If you're working from home, here are some tips to stay productive and ensure your home office is optimized for working remotely. USA TODAY
Robin Salcidoand her husband have been sharing a small home office since March as America eased into the era of remote work.
Shes an artist. Hes an engineer. But as the months ticked on, the couple in Louisville, Colorado,longed toseparate their work environments.
Let's face it, no matter how great a relationship is and ours is pretty fantastic no one wants to be on top of each other 24/7, especially when you're working, Salcido said. Now that we cant go to coffee shops, and were really limited in other opportunities for leaving the house to get some work done, we realized we need more space.
So they ordered a prefabricated backyard shed thats getting installed on Friday. Salcido will use it at her office.
As the COVID-19 crisis enters its sixth month, an increasing number of Americans are buying and building backyard sheds useas home offices. For some, it represents a chance to get work doneaway from the kids as schools practice remote learning in the fall. For others, its a necessity because theres no room for an office setup inside their home.
Apartments for rent: Americans don't want yearlong leases amid the pandemic, neither do landlords
These detached, mostly self-contained spaces are more affordable and more practical than taking on a full-scale construction project, shed buyers say.
Google queriesfor office sheds began to tick higher in April, a few weeks after the pandemic was declared, according to search data.Searches began trending higher again in mid-Augustas the nation entered the back-to-school season. Companies that sell backyard shed products are noticing the trend.
Tim Vack, general manager at Modern-Shed, said there has been a 400% rise in interest this summer. A 50% rise in the summer is typicalas people take on more outdoor projects.The company gauges interest by downloads of its online catalog.
A lot of companies are allowing their employees from home from now on if they choose. Soeverybody is scrambling to find space to put their computer, Vack said. People are growing tired of putting their laptop on their dining room tableor their kitchen countertop.
These detachedoffice spacesare more premium than the standard metal shedsat Home Depot. You decide on what style of wood you'd like to use, where you'd like thewindows to be placed and various other customization options. The more you want, the more you pay.
Modern-Shed tailors each outdoor building to the buyers specifications. The firm then uses independent installation companies to do all the on-the-ground work.
Most people are choosing to buy spaces that offer an additional 120 square feet, said Mike Koenig, president and co-founder of Studio Shed.
Autoplay
Show Thumbnails
Show Captions
The 12-year-old Colorado-based company said it saw a huge spike in inquiries for backyard home space since March. Most of the buyers are using them for home offices, followed by school rooms for their kids, and a few are being converted into home gyms, Koenig said.
Maybe the kids are doing their schoolwork in the shed" away from parents who can then work peacefully inside the house,Koenig said.
Studio Shed, which ships to all 50 states, sends buyers a flat-packaged kit to be installed in their yard.
Prices are typically around $120 to $180 a square foot, depending on size and other options, the company says. Prices for its entry-level series start at $10,500.
Thats substantially lower than costs associated with hiring a contractorand buying materials to build onto your existing home. The average cost to build onto your home ranges from just over $21,000 up to $70,000, according to Home Advisor.
Modern-Shed says more people are converting backyard sheds into home offices.(Photo: Modern Shed)
Salcido said shes saving more than $150,000 by choosing a backyard shed office rather than building on top of her existing house.
We wouldve had to tear down the garage to add more concrete to support another level, Salcido said. It wouldve been way too much work to go through just for another studio room. The Studio Shed room she chose comes with electrical outlets and mini splits for AC and heating.
The typical turnaround time for sheds is four to six weeks from the order date, according to Studio Shed.
People who go for larger backyard home offices often have a lengthier build process, experts say, in part because states require varying permits for constructing rooms over a certain size.
While many are turning to companies for help with their shed, some people are going the do-it-yourself route, which is an even cheaper way to add a yard shed.
In April, Julie Massonshusband and a neighbor teamed up on her She shed project. It took three months to build.Now she uses the 120-square-foot room as an office escape from the kids' distance learning in the main house.
Julie Masson's backyard "she shed" looks like a mini home. Her husband Jesse helped build it during the pandemic so she can work remotely.(Photo: Julie Masson)
My husband sketched out a blueprint on a piece of paper. I decided where I wanted the door and windows to be. And our neighbor told us the supplies we needed, said Masson, who lives in Kansas City, Missouri. They bought the home improvement materials from Lowes, Home Depot and Menards.
