Man cave chat!

Will new shed have a pitched roof? That can create more space. Also have you thought about some kind of fold down work bench. I'm not sure if it will be particularly sturdy but it will save space and flat surfaces tend to accumulate "Stuff" on them...
Also remember bikes take up much less room if they have their stems twisted through 90degrees and their pedals taken off. That makes them almost flat.

Rich Aitch":12uuqyhk said:

Will new shed have a pitched roof? That can create more space. Also have you thought about some kind of fold down work bench. I'm not sure if it will be particularly sturdy but it will save space and flat surfaces tend to accumulate "Stuff" on them...
Also remember bikes take up much less room if they have their stems twisted through 90degrees and their pedals taken off. That makes them almost flat.

Click to expand...

More than likely have a pitched roof depending on price that is

Is your size limit purely based on cost?

Based on what you have right now, and the positioning, I would go for something with the largest footprint I could get away with.

Height restrictions?

Asymmetric roof can provide more user friendly internal headroom without excessive height.

Extending the base and roof out for a veranda would provide the perfect area to shove your work-stand up for most of the year, being Cornwall.

Large sliding door onto veranda most practical as well as doors at either end.

The issue of cost.

Several ways to overcome this.

Recycle some of your existing shed. (Probably least desirable, looks like it has been overlooked a little of late.)

Start by concentrating on the base and a waterproof shell, you won't need to insulate it until autumn. This could be achieved for very little money. Just a bit of graft really.

Can't you just put your foot down and buy a second smaller shed for the rubbish?

Keep the larger shed for you, it's okay when you put all your wages into house and family and say hey this is mine..deal with it

Then buy a smaller shed for the kids crap and rubbish and gardening tools

Everyone needs a man only space. I tell swmbo..in that space I recharge to do the crap she and the kids don't want to do, interupt that then money will be spent on tradesmen and that will impact on her and the childrens shopping trips.

My man cave remains child and female free, has a small beer fridge, old stereo, all the tools I need, a comfy chair, but mostly importantly it has the space for me and me alone.

highlandsflyer":3ilpn8pp said:

Is your size limit purely based on cost?

Based on what you have right now, and the positioning, I would go for something with the largest footprint I could get away with.

Height restrictions?

Asymmetric roof can provide more user friendly internal headroom without excessive height.

Extending the base and roof out for a veranda would provide the perfect area to shove your work-stand up for most of the year, being Cornwall.

Large sliding door onto veranda most practical as well as doors at either end.

The issue of cost.

Several ways to overcome this.

Recycle some of your existing shed. (Probably least desirable, looks like it has been overlooked a little of late.)

Start by concentrating on the base and a waterproof shell, you won't need to insulate it until autumn. This could be achieved for very little money. Just a bit of graft really.

Click to expand...

Believe me there's absolutely nothing salvageable from the old shed! I've got a decent sized garden so it's all about the cost really. Would love something bigger with a veranda but budget won't stretch to that and because the new shed will be going where the old one is it needs to be up and watertight in a day.

I see. Well you can always extend it at the front or side later.

Main thing with making it good is the roof, so I would have that ready to lift on before killing the old shed. Corrugated bitumen works well, as you can incorporate clear panels for light. Depends if you want an insulated, warm in winter shed though.

Depends on what you plan to use for the floor, but one option to get a roof up fast is to use Postcrete to erect corner posts, hanging joists to tie them in. That would take less than a couple of hours, then you could lift the roof on. I used this approach to make a pal's bike shed, as we had only a few hours of daylight to get the job done.

You could use prepped panels to finish the job, or a nailgun and cladding. My favoured option would be prepped panels, windows, doors and all done ready to go.

If you use T&G cladding, you can expect it to be fairly weather tight from the get go. Once you have capped the corners and finished the doors and window voids it should work.

If you wanted it snug for winter you would need to insulate it, but that is a long way off.

How are you taking your power to it?

[/quote]Believe me there's absolutely nothing salvageable from the old shed! I've got a decent sized garden so it's all about the cost really. Would love something bigger with a veranda but budget won't stretch to that and because the new shed will be going where the old one is it needs to be up and watertight in a day.[/quote]

Just make sure you have the floor lifted off the ground as high as possible so water doesn't work its way upwards.

Mines got 3 four by two's on breeze blocks keeping it off the ground. Wrap them in plastic or waterproof membrane too if you can (wish i did).

But even if it's just for bike kit it'll still get filled with cr*p

Google pallet sheds. Make it huge for very little cost.

heres my effort

i've got to agree with the veranda idea - if you are on a pitched roof rather than an apex job you can extend a small area (a 4x4 run of 3x2" flags gives a decent space) buy a couple of shiplap fence panels & run them in an L shape from the back of the shed across the back & down one edge of the flagged bit, the shed fills in the other edge & you leave the front open to make maneuvering in / out easier. if you put in substantial enough posts in the corners you can also hang a matching pitched plywood roof & throw some roofing felt on it (or use the clear corrugated plastic roofing sheets fom b&q) to give you a good covered work area where the stand can live or where things can be put while you are inside.

you can sell this to the missus as an ideal place to store the garden furniture etc. through the winter (& even use it for that if you really wanted!)



my own man-cave arrangements are a bit messed up at the moment. I'm currently in a 20x7 foot block shed however it is destined to be a prep kitchen for my new business so once the outside is rendered & i have the cash to start wiring up & plumbing the internals then I will be moving into a 6x4 ish lean-to on the end of the outbuildings. it is a fairly steep pitched roof so i'm planning to stick a few hooks along the wall at the high side to hang the bikes from & an old filing cabinet in the corner for spares. maintenance will be done in my 'other' block shed that is earmarked for equipment storage for the business but it will have a long enough free wall to have a home made fold away stand mounted on it with my tools sitting in the drawer unit on the worktop opposite.



half of the current shed...