The Garden Office

Sections in this Article:

The Build Stalls

As week 4 came, there was no activity and little information from Garden Room Space to reassure us on progress. By Wednesday we eventually had an update from Donovan to let us know that the Bi-fold doors will be delivered and requested us to pay for this on delivery. The following day, the bi-fold doors, supplied by Doors-Direct are delivered and payment made. There was unfortunately no sign of the side door and window.

Donovan later checked-in to advise he was trying to arrange for his team to return on Saturday to fit the doors, but as Saturday came and went and we entered week 5, there was still no sign of the team. We were eventually told the team would be back on site on the Friday of week 5 but, after a call on Friday, it was confirmed the team would not be attending.

The build schedule had certainly gone out of the window and had become quite fragmented. We had to wait until Monday before the team were back on site. The plan, to start cladding and install the bi-fold doors. To save money, we decided that the hidden walls [the ones we would never see] would not be cladded in cedar and opted for a low maintenance wood effect plastic clad which resulted in a total saving of £850!

Day 8 : 23 Nov 2020 : BiFolds

Things didn’t quite get off to the best start when a neighbour popped a letter through our door, outlining their concerns and inconvenience of the garden office; it effectively boiled down to the fact that they had lost the view into our garden and beyond and replaced it with an 'eye sore'. I believe some compensation was hinted at for plants that they had purchased and planted to camouflage the building...

The Garden Room Space team arrived early, and I briefed Donovan of the sensitivity of the neighbour. He assured us we had done nothing wrong. In the meantime, a letter was carefully drafted in response to the neighbour outlining some of the actions we had already taken to reduce the impact of the building, including digging down 1 foot and laying the foundations as low as we could. We offered to compensate them for the camouflage they had planted [this was something offered earlier in the year] but after a subsequent visit, this was not necessary and they requested that we add some plants our side to soften the impact when the build is completed. All in all, a reasonable outcome [for the moment].

Back to the build, throughout the day the Garden Room Space team installed the bi-fold doors, cladded the hidden sides and began preparing the inside by applying undercoat on the walls. As the day ended and daylight dwindled, the team completed this and planned to return on Tuesday to do the Cedar cladding and install the EPDM roof.

By Tuesday morning, we’d been informed that work was cancelled for the day and the team are expected back on Wednesday...

Day 9 : 25 Nov 2020 : Windows and Roofing

With the team missing on Tuesday, they retuned on Wednesday and installed the side window frame, the side door frame and laid out the EPDM roof rubber. The rubber roof was not glued, just laid out to settle, as the cedar cladding would need to be attached first. Unfortunately, there was still no sign of the cedar cladding so assume there are supply issues. With no actual door or glass for the side window, the team once again sealed up the office before they packed up and left.

It was unclear if the team would return on Thursday but by mid-morning, it was confirmed they would not be on site [assume they are switching between two jobs?]. We would have to see what Friday brings, but with more payments being requested, a schedule beginning to drag on and neighbours complaining, our patience began to waive.

Day 10 : 27 Nov 2020 : Cladding

On Day 10 an unannounced visit from a man in a van requesting money for a delivery of cedar cladding dragged me from a management meeting. I explained that the delivery probably was for us but I had no knowledge of what arrangements had been made. He wasn’t prepared to unload the van until payment had been received! A call to Donovan resolved the issue and no payment was required from ourselves. Shortly after, the Garden Room space team arrived and began to cut and attach the cedar cladding and glue down the rubber roof...

The build had now begun to gain some momentum and with the cedar cladding mostly on [although some concerns it may have been ordered too short], it was really starting to look good. The door was still missing and the side window still had no glass. I was unsure if the Garden Room Space team would be treating the cedar, so ordered a tin of Osmo Cedar Finish UV Protection Oil to be on the safe side!

Continue on reading to The Vanishings of Garden Room Space?...