Garden Office and Garden Studio Electrical installations

Electricity in Garden Offices and Garden Studios

There are always some questions about the electrical supply to Garden Buildings from our prospective clients.

I am a qualified domestic installer “electrician” with experience of designing and installing more than 500 electrical systems specifically for Garden Structures.

Firstly let me explain what electricity is:

• It is sub-atomic particles (electrons) flowing in a conductive material.
• It is invisible it has no smell and it can kill.
• It forms the backbone of modern industrial society and probably will do for some time to come.
• It powers our I-phones, the internet and it makes our homes comfortable with heat, light and entertainment.
• It is used in our factories, vehicles, transport systems and hospitals in every corner of the planet and beyond.

Electricity comes in various strengths measured in volts and various volumes measured in amperes. A high number of volts can hurt a lot and kill if it flows through the heart. A high number of amps are required to create lots of heat or start a heavy motor.

At this point I propose to stop explaining electricity but ohms law can be read at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohm's_law .

Noella can still recite it word for word having learned it at school!

Here are two practical examples I hope you find easy to understand:

1. Homes use 240 volts of alternating current.
2. Cars are started with 12 volts of direct current.

Reason:

Electricity travels better down thinner wires using wavy current (AC) at high voltage than straight current (DC) at low voltage. As you are aware our cars are started with 12 volt (DC) batteries but need massive cables connected to the starter motor to turn the engine.

The 12 volt battery system used in cars is safe to touch and travels with the vehicle waiting to start it again for the return journey. The 240 volts used in our homes can provide lots of power down thin wires but needs to be safely installed because a short exposure to 240 volts flowing through your heart can be fatal.

Summary

Low voltage with heavy demand requires big wires and high voltage is dangerous.

Electricity in Garden Offices, Garden Studios and Granny Annexes

Our garden buildings Offices, Studios, Garages, Annexes etc need 240v ac to operate all our usual domestic stuff and therefore must be installed “as safe as houses”. For some years now it has been outside the law to use any 240v appliance outside the home i.e. in the garden without the appliance being protected by an RCD. This device (full name: residual current detector), switches off the current flow if any electricity flows to earth e.g. if electrical current flows through your body to ground it will switch off the current before you are badly hurt.

I, like most electricians would prefer these devices to be fitted on every domestic circuit, however 60 % of dwellings in the UK still do not have them. I am pleased to say that EVERY Garden Building installation I have made is fully RCD protected.

Safety is paramount.

Essential elements of a safe electrical system for “Garden Buildings”

1. None of the conductors should be exposed. This means that mechanical protection must be provided (switch covers and socket plates etc.). Every electrician is responsible for ensuring that the installation passes the “British Standard Finger Test”. It must not be possible to insert anything into any enclosure and touch a live conductor.
2. Secondly all devices lights, sockets, appliances etc. must be sufficiently protected against any external part becoming live.

Essentials of an efficient “Garden Building” electrical system.

 

The Garden Office or Garden Studio is normally wired in exactly the same way as a typical home as follows:

There are lighting circuits, power socket circuits and circuits for high demand items. The wires for different circuits are of different sizes. Lights use less power than heaters therefore thinner wire is adequate. To ensure a circuit cannot be overloaded a fuse / trip (referred to an over-current device) sized appropriately and certified by the installer is fitted. If the wrong size is fitted and the wire is overloaded fire could result.

So – the correct wires and over current devices must be installed to ensure total safety inside the new building. The next job is to make sure that the building has the correct feed. This feed should not affect the main house and fulfil its job providing safely a reliable supply to the new building.

Correct connection of a Garden Office or Garden Studio to the electrical supply.

By far the most common way of providing this connection is to use a “Steel Wired Armoured cable” (SWA). The size / capacity of this cable depends on two factors a) the distance it needs to carry the electricity and b) the likely demand for amperes at peak. This is an assumptive calculation made by the installer in compliance with (Building Regulations Part P) – the armoured cable must always be overload protected at source but must be sufficient in capacity to make sure that under heavy use (like fan heaters, showers and kettles are on at the same time) the supply will not trip causing disruption to the occupants.

It is very important to note that disruption and safety are not related as safety is paramount and must be assured by the installing electrician. Each electrician is legally bound to certify each and every circuit he or she works on.

The armoured cable needs to travel from the main property to the new building. As the cable is mechanically protected against contact with the conductor and earthed (the surrounding steel strands are connected to ground) an SWA cable is electrically safe on the surface, in the air or buried at any depth.

