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Bobby Workshop & Shed (advice needed)

K

KitchenBOB

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Joined
Jan 2, 2026
Messages
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Name
Bobby
LOCATION
Bedfordshire
Hello,

I would really appreciate some guidance and advice.

Recently had one to many children so had to extend the house and make the most of the space to make additional bedrooms. Problem is lack of internal storage. My wife is a childminder so has lots of children's toys and push chair etc and I am kitchen fitter with lots of expensive tools which I don't like leaving in the van (VW caddy) so store inside but again there isn't enough room for this.

What i am looking to achieve is a large workshop & storeroom. We have and angular shaped boundary with neighbour so was looking to maximise the footing of the workshop. i had a 100mm concrete slab put down with hardcore sand and dpm, and i had the slab made to match the boundary with 800mm all around. in regards to the workshop i will be using often for multiple different projects.

i was going to start the build in the summer 2025 yet not knowing where to start and over complicating myself plus no time meant i delayed. yet i cant delay an further which is why I'm reaching out for advice to get the details nailed down on how to create something which isn't going to destroy my tools, destroy my wife's working equipment and have storage still for gardening tools and Christmas trees etc.

I had taken the idea from a video on youtube where the guy built a garden room and i was going to base my workshop on the same spec, he is building a garden room i am creating a workshop, would this be over the top for that?. Also the guy in the video adds his dpm after so on top of the concrete, as i have dpm under the concrete would i still add another layer above or just lay 100mm insulation straight down with OSB above that. Also he installs windows and uPVC glass doors i wont be doing either (may reconsider a window for natural light) as i will be installing 2 metal doors on the shorter side as entrance to a workshop one side and my wife and general storage on the other (wall straight through the middle). i was going to install the rubber roof as i feel this may require less maintenance, yet need to know how that would work with my angled roof. as for cladding i would just use tounge and groove shiplap, all though i have seen some videos where the shiplap expands and contracts quite a lot. Originally i was going to use black feather edge but the wife think it would look horrid in the garden.


I usually over do everything and perhaps spend way to much then is really required and over think a lot which tends to delay my decisions as well. i will be carrying out all the work my self as i am a confident worker yet building a workshop to last and keep the items inside dry and safe requires some knowledge i don't have.

Any advice would be much appreciated

Thank you,

i have attached an overhead with dimensions to give some type of idea, i also attached the video.
 

Attachments

  • Shed Slab.jpeg
    Shed Slab.jpeg
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Hi Bobby, and welcome to the forum. I am an architect, and did a guide to building your own workshop here on the forum. I also did an in-depth report on building my own workshop. I know there is some sort of issue with the images, but also that there is a work-around. I'm hoping someone on the forum will be able to advise you on how that's done.

I haven't time right now to look at your Youtube clip, but will try tomorrow. My initial comment, though, is that your proposed shed would need planning permission as it is above 15 sq metres and within a metre of your boundary. I'll do what I can to advise you, but suggest you start with the two threads I linked you to and then come back with your questions.
 
Welcome To the woodhaven Bob,
Good luck with your project. You’ll find some excellent advice around here.
 
Hello on your guide for workshop builds you have two layers of bricks forming the base. can i build a wooden framed base and then build directly on top that? i have one week to build my workshop so dont have the 7 days for bricks to cure
 
The reason for the two courses of bricks is to lift the timber parts out of range of rain splashing up from the floor or pooling at the base. You can build a timber structure directly on the slab, and the vast majority of garden sheds are done that way, but it won't last nearly as long before rot sets in as the brick plinth would.
 
Could concrete lintels be used to raise the timber off the concrete slab as detailed here?
Mike G

Thread 'Mike's how to build a shed without concrete'

There have been a number of enquiries lately from people who want to build a shed, but are worried about building a concrete base and laying a brick plinth. Whilst that remains the best way by far, I thought I would put together a thread for people who wanted a concrete-free alternative, without bricks. Please note that you should not attempt this technique for large buildings (say 20sq m or more), nor for buildings which need to show compliance with Building Regulations. If you plan on using a large lathe regularly I would also avoid a timber suspended floor, and would refer you to my...
Although this was laying the lintels on the ground it might be possible to lay the lintels on the concrete. I'd leave others to comments on this as I have no experience
 
Mike G said:
I know there is some sort of issue with the images, but also that there is a work-around. I'm hoping someone on the forum will be able to advise you on how that's done.
Click to expand...
The issue is that most of Mike's photos are hosted on Imgur, who in response to the Online Safety Act have decided not to serve the UK any more. The workaround is to use a VPN when browsing Mike's thread, so that you appear to be in a non-UK country. Many VPNs are available, free or charged for and some browsers (eg Opera, Brave and now Firefox) have their own easy to use built-in offerings.
 
spb said:
The reason for the two courses of bricks is to lift the timber parts out of range of rain splashing up from the floor or pooling at the base. You can build a timber structure directly on the slab, and the vast majority of garden sheds are done that way, but it won't last nearly as long before rot sets in as the brick plinth would.
Click to expand...
hi thank you for the reply. i have a concrete base 100mm above floor level. i was going to dpm and build the wooden frame on top and then come up with the dpm thus protecting against moisture.

im just not sure how efficient timber wrapped in dpm on the floor will be. will stop moisture coming through but could also trap moisture at the floor joists
 
Draw a sketch section through your proposed floor/ wall junction, Bobby, and I'll have a clearer idea of what you are considering doing. Plastic and wood in the wrong configuration can cause far more problems than you'd imagine.
 
im trying not to go over kill with the build. as im going to divide the space inside one half for a shed to store garden tools and some household boxes as lack storage internally and the other half a small workshop and some where to store all my powertools for work. i just worry about moisture ruining my tools and household items in storage. hence the extra precaution on the floor for moisture.
 
So your proposed building follows the exact outline of the existing concrete slab, does it?
 
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Well, I suggest omitting the plastic above the slab, which isn't doing anything at all if the plastic below the slab is intact. You could also omit the frame for the floor, as putting insulation down and then a (glued) T&G flooring board over that is absolutely standard practice. It would be optimal to raise the frame above the slab on bricks, but as the entirety to the slab is above ground, and the lowest timber is 150mm above the finished ground level, you can be confident in just building directly onto the slab.

I would return to the point I made a while back: you'll need planning permission for this shed because of its size and proximity to the boundary.
 
I think your roof joists need to be deeper for that span. Maybe 8” but it is a long time since I last designed any roof.
 
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