Recomendations required for a shed

Making room for a layout, where and how?
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ginger_giant
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Recomendations required for a shed

Postby ginger_giant » Sun Sep 26, 2021 12:10 pm

Hi all

It looks very much like I'll be needing a shed/log cabin in the near future. I'm thinking of something around 7 x 4 metres and wonder if members could offer recommendations for suppliers. Two that I've looked at are Dunsters and Keops but I'm sure there must be others worth considering. Though the two mentioned offer UK wide delivery, it looks like I am moving 12 miles west of Carlisle so would be interested to hear of suppliers in Cumbria.

Cheers
Ian

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Neil Smith
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Neil Smith » Sun Sep 26, 2021 12:20 pm

Welcome to Cumbria!

I cannot find a website, but there is a firm at Penrith called Robinsons Sectional Buildings who make their own greenhouses, sheds etc. Their phone number appears to be 01768898215.

I bought a wooden greenhouse off them about 20 years ago, and it was a great product, which they assembled on site as part of the cost. Usual disclaimer, no connection other than happy customer etc.

Good luck!

All the best

Neil

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Rod Cameron
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Rod Cameron » Sun Sep 26, 2021 2:07 pm

Happy with my Dunster building, and I think other members also have them (but bigger than mine, sob! :cry: ).
Rod

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grovenor-2685
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby grovenor-2685 » Sun Sep 26, 2021 3:22 pm

See also https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5543&p=56095#p56537
and https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=3598&hilit=foundations&start=50#p42937
and there's a topic by Mark Tatlow about his shed build somewhere, I can't immediately find it.
Regards
Keith
Grovenor Sidings

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Paul Townsend
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Paul Townsend » Sun Sep 26, 2021 3:49 pm

oops
Last edited by Paul Townsend on Sun Sep 26, 2021 3:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Paul Townsend
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Paul Townsend » Sun Sep 26, 2021 3:50 pm

I have had a 6 x 5 M by Green Retreats near Aylesbury. may not go as far as OP wants.
Its fine as long as the air con works in heat waves.

Philip Hall
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Philip Hall » Sun Sep 26, 2021 11:23 pm

My building was ordered from First Choice Leisure Buildings who are based near Woking in Surrey, a bit far from you! However, the building was actually manufactured and installed by Phoenix Garden Buildings who were near Wakefield. It was a ‘heavy duty garden studio’ (I simply specified heavier timbers all round especially the floor) and had proper PVCu windows and doors installed by a local company. Design was very flexible and essentially I had a shell with an insulated floor which we fitted out ourselves.

Looking at their website it looks like they can supply direct.

It’s very snug, very solid, good quality and is cool in the summer and pretty warm in the winter. It was also considerably cheaper than a log cabin. Until we got on to the electrics, which were ‘ouch’ in a big way…

Philip

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ginger_giant
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby ginger_giant » Mon Sep 27, 2021 7:48 pm

Thanks for the replies. I've checked out Green Retreats and they look fabulous but not sure my finances will stretch far enough to afford one. Once I'm up in Cumbria I'll have to check out Robinsons Sectional Buildings it's just a shame they don't seem to have a website. Must admit I keep looking at the Dunster Range and think I could work around the 0.5metre wall intrusion halfway on the length. That said a shed/log cabin without the intrusions would be a better option.

If all goes well with the sale and purchase we should be in the new house in Cumbria during December. There is a shed of sorts on-site but which may have to be used as storage while plans are made for a replacement.

Philip Hall
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Philip Hall » Mon Sep 27, 2021 8:00 pm

My supplier said that if I just wanted a white wall around the inside with insulation behind, then a log cabin (which is essentially a decorative double skin with insulation between) was a bit of a waste and a plain wall and framework with insulation and plasterboard would be cheaper. The basic building came out at a shade under £10K but then we had to add on the windows and the electrics.

Philip

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Guy Rixon
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Guy Rixon » Mon Sep 27, 2021 8:01 pm

My wife's art-studio is a Dunster log cabin, 2.5m x 4m nominal. It's OK, and was quite easy to put together. We got it with double-glazed doors and windows and those were not so good. The logs had some warpage, and the cabin ended up out of shape at one end, not that that has made it unsound or unfit for purpose.

SteamAle
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby SteamAle » Mon Sep 27, 2021 10:45 pm

Ian
Will be good to have yet another S4 modeller in the county. There are several who have raised the bar so much higher than I'll ever attain, when I eventually find time to start, within spitting distance of me in Carlisle.
CRAGIES current coordinator, Stephen Paulin, has a shed in his garden, to match the former Midland Station Masters house at Kirkby Stephen. I'll ask him where he got it from.
Mortons at Hesket, not far from Carlisle, have a good reputation: - https://www.mortongardenbuildingsltd.co.uk/
Which direction from Carlisle do you hope to move to?
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tmcsean
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby tmcsean » Tue Sep 28, 2021 7:41 am

I'm very envious, since Stephen's shed is probably larger than my back yard. I've a serious question, though, which probably shows the effect of living in Hackney for 40 years: With a lovely shed full of expensive and much-loved models, what do people do about security, alarms and so on?