This important point is the subject of some debate amongst electricians and quoted incorrectly on many industry websites.

(updated 11/12/2015) "Don't need to change anything here electrons are still electrons and safety is still the main thing" There have been a few challenges from electricians wanting to bury SWA  Armour (steel wired armoured cable) at high cost to the client but I assume by now no-one else wants to challenge me on this. SWA is safe above ground or below ground that is all. I think the comments are good enough - it's still a boring subject but safety sometimes is - it doesn't make it less important because safety remains VITAL.

What is the difference between Earth and Neutral (blue and green)?

Both go to the same place but earthing is done for the protection of humans and neutral takes back the electron count. So when you switch on a light the electrons used are is counted by the meter so you must pay. If you send it back down the earth the light will still come on but you may may pay with your life as correct earthing is a life saver.

Earthing is provided to an outbuilding in the swa armour by the outer steel sheathing and sometimes an inner core as well. Earth rods are not necessary if good connection to earth is made at the main property. The armour can be on the surface or underground it is a safe cable protected by steel connected to earth.

This post written by Richard Grace Project Director Garden Structures Ltd

Email Richard@aarco.co.uk

Web www.aarco.co.uk

Comments and links to this post welcome:

Garden Office and Studio Trends 2012

Trends in Garden Studios and Garden Offices for 2012

A bit of blogging and predictions from me - Richard Grace Garden Structures Ltd Project Director and blogger in chief.  www.aarco.co.uk

 Olympic year is here I would make a comment about Olympian Sheds although I should be careful here as Olympian sheds are a sort of competitor. Which brings me to my first point.

Competition in the UK Garden Studio and Garden Office market 2012.

Probably driven by the continued doldrums in the building market overall the competition here remains fierce. This of course drives costs down and benefits clients, it keeps us all on our toes and maintains high quality service.

Web remains the main marketing tool for most companies. PPC costs have remained high although adwords a great tool for instant traffic. Traditional media advertising has remained cheap, as competition in that field too is fierce.

Unfortunately the combined effect of increasing competition and cost pressures stresses some companies to breaking point and recently we have seen some competitors fail to make it through.

Social Media and Garden Offices

I am learning more about "social media". Personally I have not been a big facebook fan, as I don’t like turning down friend requests. I notice that following introduction of Google+, “which by the way I do like” this problem is, being addressed by facebook, a family button has appeared (maybe I just didn’t see it before).

Social media effect is proliferate and chaotic. We are all involved in some way – right now I am nervous about touching my phone screen in case it sends a private message across the planet by mistake and I guess I am not alone.

Almost everywhere people are trying to work out if finding family detail first on facebook is “how things should be”! Well its great to keep in touch with cousins on the other side of the planet but not for learning that one of the grandchildren is ill.

What has changed a lot?

 When we started in this business as one of the early entrants in 2001 a few things have changed quite dramatically.

1. Clients have more choice of supplier and product design
2. Suppliers have more competition
3. Designs and building material preferences have proliferated

In ending my review of this topic it would not be like me to avoid saying something controversial.

Whilst our market remains in steep growth overall the visibility of competition over the web has led to some companies using desperate negative marketing. i.e. instead of explaining why they are the best they tend to imply the competition is not good.

Here are a few examples: (Decided to delete this so as not to be guilty myself)

From my own standpoint the customer remains king and client satisfaction is the key.

“Live and let live is not a bad business attitude and never has been”.

Anything new in materials or design?

There are always new designs, last year saw a proliferation of “pods” a sort of space-age capsule instead of a traditional building. A good thing unless you are a traditional neighbour next to a fairground cast-off or a Google pod with logos still in tact.

On the materials side I am quite excited about a bit of a trend in roofing material, which looks like a traditional zinc roof. We are introducing this as an option and have our first order right now.

Trends in our Market overall.

 The cost of commuting and the development of IT or should I say the proliferation of connectivity between web, phone, tablet and the so called cloud itself continue to be big drivers for us.

The option of working from home and remaining fully connected with the world of work is definitely here. It is accepted and here to stay. The embarrassment of working from “a shed in the garden” has gone.

Sleeping in a shed in the garden is next on the list. Why not? Many Garden Studios are now better insulated and of a higher fire safety specification than the main dwelling. Families prevented from moving due to the continued credit crunch need additional accommodation and at least for us this is a growing area of business.

More and more I am coming across clients with what I call a “Grand Designs” concept. The Garden building project has become a “passion” and competitive between owners.

