A garden house serves a variety of purposes today: It offers valuable storage space for garden tools and furniture, becomes a protected outdoor space thanks to a small terrace or serves as a room in which you can celebrate carefree. But even before you set up the garden house and also when setting it up, there are a few important things to consider.
How do I set up a garden shed?
To set up a garden house, you first need a stable base such as a strip, point foundation or a concrete slab. Then follow the manufacturer's instructions or your own plan and protect all wooden parts in advance with glaze or wood varnish.
The Legal
If no sanitary facilities are integrated into the arbor, the garden house does not require approval up to a certain number of converted cubic meters. This size varies from state to state. Therefore, ask your local building authority in advance whether you need a building permit. The authority also provides information regarding the distances you must maintain from neighboring properties.
Are you just a tenant?
Then you should take a look at the rental agreement before setting up the garden house. Although setting up a small arbor is part of gardening use, the special rules of the owners' association often also have to be observed. If in doubt, talk to your landlord and, if necessary, create a written addition to the rental agreement.
The structure
Whether you choose an off-the-shelf garden house, which is available in many different designs, or a completely self-built model is up to your individual taste and craftsmanship. In any case, you first need a stable base for the house:
The Foundation
Which version makes sense depends on the size and design of the planned hut as well as the nature of the ground. The foundation can be made with paving slabs, a strip or point foundation or a concrete slab.
Setting up the garden house
When doing this work, follow the manufacturer's instructions or the plan you have created yourself. Log cabins or modular houses are then very easy to put together; even inexperienced do-it-yourselfers can do this with ease. A self-built house is a little more complex, but the finished arbor corresponds exactly to your ideas.
The roof
The required roofing felt is often included with the kits. Bitumen shingles or corrugated sheets (€99.00 on Amazon) can greatly enhance the look of the house. If you would like to cover the roof with these and the material is not included, you can purchase them additionally at any hardware store.
Tip
Do not store the individual parts of the garden house directly on the ground and well protected from the weather until final assembly. This will prevent the materials from becoming dirty prematurely. Important: Protect all wooden parts with a suitable glaze or wood varnish before assembly.
