Anyone here built a backyard office/shed?

[Squirrel Gravy]

I’ve seen lots of used buildings for sale on market place. I’m frugal when it comes to this type purchase. Rent a trailer and winch it up on it and go.

 

 

[hepcat]

Progress made over the weekend. Retaining wall almost done being installed. Ordered the Tuff Shed. Install probably late this week or early next week!

[Anybodyhome]

I have an 10x16 Graceland building. Cleared, leveled and laid crush & run on a 14x20 space. Prepainted, 1 window, delivered and set up for $3300 (2014).

I had it completely wired last year and it went from being a storage/utility/shop to a functioning workshop ahead of my retirement. It's about 50' from the house, so the underground wiring, 10 outlets, outside outlet, outside floodlights over the door, 30A panel inside all cost me $2k.

Will be installing a small window AC unit this winter. Bought some castlerock landscape blocks from a neighbor ($20 for 2 pallets) to finish around the outside and spread cedar to keep the grass & weeds from creeping in.

Edited September 13, 2022 by Anybodyhome

[thefuzz]

On 9/12/2022 at 2:11 PM, hepcat said:

Progress made over the weekend. Retaining wall almost done being installed. Ordered the Tuff Shed. Install probably late this week or early next week!

Hat's off to ya, I think I would have just poured concrete.

I probably would have stick framed it, but probably not smart if needed sooner rather than later.

[hepcat]

23 minutes ago, thefuzz said:

Hat's off to ya, I think I would have just poured concrete.

I probably would have stick framed it, but probably not smart if needed sooner rather than later.

Too expensive. It was about half the cost to do crushed granite 

[Anybodyhome]

20 hours ago, hepcat said:

Too expensive. It was about half the cost to do crushed granite 

How's the permitting process and inspections where you are? Fairly quick and hopefully not waiting for days to do a foundation final, etc.?

Edited September 20, 2022 by Anybodyhome

[hepcat]

Just now, Anybodyhome said:

How's the permitting process and inspections where you are? Fairly quick and hopefully not waiting for days to do a foundation final, etc.?

I didn’t need a permit for this. I just needed to be 5ft from the rear and side property lines, be less than 15ft tall, not have any plumbing, etc.

https://www.austintexas.gov/permittingatx/projects/shed/define

I could have done a slab. Just the fact it was on such a huge slope made me think a slab would crack eventually. 

[Anybodyhome]

5 minutes ago, hepcat said:

I didn’t need a permit for this. I just needed to be 5ft from the rear and side property lines, be less than 15ft tall, not have any plumbing, etc.

https://www.austintexas.gov/permittingatx/projects/shed/define

I could have done a slab. Just the fact it was on such a huge slope made me think a slab would crack eventually. 

You're fortunate. Most municipalities and counties require foundation permit and inspection, regardless of what is sitting on top of it. Electrical?

[hepcat]

1 minute ago, Anybodyhome said:

You're fortunate. Most municipalities and counties require foundation permit and inspection, regardless of what is sitting on top of it. Electrical?

Electrical might need a permit. Depending on who I hire. 

[thefuzz]

30 minutes ago, hepcat said:

I didn’t need a permit for this. I just needed to be 5ft from the rear and side property lines, be less than 15ft tall, not have any plumbing, etc.

https://www.austintexas.gov/permittingatx/projects/shed/define

I could have done a slab. Just the fact it was on such a huge slope made me think a slab would crack eventually. 

Yea, a slab is what I would have done there, but all good.

Saw the post about who you would hire and having to get a permit, can you pull it yourself?

[hepcat]

31 minutes ago, thefuzz said:

Yea, a slab is what I would have done there, but all good.

Saw the post about who you would hire and having to get a permit, can you pull it yourself?

No, it would need to be a licensed electrician. I might just do it myself because there's already a conduit and line run to the shed. We had our electrical panel upgraded/brought up to code back in June and the electrician pre-ran a conduit and line to the shed location.

[thefuzz]

31 minutes ago, hepcat said:

No, it would need to be a licensed electrician. I might just do it myself because there's already a conduit and line run to the shed. We had our electrical panel upgraded/brought up to code back in June and the electrician pre-ran a conduit and line to the shed location.

Yea, I'd just do it myself if you are comfortable.

I powered my building last year, and built a tin roofed lean to shed off of it and powered it a couple months ago.  Electrical is simple, not a whole lot of problem solving, just do it correct and move on.

[stirs]

Was lucky enough to expand and enclose a screened in porch that was getting little use.  12x20 room works great as home office now.  Also, a percentage of electric, insurance, taxes, etc come off because of it.