Hi everyone, I'm delighted to be making the first of what I hope will be many threads on this new community forum, for all of the keen self-builders across the UK who have been thinking of creating some extra space outdoors, and for those that have already done it.
For many years now builders, interior designers and landscapers have talked about bringing the outside in, by making large open plan kitchens and spaces that open on to the garden with expansive windows and bifolds, but the trend for separate outdoors spaces is comparatively much newer. Based on Google Analytics we can see that garden rooms really only started gaining traction in around 2014, interest unsurprisingly hitting a peak in April 2021 on the back of Covid and the increase in people working from home. While the implicit need for additional outdoor working space may have dimininshed since that peak, interest overall still follows an upward trend and is currently above pre-Covid times.
So, rather than bringing the outside in, this community is about putting the inside out! Whether you want an additional working space, a home gym, a sound proofcell play room for the little ones, a music room, an art studio or simply a more glamorous shed to keep all your bits and bobs in, I would like this website to give you some help, and allow you the opportunity to help others.
For a bit of background about what brought me here, I'm a middle aged guy who has spent his whole life doing a desk job, but have always enjoyed making things and have longed to have a workshop where I could make whatever I fancied without having to constantly get things out and put them away again. I was considering what I could buy, ready made and installed, but was shocked by the costs which, to be frank, were completely prohibitive. Then one night, trawling through YouTube, I came across a couple of videos by a lovely chap called Ali Dymock, who was buillding his own garden room with no experience at all. I'm sure Ali and his videos are already familiar to many of you, so you'll understand why I enjoyed so much his approach of factual info combined with practical example. Well, that gave me the inspiration and I started on my project, after much deliberation, in June 2023.
Thankfully, these days, there is a much greater variety of helpful info available online than there was even five years ago, with some excellent tutorials on YouTube and some really good facebook groups to name just a couple of examples. But I've always felt that what's lacking is a forum. A place to ask and answer questions, give your top tips, discuss your favourite tools, document your build diaries, learn from others' mistakes and meet likeminded people who share your interest and understand your aspirations - all brought together in an organised database that can be easily searched, referenced and utilised as and when you need it.
While I'm excited to be launching this community, I'm by no means an expert. I'm still the amateur self-builder/DIY'er and my garden room still isn't finished! So I'll be hoping I can plug you for ideas as much as give you help and advice learned from my endeavours.
Please make yourself at home and contribute as much as you can to make this a great place to be - your participation will be very welcome.
For many years now builders, interior designers and landscapers have talked about bringing the outside in, by making large open plan kitchens and spaces that open on to the garden with expansive windows and bifolds, but the trend for separate outdoors spaces is comparatively much newer. Based on Google Analytics we can see that garden rooms really only started gaining traction in around 2014, interest unsurprisingly hitting a peak in April 2021 on the back of Covid and the increase in people working from home. While the implicit need for additional outdoor working space may have dimininshed since that peak, interest overall still follows an upward trend and is currently above pre-Covid times.
So, rather than bringing the outside in, this community is about putting the inside out! Whether you want an additional working space, a home gym, a sound proof
For a bit of background about what brought me here, I'm a middle aged guy who has spent his whole life doing a desk job, but have always enjoyed making things and have longed to have a workshop where I could make whatever I fancied without having to constantly get things out and put them away again. I was considering what I could buy, ready made and installed, but was shocked by the costs which, to be frank, were completely prohibitive. Then one night, trawling through YouTube, I came across a couple of videos by a lovely chap called Ali Dymock, who was buillding his own garden room with no experience at all. I'm sure Ali and his videos are already familiar to many of you, so you'll understand why I enjoyed so much his approach of factual info combined with practical example. Well, that gave me the inspiration and I started on my project, after much deliberation, in June 2023.
Thankfully, these days, there is a much greater variety of helpful info available online than there was even five years ago, with some excellent tutorials on YouTube and some really good facebook groups to name just a couple of examples. But I've always felt that what's lacking is a forum. A place to ask and answer questions, give your top tips, discuss your favourite tools, document your build diaries, learn from others' mistakes and meet likeminded people who share your interest and understand your aspirations - all brought together in an organised database that can be easily searched, referenced and utilised as and when you need it.
While I'm excited to be launching this community, I'm by no means an expert. I'm still the amateur self-builder/DIY'er and my garden room still isn't finished! So I'll be hoping I can plug you for ideas as much as give you help and advice learned from my endeavours.
Please make yourself at home and contribute as much as you can to make this a great place to be - your participation will be very welcome.