Our Market has “come of age”

I have noticed a marked change in attitude of clients and other business associates, as they are now aware of our market coming of age. It is differentiated from the traditional shed market because they now know someone who has a supershed, garden studio or a workroom at home.

Oh and regarding the weather. The autumn and early winter was good and today it is good but COLD! So must get back to a bit of physical work.

Richard

Incredible weather for Garden Building

Seven Barrows Office

It must be global warming because there has only been frost on the windscreen of my pick-up truck once so far and there have been T-shirt days on our sites certainly within recent weeks. Mud on boots has been less than normal and recent projects have been quite demanding.

Bespoke office building at Seven Barrows Stables

In September we designed and built a fab traditional style large office of very high specification. Seven Barrows was built in traditional timber frame and clad on the inside and outside with pine boards. Office furniture and kitchen units were supplied by us to suit the style. Landscape was also designed by us. The veranda gives the building a “fishing hut” look as requested by its fishing enthusiast horse race trainer. Nicky Henderson. It was great to work at the stables where the horses received fantastic care and attention. They are expected to perform and seem to be doing so although “Long Run” was pipped for first place at Haydock Park last week and I lost a tenner! (best I stick to building I guess).

 Inside Seven Barrows Office

  

Chiropractic Therapy Studio

In October back in Cheshire we installed a Therapy Studio with waiting room and toilet for use by a Chiropractor. The building was installed within permitted development rules and between the trees at the bottom of the garden. Our small bore toilet solution was installed and two way switching for the covered veranda lights will make it welcoming for clients in the winter months. The tri-fold doors seem to be very popular still.

 Therapy Studio fits between apple trees

Terra Nova Rifle Range

An unusual School amenity building project was completed in mid November. A small-bore rifle range at Terra-Nova School, Jodrell Bank Cheshire. The building was specified by the schools trainer to comply with all requirements for Olympic standard shooting (at targets of course). 16m long and 5m wide the building provides for safety of the kids in its internal layout and special theatre style lighting for the best target illumination.

Windows are up to to avoid stray ammo!

A big long supershed really

Theatre lighting for the targets fitted by the Wizard

We are working now on a Grand design style project in North Wales.

The year is coming to an end I expect colder less predictable weather in December and January and time has been allocated to completed work on our own sawmill. The wizard (here fitting the spotlights at Terra Nova) has added new facilities this year including a forge.

Noella and I would like to thank all our clients for may interesting project this year. In December we are visiting Branksome Place again and I will make an update on the sad story of their rotting log cabin. Due in January is Thomas Oliver our fourth Grandchild making it two of each. We are very proud grandparents although none are yet old enough to be a help at our workshop (maybe soon!)

 Two of them

Penny Red: Panic on the streets of London.

An interesting piece of work by a bright young journalist

Penny Red: Panic on the streets of London.

These guys seem to have some new ideas about helping communities

http://spacehive.com/Blog/Details/5

Garden Office and Garden Studio Insulation

Insulation of Garden Studios and Offices (An important topic)

By Richard Grace Project Director Garden Structures http://www.aarco.co.uk/

It’s always been on the agenda but never more so than now. When our clients are investing their hard earned cash in a work building (Garden Office or Garden Studio) at home they always want to know:

a)     “Will it be warm and comfortable?”

b)     “Will my things be dry and protected in bad weather?”

c)      “Will it cost me a small fortune to heat?”

d)     “Will it become too hot on our best days?”

The answer is “yes if the building has a watertight roof and you control the temperature” but - it will cost more for this control without insulation. All the information I sought in preparation for this article about the importance of insulation in a single storey building reveals the following: (I guess you already know)

1.     Heat rises leaving cold air at the lowest level in a structure.

2.     Air movement in a structure tries to equalize the temperature inside and       outside.

3.     Some materials provide better resistance to temperature transfer than others.

4.     Return on investment on structural components varies

This table indicates the importance of each part of a single storey structure
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Roof	The most vital investment associated with loss of 40% heat on cold days and responsible for 80% of overheating on hot sunny days
Walls	Important should be draught and condensation free + provide adequate resistance to heat transfer in and out typically 25% of heat loss
Windows	Vital without good draught sealing and double glazing allow draughts and can lead to condensation even then responsible for 15% of heat loss
Doors	Vital (the same as windows) but need to be in constant use + resist draughts and condensation another 12% of heat input gone
Floor	Some heat is lost if floor is highly conductive and in direct contact with ground e.g. concrete exposed or single skin wood fixed to exterior beams 8% is going here

The above is my analysis data drawn from multiple professional sources and reflects the relative importance to internal comfort level of each part of the structure. You can see from this table that the ideal structure would have no draughts, a flat (highly insulated) roof at about 2.2m height, walls which are thicker at the top than the bottom and less windows than most people want. As previously stated I think we already knew this.

