Hovis builds a garden office*

Actually thinking about it, I'm starting to think if I can use the concrete path in my favour and use fence posts and brackets to provide supports there and negate the need of 3 of my 12 piles, and probably stronger too.

With you on that. The only advantage I would have with going for plasterboard to beat that would be that I would know exactly where every stud would be. But still would be annoying in a workshop environment, I doubt it would take me long to punch a whole through a board with some timber.

What grade of plywood would you go for? Birch is so expensive :/

these sort of things are also on option if you're building on top of a concrete base : https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/product/rynodeck-rdf3-fixedhead-adjustable-decking-pedestal-5595mm.html

Just don’t, for the love of god, use OSB.

Is it OK for the exterior though? (Assuming cladding over it)

As long as it can’t be seen, it’s fine! I don’t know about moisture resistance etc, just hate the look of it.

I’d use wisa ply for the internal walls. Grain can look great if you’re lucky, or fine if you’re not.

http://m.builderdepot.co.uk/18mm-x-1220mm-x-2440mm-softwood-c-c-wbp-plywood.html

put PB over it later. Just don’t, for the love of god, use OSB.

Would OSB with PB over the top not be more economical and tougher than ply+OSB?

Ultimately if you want a home-like finish for the interior it has to be PB + paint.

Ta. It's annoying they don't deliver to my area, their prices seem to be so much cheaper than everyone else.

yes, if you use OSB 3

You still need to seal any cut edges though. They absorb moisture like a sponge if you don't. Learn't that the harder way.

Thanks, that looks really interesting. Suprised they have 1000kg capacity. Will investigate those more closely.

Sub’d 👍🏻

Had a go figuring out where the ground would be using some bricks, level and a 2.4m timber. The stack of bricks on the bottom right represents the bottom of the suspended floor at the front, 52cm. I knew it would be around that figure but seeing it in person is making me worry this office will tower over our garden.

I'm beginning to think that I should do a bit of digging. The two raised beds either side of the pathway have about 35-40cm of top soil that I really am starting to think I need to get rid of.

Anyone know much about digging? Is attempting to excavate 6x3x0.4m of top soil with hand tools possible? I'm not adverse to a bit of hard work.

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That depth should be fine with a shovel, you shouldn’t t get much collapse.
Get some helpers. ;)

At 1g/cm^3, thats around 7 tonnes. Probably around 120 wheelbarrow loads? This site (from the UN) has useful timings for fish farm construction (digging holes): http://www.fao.org/tempref/FI/CDrom/FAO_Training/FAO_Training/General/x6708e/x6708e12.htm#60'a

May I ask why not osb board..my self assemble shed used it quite liberally and seem ok to screw into? And no other problems so far

We had a garden office built at our last house and they built without digging down. It wasn't terrible but it was definitely taller than i would have liked and dominated that end of the garden.

I'd recommend having the entrance sit flush with the garden if that's at all possible...

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At 1g/cm^3, thats around 7 tonnes. Probably around 120 wheelbarrow loads?

Also bear in mind that loose soil is also 2-3 times the volume it was in the ground, so you'll be looking at 14-20 cubic meters of loose soil to go somewhere else or dispose of.

Get a mattock if you don't have one, it'll make breaking up the ground much easier.

A good shovel is better than a flat garden shovel for moving the loose earth.

(Recently dug a trench for a new garden wall and a slab for a bin store.)

The new generation of lfgss shed/workshop/office builders all seem so professional!

Off to screwfix to get a couple of new spades then. Thanks @Greenbank for reminding me that I already have a forgotten about mattock. Also need to get a wheelbarrow so I can transfer it all to the side of the house where I'll no doubt store it for the rest of time.

If anyone SE fancies a bit of digging action this weekend hit me up! Beers and kebabs on demand.

when I built the kids swing/slide/playhouse last year I just hired a man with mini-digger for £250 (northern prices) and it was done in a day - I would still be digging now otherwise.
You can even hire one and drive yourself but I was quite close to one of my garages and didn't knocking a hole in the wall

I helped a mate demolish his old garage a couple of years ago with a mini digger - great fun, would dig / demolish again

Yep, mini digger would make life easier (I have my own!) or even a micro digger, you can get ones that you can drive through standard doorways even if access is an issue.

I moved about 7 tons of soil by wheelbarrow in a day once. Digging footings for an extension with my uncle, him in a mini digger and me carting the soil to a skip. I felt pretty ruined by the end of the day but that was a combination of running the barrow up the ramp to the skip and my cyclists upper body. Anyway, without the mini digger that would have taken significantly more time and effort with just the two of us.

mini digger

So much this.

Dig a proper base, and have a kerbside cement truck with pump.

None of this spade and barrow lark.