New Garden Workshop - Finished at last

[brianhabby]

I started clearing the ground today for my new shed/workshop, nothing as grand as Steve's new build you understand but all I can get in the space I've got.

I had an 8'x6' shed in the far corner which has been moved to a neighbours garden for a new life and I reckon I can fit a 12' x 10' in the yard so that is what I intend to do.

I plan to dig out the whole patio area so the new shop finishes up on a level with the bottom part of the path seen in the photo. This will lower the profile when viewed from the street and also have less impact when viewed from the house.

I'll keep you posted as I progress.

regards

Brian

 

[Baldhead]

Looking forward to this Brian, plenty of WIP pics please.

Baldhead

 

[brianhabby]

I do plan on posting pics as I progress but will be buying the shed rather than building from scratch. Much cheaper and quicker methinks.

regards

Brian

 

[Mark A]

I see the cat's helping!

 

[brianhabby]

I see the cat's helping!

He's the foreman, never far away

regards

Brian

 

[joiner_sim]

I will be keeping an eye on this as what your doing is exactly what I have in mind for later this year or beginning of next. Only moving in in a few months time, roof and windows are in now on the new build house. Unfortunatley though, I may have to put up with the small shed size you just got rid of, I'd guess the maximum I can get away with will be an 8x10'. My plans do not include a permanent electricity supply, instead I'm having an outdoor socket installed at the side of the house and extension lead will be the way forward. The only "upgrades" I will be making to the flat pack shed, will be polystyrene insulation with plywood interior walls and possibly removing the windows and making proper opening casements with thicker glass/ polycarbonate. Oh and some extra security on the door.

 

[brianhabby]

I've been lifting the paving slabs since my last post and they seem much heavier than I remember when I laid them 15 years ago

Simon,
I will be having a permanent electrical supply.
When I put the old 8'x6' shed in place I installed an armoured cable underground and I will be reusing this for the new shed. I've had to dig a channel to free up the cable otherwise it would finish up in the middle of the new shed floor. In doing so I have exposed the large main cable serving the street. It runs through the back gardens and I don't think it is as deep as it should be, but then I don't really know how deep it should be. I'll just have to be careful when I clear all the soil & rubble away.

So until next time,

regards

Brian

 

[Woodchips2]

Hi Brian
Some guidance on depth at http://www.cablejoints.co.uk/upload/E.O ... _Notes.pdf. Looks like it should be 450mm down.

Regards Keith

 

[brianhabby]

Thanks for that Keith, I can say categorically, the mains cables are nothing like 450mm down but then they were laid about 30-40 years ago when I guess the regulations were probably not so strict. Anyway, it is what it is and I'll just have to work around it.

regards

Brian

 

[brianhabby]

Sorry it's been a while, plenty of 'stuff' getting in the way.

As previously mentioned I plan to lower the ground level and have a small digger coming on Thursday which will help me move the soil/rubble.

I've been fixing plywood on the fence panels, these will serve a couple of purposes. Firstly they will provide shelter from the wind and also prevent or at least discourage 'little fingers' from next door from interfering with the side of the workshop. Once the workshop is in place it will be impossible to get between the walls and the fence for any kind of maintenance so I plan to line the outside at the back and RH side with roofing felt for protection.

This is what it looks like now:

Still got the foreman keeping a close eye on things

regards

Brian

 

[n0legs]

With regards to the main cable depth, the fact is more likely they were laid between 18" and 2'.
The issue with them being less deep has probably more to do with the developer/builders of the houses not leaving the ground at the original level, this is a very common problem. This issue has caused many a householder big problems whilst tending their garden.
Also the issue with the main cable running through the garden leads me to believe the developers/builders were not very good with their setting out. Laying cables such as mains through ground that will become someones property and not in the roads/footpaths has always been frowned upon. Wayleaves, easements and rights of access cost. The other issues also are a major headache, such as patios, extensions, garages etc.
Phone your local DNO ( electric board ) and ask them if someone can come out with some split duct, it will cause you a little more digging but getting the cable ducted will help protect you ( while you carry out the work ) and the new building if the cable should fault, this would require excavation possibly through your new shed.

 

[brianhabby]

I think you are right n0legs, where the cables go into the house they are at least 2 feet deep but probably because the builder graded the garden after they were installed has lead to the current issues. I like the idea of the split duct and will investigate this.

regards

Brian

 

[brianhabby]

Well the micro digger arrived yesterday evening, it's bigger than I expected.

No room to swing a Cat - or a JCB either!

The skip arrived nice and early this morning so I set to moving the soil & rubble.

I've never used anything like this before and it is definitely easier than it looks, hand/eye coordination all over the place. I was also surprised at how much stuff there was to move, with a full skip there's still plenty of earth to move. I though an eight ton skip would have been more than adequate - I guess you learn something every day.

So this is what it looks like this evening:

My grandson came to help after college for an hour and I was so grateful, one on the machine (me) and one on the barrow (him) made a huge difference.

I'm well and truly cream crackered now so me thinks a nice hot soak is in order,

until next time,

regards

Brian

 

[devonwoody]

Now you have got to fill it????????????

 

[dc_ni]

I see the foreman was checking on the days work in the last picture

 

[brianhabby]

Now you have got to fill it????????????

No DW, more soil has to come out before I lay the base

I see the foreman was checking on the days work in the last picture

He just thinks I've made a big cat's toilet

regards

Brian

 

[John Brown]

Are you concerned about drainage?

 

[brianhabby]

Are you concerned about drainage?

Good question John. The base that the workshop will sit on will be at the same level as the lowest point of the path so this will allow any rain water to escape out under the garden gate.

I am planning to re-use the paving slabs that I took up as the base and will start laying at that corner to get my initial level.

regards

Brian

 

[brianhabby]

Time for an update. I have been slowly moving the rest of all the soil and rubble and have re-laid the paving slabs (and then some). So now the base is ready for my new shed which has been promised for a week on Wednesday (3 Dec 2014).

This is what it looks like now:

regards

Brian

 

[devonwoody]

Hope your friends at the Mens Shed come along for the grand opening.