We recently secured a reservation for a building plot and are now considering what exactly to build on it. One critical aspect is the basement. I would like to have one, but honestly, it’s quite expensive, and the risk of unplanned additional costs is also significant. Besides the utility room, the basement should also include a small workshop (there’s always something to do in the garden) and possibly a sauna (since we enjoy sauna sessions, but with a small child, it’s not easy to take long trips).
Today, we started thinking about possibly replacing the basement with a garden shed and building only a slab foundation. Besides cost savings, the advantage would be that tools from the garden would be easily accessible without dirtying the house hallway, and bicycles could also be stored there. The main disadvantage would be the lack of insulation and the space required.
I’ve done a bit of online research and found some kits, for example approximately 8 x 4 + 4 x 4 m (26 x 13 + 13 x 13 ft) in an L-shape, offering nearly 30 sqm (320 sq ft) of space for the workshop and storage, plus the sauna with a small wet area in front. Financially, the shed (kit including roof, foundation, painting) should be under 20,000, plus connections for electricity and water. Would 5,000 for these connections be realistic?
The plot is relatively large for today’s standards at 700 sqm (7,535 sq ft) and almost perfectly rectangular. The idea would be to place the garden shed as a border building behind the house in the northeast corner, with a carport in front (driveway in the southeast). Any opinions on this?
Today, we started thinking about possibly replacing the basement with a garden shed and building only a slab foundation. Besides cost savings, the advantage would be that tools from the garden would be easily accessible without dirtying the house hallway, and bicycles could also be stored there. The main disadvantage would be the lack of insulation and the space required.
I’ve done a bit of online research and found some kits, for example approximately 8 x 4 + 4 x 4 m (26 x 13 + 13 x 13 ft) in an L-shape, offering nearly 30 sqm (320 sq ft) of space for the workshop and storage, plus the sauna with a small wet area in front. Financially, the shed (kit including roof, foundation, painting) should be under 20,000, plus connections for electricity and water. Would 5,000 for these connections be realistic?
The plot is relatively large for today’s standards at 700 sqm (7,535 sq ft) and almost perfectly rectangular. The idea would be to place the garden shed as a border building behind the house in the northeast corner, with a carport in front (driveway in the southeast). Any opinions on this?
Small garden shed for €8,000? Sorry, but what world are you living in? That’s completely exaggerated. The whole project can easily be done for under €6,000.
A standard garden shed costs between €2,000 and €3,000. You can then build the sauna yourself. Wood, insulation, and the stove don’t cost much. Of course, the price can go higher, but for €30,000 my father and I could build you 5 saunas in the garden. 🙄
A standard garden shed costs between €2,000 and €3,000. You can then build the sauna yourself. Wood, insulation, and the stove don’t cost much. Of course, the price can go higher, but for €30,000 my father and I could build you 5 saunas in the garden. 🙄
Wiesel29 schrieb:
Small garden shed for €8,000? Sorry, but in what world do you live? That’s completely exaggerated. The entire project can easily be done for under €6,000 (about $6,500).
A basic garden shed costs between €2,000 and €3,000 (about $2,200 to $3,300). You can then install the sauna yourself. Wood, insulation, and the stove don’t cost much. Sure, the price can go up, but for €30,000 (about $32,500), my father and I could build you five saunas in the garden 🙄 It’s all a matter of quality. For me, the paint alone cost €2,000 (about $2,200) 🙂. Sure, it can be done more cheaply, but I don’t want to have to repaint every few years. A foundation is necessary, as well as roof waterproofing. Also, a garden shed should have exterior boards at least 38mm (1.5 inches) thick. That provides stability and allows for secure fastening.
As far as I understand, the original poster wants something “decent” with high demands, as a substitute for a basement room. At €30,000 (about $32,500), though, the sauna is already included in the price 🙂
H
HilfeHilfe16 Nov 2020 11:36Wiesel29 schrieb:
Small garden shed for €8,000? Sorry, but what world are you living in? That’s completely exaggerated. The whole project can easily be done for under €6,000.
A basic garden shed costs €2,000 to €3,000. You can then build the sauna yourself. Wood, insulation, and the stove don’t cost much. Of course, the price can go up, but for €30,000 my father and I could build you 5 saunas in the garden 🙄 If the look should match, about €20,000 is realistic. For us, that’s an outdoor sauna plus garden shed. Of course, nothing from a hardware store. We had a garden shed for €1,000.
You can’t just integrate a sauna into a garden shed willy-nilly, especially because of fire safety issues.
W
WilderSueden16 Nov 2020 19:42The exact property boundaries are always a bit difficult to determine before site development, but overall, there is probably about half a meter (1.6 feet) of slope. It’s definitely not a hillside, and based solely on the earthworks, a basement won’t be necessary. For me, a basement has always simply been part of a house. The consideration to do without one is more about the cost-benefit calculation and a more reliable cost estimate. Building a luxury cabin would be rather counterproductive in that regard.
The topic of permits is a good point, especially since it makes the most sense when building such a cabin directly on the boundary line. Since the carport will already be quite large (at least 6.5 by 7 meters (21 by 23 feet) for 2 cars and a trailer parked sideways at the back), I can imagine that proposing a large garden shed might not go unchallenged. That would already mean two relatively significant structures on the boundary line. How can the chances of obtaining permission be improved? Would it make sense to split it into a workshop + storage building and a separate sauna house?
The topic of permits is a good point, especially since it makes the most sense when building such a cabin directly on the boundary line. Since the carport will already be quite large (at least 6.5 by 7 meters (21 by 23 feet) for 2 cars and a trailer parked sideways at the back), I can imagine that proposing a large garden shed might not go unchallenged. That would already mean two relatively significant structures on the boundary line. How can the chances of obtaining permission be improved? Would it make sense to split it into a workshop + storage building and a separate sauna house?
Opting out of a basement and relocating storage to a garden shed or garage is, of course, always an option. As a strong supporter of basements, I would also like to point out: without a basement, you need space for the utility room on the ground floor. And if you calculate the cost for, say, 15 square meters (160 square feet) using the common formula of €2,000 per m² (about $185 per sq ft), the utility room is not exactly cheap either. Additionally, a basement—unlike most garden sheds—is completely frost-free. And I definitely wouldn’t want my wine cellar out in the garden.
Best regards
Axel
Best regards
Axel
W
WilderSueden17 Nov 2020 12:19You’re absolutely right, and those were initially my arguments as well, since my girlfriend would build without a basement anyway. But then the question arises what to do with the technical room that would be saved. In the floor plans we currently favor, the technical room is only about 6-8m² (65-86 sq ft), so that would either create a large hallway (if the technical room is left out completely) or a storage room. A home office would often be possible, but since I will mainly be working from home, I’d prefer it not to be on the north side but somewhere with some sunlight.
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