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Should I move out or push on.

6th Oct 2014
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I have been working from home now for over 18 months and I am now starting to struggle. Not with the work but the working from home bit.
In order to keep costs lean, I started off working from my 4th Bedroom which is 9ft X 9ft.

I have always worked from decent size or open plan offices so finding working in a broom cupboard difficult. I also miss the interaction with others, and I am easily distracted particularly when my daughter comes in from school at 3pm.
I miss getting up and going to work.

I cannot go on working like I am as it’s getting me down and affecting my output as I don’t like spending time there so I have been going to Costa etc. to break up the monotony but that’s affecting my workflow.
I am maybe 12 month away from been able to justify/afford a rented office. The ones I have looked at not really any better than what I have, other than they are away from home.

I am thinking I would only commit to an office if it would generate more work by its location.

I have been watching these George Clarke & Sarah Beeney amazing space programmes and wonder if there is a solution in that by building a garden office.

These are built to the same standard as a room in your home so it would not be like working in a shed, and I wonder if this separation from home would be sufficient.

Does anybody else have one and what are you experiences with them?

Alternatively I could change my garage into an office but would be concerned what that would do to my house price.

Is a garden office solution the answer or should I just knuckle down and get the funds together and commit to an office.

I cannot believe I used to be 100% decisive when doing £1m deals but stumbling over what to do with my own office.

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Replies (7)

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By Sheepy306
06th Oct 2014 11:12

I have a client who converted their (double) garage into an office (there's a doorway directly from the house into the garage), it's big enough to have say 3-4 staff, they're graphic designers so have quite a bit of IT stuff but otherwise are fairly minimal.

The fit-out all looks permanent but can simply be removed/ripped out when it comes to selling the house. The garage doors remain in place so externally still looks the same, they even left a couple of feet garage space so they can open the garage door and store a couple of bikes in there still. The office space is all plasterboarded, insulated, downlighters etc,  and from the inside you'd never know you were in a garage.

They've had it for about 4 years and have 2 staff, they have however just rented some serviced office space a couple of months ago instead as they got fed up with staff being in their house.

On the whole it's a great solution, although you'd have to do the sums on how much it costs to convert the garage, how long you'll want to work like that, and the equivalent cost of renting serviced office space for say the next 5 years, Doesn't solve the problem of social interaction however, or the fact that your daughter will still hunt you out on her return from school !

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By Mouse house
06th Oct 2014 14:19

Go for it!

I was working from home when I started, but moved into a serviced office within 6 months. It has been a great move as it has generated work in itself. Have picked up clients from within the building, but also the location, within a business park area, means being very close to hundreds of small businesses.

I was never really comfortable with seeing clients at home and think that having an office presents a slightly different image.

I don't know what sort of terms you would get with a serviced office where you are, but I have a rolling 3 month contract. If you can get similar terms then you could try it, and move back home if it doesn't work  for you.

The other thing I like about the serviced office, is that there is someone on reception to receive post and also to greet clients when they come in.

 

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By TickTock
08th Oct 2014 07:06

I have a garden room
I work from a log cabin in the garden. I have a side gate that clients use to come into the garden so they don't traipse through the house. It does give a separation of home/office although it is hard when the children are in the garden on a sunny day.

They are not cheap to buy but can be taken back into family use if you decide to get a separate office at a later date.

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Man of Kent
By Kent accountant
08th Oct 2014 09:47

I moved

from the house study to an office in the garden (conversion of part of a barn).

Good separation from home life and still on hand to 'pop' home whenever needed.

Space (if it were ever needed) for 2-3 employees.

I don't intend to move to a 'proper' office, clients aren't put off, in fact many compliment me on the set up.

@Glennzy - depends what you want - a strict divide between home/work, or a variant which allows you to have the best of both?

I rarely work 9-5, more often 9.30 - 12, 1-2.30, 4-5 and 8-10ish. Work broken up by school runs, dinner with the family and helping out with homework.

If I had a proper office I wouldn't be able to do this.

I know this wouldn't suit others but it works for me.

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Glenn Martin
By Glenn Martin
08th Oct 2014 15:06

Kent

That's sounds about what I need. I do like the flexability of working from home

and the opportunity to spend more family time. My wife is a nurse so often her days off are through the week so it would be good to spend time then and catch up at weekends.

I looked a Regus style office, which whilst it was very nice and there were others in the building

I thought it was expensive for what you got, by the time they tag on phone lines and broadband costs. Plus I would still need somewhere at home to work at night or weekends.

I think I will explore the garden office solution further as that seems to give the best of both worlds.

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Routemaster image
By tom123
25th Oct 2014 09:32

Separate space

I think it is important to have physically separate space. My wife & I have a small office, that used to be a double garage, across the town. We bought it with planning permission and had it converted.

She uses it as an art studio, and I use it for my few clients - on top of the day job.

What I find is that, even late at night, you can get into 'work' mode - because it is a work setting.

We have better lighting over there for a start.

If I try doing some work at home on the dining table, I can't seem to get going - especially the evenings this time of year.

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By tom123
03rd Nov 2014 22:07

Good to see the website

Good to see your website is done - hope it is pulling in business for you?

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