In many gardens there are prefabricated or self-built garden houses. Quickly and easily assembled, these usually fully meet the requirements. But if you want a stable arbor for many years, you can build the garden house yourself like a small house. We have summarized what you need to pay attention to and how to proceed professionally in this guide.
How can I build a garden house myself?
To build a garden house yourself, you need a building permit, a professional construction plan, a full-surface foundation as well as materials and tools for the walls and foundation. Make sure you work precisely and, if necessary, call in a specialist.
It doesn't work without building permits
A garden house that is built with brick always requires a building permit. It is often said that these houses do not require approval up to a certain volume, but such information is incorrect. For a house like this you need a full-surface foundation, so it always requires approval.
Construction plan
This must be professionally dimensioned and contain all necessary details. As a rule, proof of load-bearing capacity is also required. It is therefore advisable to have the construction plan drawn by an architect.
The Foundation
So that the little house is stable, a full-surface foundation is necessary. An old basic rule for bricklayers says that for sufficient stability it must be about three times as thick as the wall thickness. For large houses, it is therefore advisable to use an excavator as an aid.
How is brickwork done?
Material list
For a brick garden house, in addition to specialist knowledge, you need a little more material than for a wooden house.
For the foundation:
- Construction film
- Formwork material
- gravel
- Concrete
For the walls
- Bricks or ytong stones
- Mortar
- Concrete
- If you would like to additionally insulate the house, suitable materials for this
The tools required:
- String to mark the outline
- Shovel and spade or a small excavator to dig the pit
- vibration plate
- trowel
- Spirit level
- Plumb bob
Make foundation
First, the construction pit is dug and supported by formwork. Align the boards horizontally using the spirit level and the straight line. Then fill in a layer of gravel, lay the construction tarpaulin and add reinforcement. The concrete is then filled evenly.
Put up walls
To make the wall really straight, proceed as follows:
- The first layer of stones is placed in a thick bed of mortar. Align the bricks very precisely.
- Re-tighten the guide line in each row to guarantee the exact position of the stones.
- Frequent checks with the plumb bob ensure that the wall does not become crooked. A sense of proportion is by no means enough here.
- To transfer forces, brickwork must be built with sufficient bonding.
- Wooden frames are used in the area of windows and doors, which are covered with U-profiles.
- The wall crown also consists of U-profiles, which are then reinforced and filled with concrete.
Tip
The use of flat stones and thin-bed mortar makes the work of building walls much easier. However, as a layperson, you should seek support from an expert if necessary.
