materials. Prioritize the time or days needed to finish the construction as it affects the total cost. The costs listed below are the maximum pricing for each material.
Materials
Below are the ideal materials and the most commonly used to build an office shed. Their costs are as follows:
| Materials | Costs |
| Wood | $6,020 to $6,380 |
| Vinyl | $6,600 to $7,950 |
| Brick | $3,500 to $7,950 |
| Metal | $2,700 to $5,250 and above |
For wood, the estimated price may vary depending on the size of the office you plan to build. It may cost more or less, according to the workers you want to hire. The lowest-priced alternative is metal.
We separated wood from vinyl, but vinyl’s construction is also structured from wood. The only difference is the final coatings. It will add up to the current expenses relying on the quality of materials.
Hire or DIY?
Building a new structure is not an easy task. It requires manpower, a certain budget, and knowledge. DIY can be an alternative to reduce your expenses but will take significant time to do alone. Therefore, to ensure the building of your office, it is better to hire laborers. Choose workers who are experts for the specific type of office you are planning to build.
When building a backyard office, you should hire an expert in the field of construction or carpentry. We estimated the hourly pay of the following workers:
- Carpenter – minimum of $22
- Electrician – $50 and up
- Steelworker/bricklayer – $20-25
- Handyman – $40 and up
- Plumber – minimum of $45 and up
These are the estimated budget for the needed hired workers. Note that you don’t need to hire all of these. For example, if you want your office shed to be purely made of wood, it is not necessary to hire steelworkers.
Prioritize your needs and associate them with your budget plan so that you can save money and avoid irrelevant expenses.
Material Costs Breakdown
These breakdowns feature the maximum cost for each material.
Wood
- around $3,100 for materials, plus workers ranging from $2,480 to $3,720, which will cost you $5,580 to $6,820.
| Wood | |||
| Materials | Price | ||
| Plywood | $400 | ||
| Floor joist | $200 | ||
| Wall frame | $800 – $2,000 | ||
| Sidings | |||
| Hardwood | $350 | ||
| Pine | $375 | ||
| Cedar | $700 | ||
| Roof Joist | $500 | ||
| TOTAL | $3,100 | ||
| Workers | per hour | 40 hours | 60 hours |
| Carpenter | $22 | $880 | $1,320 |
| Handyman | $40 | $1,600 | $2,400 |
| TOTAL | $2,480 | $3,720 | |
Metal
- maximum of $3,850, and workers will cost $4,850 to $5,350 and up.
| Metal | |||
| Materials | Price | ||
| Plywood | $400 | ||
| Floor joist | $200 | ||
| Wall frame | $800 – $1,700 | ||
| Sidings | |||
| Steel Sheets | $550 | ||
| Roof Joist | $500 | ||
| Corrugated Metal Sheets | $500 | ||
| TOTAL | $2,950 – $3,850 | ||
| Workers | per hour | 40 hours | 60 hours |
| Steelworker | $25 | $1,000 | $1,500 |
Vinyl
- the total material costs reach $4,200, and labor is available for around $2,400 to $3,720. The total cost comes at around $6,600 to $7,950.
| Vinyl | |||
| Materials | Price | ||
| Plywood | $400 | ||
| Floor joist | $200 | ||
| Wall frame | $700 – $2,000 | ||
| Sidings (vinyl materials) | |||
| Sidings | $700 | ||
| Oriented Strand Board | $400 | ||
| Roof Joist | $500 | ||
| TOTAL | $4,200 – $4,900 | ||
| Workers | per hour | 40 hours | 60 hours |
| Carpenter | $22 | $880 | $1,320 |
| Handyman | $40 | $1,600 | $2,400 |
| TOTAL | $2,480 | $3,720 | |
Brick
- the materials’ cost is around $5,950. Add it to the estimated budget for laborers, who may charge $6,950, $7,450, or $7,950.
| Brick | ||||
| Materials | Price | |||
| Floor joist | $200 | |||
| Floor tiles | $1,000 | |||
| Carpet | $900 | |||
| Boarding | $800 | |||
| Wall | $1,800 | |||
| Roof joist | $500 | |||
| Concrete floor slab | $750 | |||
| TOTAL | $5,950 | |||
| Workers | per hour | 40 hours | 60 hours | 80 hours |
| Bricklayer | $25 | $880 | $1,320 | $2,000 |
Conclusion
The global pandemic has forced a lot of people to work from the comfort of their own homes. One of the issues that may arise from this work setup is the lack of a conducive work space. One of the solutions to this problem is getting an office shed. Having your personal office near your house is a great advantage, not only for maximizing your time, but also for your safety.
When building a backyard shed of your own, make sure you plan the construction, utilities, and complete set up of the office that you want. Incorporate your plan to the estimated budget that you have to ensure that you don’t miss anything while in the middle of your project. Proper planning will ensure that your project will be a success and that you’ll soon have an office space that you can call your own.
