Think outside the house
Our own space and how we wisely we use it has become so important – the pandemic has taught us that. And one way that we can get the best use and value for money is to invest in more, or better, buildings in our garden. It all comes down to budget but there are so many ways we can add value to our garden space and, in turn, to our property. The most obvious is to plan the garden ‘into’ the house, with bi-fold doors, traditional French windows, patios, seating areas, canopies and by some judicious purchases from the ever-increasing range of garden furniture, lighting and heating available to us. Never forget the humble garden shed. Have you had a look at them recently? Suddenly they are not that humble; they are getting second lives as home offices, hobby dens, reading rooms and chill out zones. A seriously good, secure, shed can also be used to free up space in the home, with the creation of a good shelving and storage system. Modern families have so many possessions; fill a shed in an orderly fashion and suddenly you have an empty attic to convert AND you know where everything is, - not just some vague idea that it is tucked behind the cold water tank in a black plastic bin bag, slowly gathering more dust. Likewise, go for a larger garage and have a utility room included – this needs to be done carefully and with suitable electrical appliances in place. Many self-builders, especially those who are living on-site in a static caravan for the duration of the project, make their first real construction project a good quality, large shed to help ease the cost of storage.