 

Some experience

Over the years Noella and I have lived - in a cottage in Derbyshire with stone walls two feet thick, an old chapel converted, three modern style houses of different specification, have been on holiday in a caravan, tent +++ more hotels than can be remembered. We have been overheated in a tent, frozen stiff and damp in an UN-insulated attic flat and superbly comfortable in a single skin wooden cabin we had as a showroom for six years.

If we all had an unlimited budget to build a garden office today we would both choose Structural Insulated panels with Solarflex (brand) folding doors and windows. This specification is probably the best available and with minimal heating or cooling provides a superb comfortable environment at the lowest energy cost.

At the other end of the scale a thin drafty single skin wall with drafty windows and no roof insulation would be uncomfortable on 250 days out of 365 in our climate and require expenditure of at least £300 per year to control it. (This is an ordinary garden shed)

So - let us look at another table comparing the three most common Garden Office and Garden Studio construction techniques with specifications that meet the essential criteria for Garden Offices here in the UK.

	Comfortable all year round	Save some further cost on energy	Superb Specification
Roof	Flat roof with 70mm of dense insulation	Upgrade to 150mm	SIPS
Walls	65mm of single skin pine wood	Double skin with 50mm dense insulation	SIPS
Windows	Sealed double glazed windows 10mm gap	15mm gap in double glazing with seals	Triple Glazing
Doors	Same spec as windows	Same spec as windows	Triple Glazing
Floor	Two layers with some insulation	40mm dense insulation	SIPS
Cost per sq m installed project	£700	£900	£1100
3m*4m Office Total Project inc VAT	£8400	£10800	£13200

We are asked about electrical systems, security, maintenance etc.on each and every client site-visit. All of the answers are simple but the explanation of insulation importance and ROI remains the hot (in more than one way) topic of the day.

Richard Checked May 2017  richardgrace1@gmail.com

A Short History of Garden Offices

“Didit dar dit, screech screech screech reboot reboot – tweet tweet tweet”
Since the millenium something has been happening at the bottom of the garden all over the UK – silence, efficiency, time saving, planet saving and family friendly.
With the almost universal use of web1, with the emergence of web2 and web three “the cloud” on the horizon there is less need for the communal workplace. Travel is more costly, work and life “balance” becomes more demanding on time as communications become easier and the pace of processing information continues to increase.


More and more people are working from home

A Brief history of the garden office market 2001-2011 By Richard Grace (Aarco Exclusive Timber Buildings)

Phase 1. The humble shed transforms into a place to Work


Internet for the masses brings broadband into the street and the cost of being on line collapses. A few companies adapt high quality sheds and summerhouses and name them “Garden Offices”. The biggest demand was in the South East of course where practically everyone now knows someone with an office at home. With space being at a premium building a workplace in the garden became an obvious option.
New companies arrive on the scene re-naming these structures “Garden Studios” but they are still “Garden Buildings” or “Super Sheds”.


Phase 2. The shed market splits and a new sector arrives (2001)


The market for Garden Offices and Garden Studios becomes competitive and starts to attract media interest, new companies arrive all using the internet as the primary route to market and some shed show-sites start to build the high quality sheds into their displays. Bloggers and directories written by professional shed working journalists take interest and claim their space.
The competing, predominantly small building companies develop their own unique selling points and the market is divided by three construction systems. Log walls (log cabins), Timber Frame composite walls an SIPS (Structural Insulated Panels) panels. All these systems have a place, give different advantages of cost, ease of installation and comfort.
Still the architectural designs remain the same shed like structures, flat roof cubes and small houses. New names emerge “Garden Den”, “Eco-House” “Garden Office Pod” etc. etc.


Phase 3 The new market becomes competitive. (2004)


Our Government sorts out planning for outbuildings to make it easier????
Following an attempt by legislation in 2008 to make it easier for people to understand what can be built without the bureaucracy attached to planning applications. People with small gardens have been limited to cube style flat roof buildings because of the so-called Permitted Development Rights.
The Cube manufacturers ramp up, franchising makes an entry and universally the flat roof quality garden building suppliers use rubber roofing sheets (epdm), which do not leak, give the low maintenance and the assurance the investment will be protected.
Plus Plus on the back of “Kyoto protocol” the green brigade can now have grass roofs which look better from upstairs windows and make everyone feel environment friendly. Insulation becomes a must for the clients as comfort and energy bills change their priorities.


