How Do You Turn A Prefab Shed Into An Office?
The idea of having a shed office must be very alluring and interesting. But planning and building the actual construction may make your heart gasp a few times. To make your life easier, many prefab sheds are available in the market.
Turning a shed into an office is rather an enjoyable task. You can unleash your creativity to its full potential. However, electrical supply, proper insulation, air ventilation, and proper furniture selection should not escape from your mind.
If you want to take the prefab route for your office shed, keep reading the article to learn how to convert a prefab shed into your office.
What Is A Prefab Shed?
Prefab is the short form of the word ‘Prefabricated’. This is prevalently used in the construction industry. They use the word to identify a building or fixture of which the components are premade off-site and installed together on-site.
A prefab shed is a shed that is premade by the company. They will either ship the whole structure to your place or ship them by components that you have to attach and set, like Lego. Generally, the prefab shed comes in different parts as they are much larger once you put them together.
There are tons of variations of a shed. Generally, an idea for the sheds is that you build them on-site with your preferred material and design. However, to save time and avoid the hassle, people are nudging toward a prefab shed day by day.
How Do You Turn A Prefab Shed Into An Office?
Converting a prefab shed into an office is rather an easy task. Since it comes pre-made, all you need to set the pieces and fix the fixture. However, having a house and a home is not the same thing. Likewise, having a shed and having an office shed are also not similar.
Turning a prefab shed into an office will require a few essential tasks. Let’s see what those are.
1. Permit To Build A Shed
Local zoning laws vary from state to state regarding building a shed on your premise. Before you set your mind on having a shed in your backyard or on your house premise, you need to learn and abide by that law.
It is better to consult with a contractor who is an expert in that area. Generally, you don’t need a permit to build a shed smaller than 12 inches by 10 inches. However, there is no fixated rule applicable to every state. Hence, you must ensure you are following the law as per the zoning location.
2. Choose Or Customize Shed – Choose, Customize, Color, Lights, And Windows
You may wonder what to choose for a prefab shed. However, you will be astounded when you find so many varieties of sheds. They are unique in design, material, and structure. You can choose any of them as per your requirement.
However, if none of the models settles in your heart, don’t worry. You can customize the shed too. You can either design the whole structure or alter some particulars of a certain shed by consulting with the vendor. But it may delay the delivery of the shed.
For an office shed, an appropriate color palate is very important and significant. Go for any neutral, nude, or pastel tone to set off the mood for an office. If you opt for vinyl material for your prefab shed, you can customize any colors as per your preference.
While you are surfing for your ideal shed match, don’t forget to prioritize natural lighting. You should always opt for a shed that can welcome an abundance of natural light without provoking the sun’s glare on the screen.
Whether you customize or not, always ensure that your prefab shed has one or two windows. If the original design doesn’t have them, you should ask the vendor to customize some windows according to the location you want to set the shed.
3. Flooring
Some prefab shed comes with flooring, some doesn’t. You may wonder what the need for extra flooring is especially if you have a concrete floor. No matter what, you should always have elevated flooring for your shed.
Proper flooring will ensure the door opens and closes smoothly. You can also design one or two stairs over the flooring. If the prefab shed doesn’t come with flooring, you can construct them with any material you like. Some popular choices are concreted slabs, pavers, rebated floors, and heavy-duty floors.
4. Installment At The House
After the consignment of the prefab shed, now it is time to install it at your location. If you have built the floor separately, make sure the floor is dry and ready for an establishment to stand on it. As the shed generally comes in components, it will take 6-7 hours to build the shed on the spot.
If you are handy with construction and fixtures, you can build your shed individually. However, if you are not that confident about your tools and nails skill, you should cough some extra bucks and let the professionals handle it. Make sure the window and door panels are secured and tight.
5. Connection Of Electricity
Well, the first requirement of converting a shed into an office shed is the electrical connection unless you prefer to work in the sixteenth-century module with no electricity and computer. But I guess you have to use electricity to power up the shed for lights, fans, computers, and other devices, and the main element for all that is electricity.
Prior to installation of the shed, you must extend the power line from the main source through the ground. Before that, you need to look up the zoning law of your state and search for the requirement for the connection of electricity. You may need to install a separate line.
6. Insulation
Insulation is a mechanism of temperature control by tempering the heat flow. In gist, it will keep your shed cool on hot days, and warm on winter days. That is why a proper insulation mechanism is very important for an office shed.
Insulation is not always necessary. Whether you need a separate system for it depends on the material you choose. For instance, wood is naturally insulated and doesn’t require a separate system for insulation. However, steel, on the other hand, will need an insulated membrane. Normally, drywall is the best insulation membrane.
7. Air Ventilation
You have to ensure that your shed gets maximum air passage in and out of the shed. Usually, in the prefab shed, this particular issue is ignored and looked down upon. But, as you will be surrounded by nature and trees, there should be ways to infiltrate the fresh air inside your log.
Yes, you can just open the windows or door for the air to flow, but what if there is heavy rainfall or snowfall which is blocking you to open the window? You need a separate ventilation system through which air will pass in and out without depending on any other mechanism. But make sure that your ventilation doesn’t let the pests and insects a way in.
8. Internet Connection
An office without a proper internet connection is like a boat without a rudder. Ok, that was cliché, but it is true as well. If your office work is mostly focused on web browsing and joining meetings via Zoom or other applications, it is wise to invest in a separate internet line.
You can also extend the Wi-Fi line of the house if the office shed is within 20 meters of the house with a proper extension cord. Whatever you decide, the line must be extended prior to the installation of the shed.
9. Proper Furniture And Décor
One last but not least step of the task. After all the important step is completed, you should implore your mind on what furniture and decoration you want to put inside your office shed. A shed is very concise and packed. It wouldn’t be wise to stuff it with unnecessary and cluttering products.
Fire and foremost, set up a desktop for your computer setup contrasting the Sunlight. That way you can prevent the sun’s glare on the screen. Keep your furniture minimal and office-friendly. Take full advantage of the walls surrounding you to store and manage important files and documents. You can also plant some houseplants for some freshness and greenery.
Is Prefab Shed Cheaper?
A shed comes in very different designs and procedures. Among them, the most convenient and short-duration process is the prefab shed. But does that mean it costs more than building the shed on-site?
No, contrary to the popular belief, a prefab shed is cheaper than building a shed. For building the shed from scratch, you will need materials, labor, delivery charges, painting and varnishing, and other relevant charges.
But, for a prefab shed, you need to invest only in the shed. You don’t have to make separate payments on materials, painting, and other costs. However, if you have the necessary tools and materials to build a shed, it is cheaper than the prefab shed without a doubt.
But what if you want to customize a prefab shed? Well, the cost will certainly rise for customization. Also, the material of the shed matters in the pricing too. A wooden prefab shed is much more expensive than a vinyl and steel shed.
Final Words
A prefab shed saves you from lots of unnecessary trouble and costs. With a little effort and creativity, you can create a beautiful office for yourself just beside your home. But how much will it cost you? To know the answer, read How Much Does It Cost To Turn A Shed Into An Office? this article.
