Collection: Shire

Plastic sheds, or polyethylene sheds, are becoming more and more popular for their strength, durability and low-maintenance outlook. On the face of things, they are the best choice for garden storage. But they don’t look so great.

A big plastic shed might stick out like a sore thumb in your traditional garden. It’ll look out of place and pull you out of your Eden fantasy.

Metal sheds may do the same (and can rust) but a wooden shed wouldn’t necessarily do that. The natural browns blend into the plants and shrubs around it and the plain finish helps you gloss over it.

In general, you should steer clear of keeping anything of high value in your shed. So, money, electrical items, jewellery, etc. But there are other things you should keep out of there:

• Food – It may attract vermin to your garden and won’t keep as long

• Clothes – the high moisture content and increased number of insects and moths won’t keep them in good condition

• Money – even with a lock, sheds aren’t the most secure buildings, so better to be safe than sorry

• Important Documents – weather deterioration and theft are the risk with these in a shed.

You could just pop out and buy a shed on a whim, but there are things to consider before you buy:

• Delivery – will your chosen shed fit in your car, or do the store offer free delivery?

• Installation – Do you have the tools needed to build it and does it come with clear instructions and all the parts?

• Base - do you need one and which is best?

• Materials - is the wood durable, and does it need further protection?

• Security – does it have a strong locking mechanism, or do you need to install one?

• Is it fit for purpose - for storing garden implements, pots and maintenance equipment you may need to install shelves, or some racks for your tools?

Tiny houses are exactly what they sound like – small houses which make the most of the small space they occupy. They’re generally built on trailers or with wheels for mobility, but you can have them in your back yard.

With Wheels:
Those on trailers are considered caravans and therefore need no planning permission. They can have their own plumbing, solar panels, etc – they’re excellent for off-the-grid living as long as they’re road legal.

Without Wheels:
You can have a permanent tiny house in your back garden as long as it doesn’t exceed a certain size, and legally, you won’t be able to rent it out – it can only be used as an additional living space. You don’t need planning permission if it’s in your garden and has wheels as it’s classed as a caravan, but if you’re converting your shed, it could be classed as an annex or shepherd’s hut and will more than likely need planning permission and to meet building regulations if you want to use it as a dwelling.

In short, yes you can convert your shed into a tiny shed house, but without wheels, you’ll need planning permission and to check with building regulations if you want to sleep and stay there.