Tony

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John Bateson
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby John Bateson » Tue Sep 28, 2021 8:08 am

With a lovely shed full of expensive and much-loved models, what do people do about security, alarms and so on?

Tony


Very good question and one to which I have not yet found a good answer. Following recent incursions into the garden - teenagers we think which involved some underwear and lots of cigarettes) and flower pickers who semed to think ownership was communal. We invested in a sturdy and secure back gate.
For the Dunster House (highly recommended) 4m x 3m shed, we moved all the models from there inside the house. This was partly an insurance issue. If stuff was ever stolen from there by an opportunity raider, they would not know the real value of what they have taken and lots would end up on the trash heap.
We also have now a couple of lights which are triggered by movement, but no full alarm system.

Under the thread "Advice on a shed for a layout ..." https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=7539&p=84657&hilit=dunster+house#p84657 there are a couple of suggestions including our own which involved some substantial landscape work.



John
Slaving away still on GCR stuff ...

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Jol Wilkinson
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Tue Sep 28, 2021 10:51 am

I had a cedar clad garden room, measuring 7M x 4M internally, built by a local company who specialise in these.

Palais du Jardin.jpg


Workshop interior.jpg


Foundations, fully insulation, flooring, LED interior and exterior lighting, wall heater, etc. included. I was able to specify the door and window options, socket, switches and locations. We had to treat the cladding, paint the interior and get it connected to our mains supply. Over two summers I found it warm but the opening windows provide adequate ventilation/cooling while the heater easily maintains a comfortable temperature in winter.

Not cheap but we believe it has added value to our property. Following the increase in cost in Western Red Cedar they are now offering HardiePlank cladding as a significantly cheaper option. Had that ben an option when we had this built I would have probably gone for it as a low maintenance option.
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Alan Woodard
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Alan Woodard » Tue Sep 28, 2021 11:31 am

Nice one Jol. Highly Jealous.
Hope your keeping Well.

Cheers.

Alan.

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Paul Townsend
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Paul Townsend » Tue Sep 28, 2021 3:06 pm

The key to a super shed was ( in my case and perhaps for some others) downsizing home and retirement.
If you were fortunate in living in the right place, the downsizing released cash to pay for the costly shed etc. as well as those goodies listed by SWMBO.

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Paul Townsend
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Paul Townsend » Thu Sep 30, 2021 12:03 am

When we were moved house in late 2015, Highbridge went into storage for a few months.
Many options for the railway shed were explored.
To fit the existing layout was the No.1 challenge which led to the best option that I could find.
Ideally I would have had both the dimensions increased by 300mm.
The chosen supplier, mentioned above, were adamant that the external 6 x 5.5M was the absolute maximum that Building Regs would allow for their roof design. Also the internal 30 Sq M was the upper limit that avoided a full Planning Application.

Thus the layout is a snug fit but I have only difficult access at one end. It is better than in the Victorian basement where one end was hard against the wall. I now have access to 3 sides, only 2 before.

Regarding security I have upgraded the locks from the supplied Eurolock to ABS Barrels by Avocet. Expensive but more secure and convenient as the same key fits 6 external locks around house and garden. The insurers are now happy !

Access to the garden is pretty limited, either through an iron gate with padlock or breaking through a spiky hedge from neighbours’ gardens who also have good secure boundaries. Thus there is no alarm or IR light…..too many foxes, moggies and badgers anyway ☺️

I am of the opinion that a thief who gets in now would be unstoppable without a machine gun.

The external cladding is Western Red Cedar so the appearance is similar to Jol’s above except that I chose horizontal planks. We had the choice of oiling every two years to maintain the honey colour or the zero maintenance option to allow the wood to weather to light grey. I chose the latter which matches the house too.

The interior finish is a good plastic near white clad building board and, like Jol’s , looked clean and modern as a studio or Office. Foundations, construction, windows and doors and electrics were included in the price. I had to provide the trench, duct and feeder cable.

The building was commissioned in Feb. 2016. Highbridge was installed by the Easter so we have 5.5 years of experience and am happy in all respects bar one.

I reported elsewhere the cooking due to aircon failure this summer. Most of the year, the insulation is adequate and only a 750w heater is required. In strong sun the aircon is powered by house solar panels and was great for 4.5 summers.

Before next summer, I will add solar panels on the shed’s metal roof so insolation will be reduced and replace the failed aircon unit.

Andrew Ullyott
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Re: Recomendations required for a shed

Postby Andrew Ullyott » Sat Oct 02, 2021 7:46 pm

ginger_giant wrote:Hi all

It looks very much like I'll be needing a shed/log cabin in the near future. I'm thinking of something around 7 x 4 metres and wonder if members could offer recommendations for suppliers. Two that I've looked at are Dunsters and Keops but I'm sure there must be others worth considering. Though the two mentioned offer UK wide delivery, it looks like I am moving 12 miles west of Carlisle so would be interested to hear of suppliers in Cumbria.

Cheers
Ian

Ian
I know of a few people who’ve used these guys for their sheds in West Yorks & Lancashire.
GF Sectional Buildings of Rishton
Andrew


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