Phase 4 Recession causes growth/shake-out and efficiency increases (2008)


The recession comes as recessions always do and the fall out in the construction industry brings new competition to each end of the market, the number of UK companies claiming to be specialists in Garden Offices and Studios tops 300.
Helped by Google geographic polarisation takes place with many companies claiming local territory.
At the top end the product is absolutely in line with executive housing quality and the offers now range from the posh-shed to the “Garden Palace”. A place for work for family and friends with all the mod cons imaginable a long comprehensive guarantee and finance available as a package.
In fact Garden Annex’s where relations can stay or Granny can live are now available as turn key package from many Garden Office Suppliers. There are now no shed suppliers that don’t have a Garden Office or Garden Studio offering. A significant percentage of installations now have bathrooms and kitchenettes.


Phase 5 Where we are today (2011)


Weird and wonderful derivatives of the “same thing” are now cropping up daily as trendy architects and designers personalise their “Garden Office Pods” and specialist compact furniture suppliers are emerging to support the ever marching and increasingly competitive trends.
None of this is unusual – since the dawn of time new products and markets have emerged and competition has brought about increasing choice and value. In our market the range of product has increased and brought seemingly endless choice.


Customer Choice


The one question remains in each new client contact “What is the price”. With so much choice and so many competing companies offering “everything” our clients must have a method of comparing value for money.
Customer Service remains constant in all large purchases this is of the same importance and remains No.1. Buildings should therefore be judged on three criteria. Design, Specification and cost per square metre.
In the Garden Building marketplace this ranges from £100 per sq m for a good B&Q shed which you transport and erect yourself to £1500 per sq m for a Garden Palace, which arrives, in your garden seamlessly with all the goodies the keys and a long insurance backed guarantee.

Our offer to this market covers the range from £300 to £1000 per square metre "We don't sell sheds" and now a new catch phrase enters "We don't build Palaces" we build exactly what you need as agreed and our Customer Service remains "simply the best" call us on 01244 679502 or email noella@aarco.co.uk

Thanks for visiting.

Log Cabin at Branksome Place and weather of course

As followers will be aware I have to watch the weather - "well" my prediction is if we don't get rain in the next few days I will have to declare it an official drought - the ground is dry as a bone, difficult to dig and for golfers un-watered greens are impossible to make puts on

 Latest + more on the log cabin at Branksome Place (Hilders)

I know a few people liked my post about the Log Cabin at Branksome. Even the Marketing Manager at DeVere appreciated some parts of it.

 

The cabin has had a bad winter (what would you expect when the roof felt is completely rotten)

 

Noella and I returned to Branksome Place as Devere gave us a really good deal. We were visiting to attend Tom's Wedding at Merrist Wood College in Guildford. Tom has married Hannah at last (he reffered to her as "the wife" for the past eleven years. If any clients can remember Tom worked with us on quite a few jobs around Surrey and is now a lecturer  specialising in arboculture (chopping up trees with a chainsaw). On one job with me in the North he stepped on a rusty nail and the hospital visit delayed the project + his Mum was not pleased (since this we have reviewed our procedures of course).

  

On the Saturday morning I took a stroll down to check on the now famous log-cabin and took a few more photos (they may well be the last of this beautiful cabin which holds so many memories. (see my previous blog on this subject) http://gardenofficeproject.blogspot.com/2010/08/log-cabin-in-need-of-restoration.html

Anyhow:

The missing roof covering has left the cabin in a devastating rotting condition. The deck is dangerous and the doors are badly vandalised. Certainly this is no place to take your grandchildren and mine certainly won’t be playing here as I had hoped they would.

The roof boards are 90% rotted and a section in the centre of the log walls on the left has received a thourough soaking for years now leading to severe damage on the beutiful 190mm round logs..

I made a plan to save the cabin by chopping out the rotten timber and replacing the roof completely. It is still possible and of course over the last ten years being in the business I know how to do it.

 

The swimming pool is not suffering so much damage and everything else here is in top notch condition.

Sorry about this diversion but to us "Cabin Builders" it is difficult to watch.

Back to our projects.

One of our recent local projects on the Wirral is now finnished and the client has promised internal photos with Office and Gym stuff in place. Here is a shot of the completed project:

On closing this post - I don't know if I should do this - but for those interested in woodworking skills you have to see this I was thinking of claiming it was taken in our woirkshop but here it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXW55S4X9zo heading towards 2 million views and anyone that has used a bandsaw can understand why!