Building an office

What office do I need?

Building your own.

Becoming a home based worker sounds simple doesn't it? One of the first problems that you are going to come across is finding the space you need to work. A lot of people convert the spare bedroom or even work on the kitchen table. For many people these aren't good solutions and they need to find something a bit more permanent.

Location

The back garden might be the solution that you are looking for. No not sitting outside but building a proper office at the bottom of the garden. You first of all need to identify the best place to put a separate building. Think about the light and the view. You need to ensure that any incoming light isn't going to cause you any glare. Once you have identified a spot talk to your planning authority to check on the position regarding planning permission.

Buildings

There are a number of specialised suppliers. Talk to them and consider the design very carefully before you commit to buying an office. Many of the buildings are made of wood but you could consider brick or any other building material. There are a number of things to think about -

* Get some advice from a specialist, a builder and the planning authority.

* Talk to your neighbours.

* Think about services such as power, telephones and water.

* Heating is going to be important in winter and cooling in summer.

* Lay a good path from the house to the office, you don't want to be walking mud about.

* Talk to your insurance company. Install an alarm and the best locks that you can afford. You can now obtain cheap cctv to monitor your office from the main house.