Hi,

Anyone know of any Swiss weather compatible office garden cabin/shed builders in Switzerland ?

Something like http://www.cabinliving.co.uk

Considering converting a 3x4m old shed into a 4x4.5 office in the garden and wondering if others done something similar

Check if you need planning permission first.

There is already a garden shed so I don't think it will be that big a deal but yes I'm aware of needing permission - but first trying to figure out if even realistic once built

Have a look at Hornbach- they seem to have quite a good selection,

http://www.hornbach.ch/shop/Abris-de...categorie.html

for planning, it depends very much on size and type, electricity, water, heating- and your neighbours too. Hornbach also have a good pamphlet on planning and can give advice too.

Also

http://www.jardinerieduvallon.ch/chalet.htm


Depending on the zone and local regs - a shed to house tools would be OK, but NOT one which is a liveable space like an office, etc. Sorry, in French (or German) only:

http://www.hornbach.ch/cms/fr/ch/pro...enhaeuser.html

Hornbach can often put you in touch with workmen to do the build, if you need that.

In some cases they will also quote you for fitting, no idea if they also cover garden houses for this though.

Thanks for the pointers. HORNBACHs afaik are just sheds. Not isolated enough.

But the other site looks interesting and yes I'll need to figure out where the border goes between livable and office space

Some like the KARIBU seemed ok- no-one stopping you from isolating better.

However, it will be more a case of between liveable/office cabanon, and tool shed. Bonne chance.

And of course you have nearby France too:

http://www.rubinsarl.com/

It will be considered liveable space if it is insulated and has utilities such as electricity and water but it won't be a problem if the house plus garden office don't exceed the maximum build area for the plot.

It will need planning permission in any case.

no water, just electricity and internet over wireless and I should be golden

Hello Whome ,

This can be easily done .The only point which it will be a bit difficult to be isolated it will be the door .Because the garden sheds are not really stable and the doors are a bit funny most of the times .
And this depends how your shed looks like .
Otherwise inside can be don with paster board and heating isolation .The power like socket and lamps are also not a problem .
If you want to use it during the winter you have to consider the heating .Then you should check what else is connected to the same power circuit,Because if you add more power to the circuit then the fused will drop down .

If you really would like to be comfortable for you can be done with nice flooring which will isolate the heat a bit as well .

Hopefully it was a bit helpful for you .If you have some other question please fell free to ask .

Best regards
Peter

Not necessarily. I got an office downstairs (even accessable within the flat) with heating, electricity, cablecom, windows, even it's own exit through the cellar ..... it's not considered livable space but "Bastelraum", so not fully counted as room in the flat although it totally is.

Curley, building an office in your garden is a very different thing altogether to how you organise your indoor space, I'm afraid.

From the official Geneva website:

En revanche, les travaux suivants peuvent être entrepris sans autorisation sous réserve des dispositions relatives à la protection du patrimoine


édification en zone à bâtir de constructions de très peu d’importance
, à savoir cabanes amovibles de dimension modeste, soit de l'ordre de 5 m2
au sol et 2 m de hauteur (...)

In short, you can build a garden shed without permission, providing it is 'moveable' as in no foundations, and of modest size- eg 5m2 by 2m high max.

But that has no impact at all on the total surface area of the plot that is built on as it's already included in the build area. It is totally different from adding extra liveable space in the garden.
For a free standing house there is a maximum percentage of the total plot that can be built on and this must not be exceeded.
A shed used as a home office with electricity running to is considered as a permenent installation and requires planning permission. It may also be classed as liveable accommodation depending on which canton you live in.
In our commune Neuchâtel for example it would require special permission if it had a flat roof, I don't know if the same rules apply in Whome's commune.

These things vary so much from canton to canton too. What's valid where you are may be totally different somewhere else.

All this is by the by though since the OP was looking for information on potential sources to buy the shed/cabin itself and not the planning regulations regarding it.

Why quote Geneva rules and regs? Looking at their previous posts the OP seems to be in (or near) Neuchâtel.

Well in Ticino you need a permit even to build a brick barbecue.... I wouldn't be surprised if you need one to build a cabin.

I did not say it doesn't need planning permission, it definitely does if it's only a few inches bigger thand what OP has in her garden now. And that will probably be the smallest hurdle as neighbours here like to bitch about what's in the neighbours garden (even the color of the roof sometimes ) AND are entitled to for some weird reason.
All I said was that electricity, heating and internet doesn't necessarily make it livable space.

Once again it's down to: Ask the right people. In this case it's the community, departement town planning.

more info (German)

My response was based on the regulations for Neuchâtel canton which is where the OP appears to be located.
It doesn't really matter to him what is considered liveable space in Zurich, Geneva or the outer Hebrides it's the regulations here that count.
I clearly stated in my reply that these things vary from canton to canton.

Given the timing you may also want to check out Habit Jardin,
www.habitat-jardin.ch, the annual big trade fair in the swiss romande region for all things like renovation, decoration, gardens, etc... It starts 4 March for about 10 days I think, in Lausanne. You can see and talk to all the vendors and service providers and often arrange the works there. There were always lots of garden sheds there as I recall, or also have a look at the catalog listing all the providors, I just received the catalog in the mail yesterday.