The entire project cost $5,000 including office furniture from IKEA. The hardest part was digging an 18-inch-deep trench from the house to the shed for the electrical wires, Masson said. Starting around 10 a.m. Monday to Friday, she works as a marketing director from the outdoor shed. She clocks out around 6 p.m.
Julie Masson designed the interior of this outdoor shed built by her husband and a neighbor.(Photo: Julie Masson)
I have this routine at the end of my day where I lower my standing desk, I shut the shades, I turn off my air conditioner I turn off the lights, I lock my door and I commute home, just a few steps away," Masson said.
Have you converted an ordinary shed into your office? Shows us! Send photos to Dalvin Brown on Twitter: @Dalvin_Brown.
Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2020/09/08/americans-turn-backyard-sheds-into-home-offices-pandemic-rages/3454144001/
Read more here:
Americans are buying, building, converting backyard sheds into home offices - USA TODAY
- Las Vegas author Lissa Townsend Rodgers sheds light on historic women in organized crime - Las Vegas Weekly - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Meta sheds more light on how it is evolving Llama 3 training it relies for now on almost 50000 Nvidia H100 GPU, but ... - TechRadar - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- The Nigerian currency sheds off N500 against the US dollar - Business Insider Africa - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- How the Princess of Wales' story sheds light on the importance of cancer screening - CBC.ca - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Library approved for storage shed thanks in-part to a $10000 donation from Friends of the Library - mykxlg.com - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Wake County students build sheds to help with nationwide demand - CBS17.com - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Quantum tornado sheds light on black holes - Innovation News Network - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Trent Brown sheds light on his decision to sign with Bengals in free agency - Stripe Hype - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Revealed: documents shed light on shadowy US far-right fraternal order - The Guardian US - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Fire destroys home and sheds in Troy | Local News | foxbangor.com - FOX Bangor/ABC 7 News and Stories - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Insider Sheds Light on Stefon Diggs Future With Bills After Cryptic Post - Heavy.com - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Sister Wives Star Garrison Brown's Sister Sheds Light on His Mental Health Struggles After Tragic Death - TooFab - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Synopsys (NASDAQ:SNPS) sheds 3.7% this week, as yearly returns fall more in line with earnings growth - Yahoo Finance - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Affidavit sheds light on charges against Tell City pastor - Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW) - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Gisele Bndchen Sheds Light on Life After Tom Brady's 2022 Divorce: The Only Time Something Is Fixed Is When You ... - EssentiallySports - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Toba Supereruption Sheds Light on Early Human Migration - Mirage News - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Miami Dolphins LB Anthony Walker Sheds New Light on Significant Health Scare - Pro Football Network - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- Tyrese Haliburton sheds harsh truth on sports betting: I'm a prop - Sportskeeda - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- The Daily Show Sheds Viewers with Co-Host Format - imdb - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- French tax officials to hunt out undeclared sheds and verandas - The Connexion - March 23rd, 2024 [March 23rd, 2024]
- D'Angelo Russell sheds light on subtle disparity between sharing locker room with LeBron James & Kobe Bryant - Sportskeeda - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Steph Curry sheds light on his most savage trash-talking incident, eerily similar to Larry Bird's - Sportskeeda - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- NOPD body cam footage sheds light on 'high-risk' arrest, use-of-force investigation - NOLA.com - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- DEI-vestment: University of Florida sheds 'inclusion' for innovation Minding The Campus - Minding The Campus - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Bedford volleyball coach sheds light on investigation, leave of absence - Monroe Evening News - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Can World Hunger Be Eradicated by 2030? New Research Sheds Light on Key Puzzle Piece - SciTechDaily - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Alex Kurtzman Sheds Light on Star Trek Discovery's Tough Road to Season 5 - Den of Geek - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Is the iPhone SE 4 Worth the Wait? A New Report Sheds Light On it - Gizchina.com - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- PEPE sheds 8% in 24 hours: Are investors losing confidence? - AMBCrypto News - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Fire moves from shed to house, damaging home in Cloquet - Northern News Now - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- "COPA 71" documentary sheds light on forgotten Women's World Cup - Euronews - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Photo Series Sheds Light on Homelessness with Pets - Mirage News - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- 'I thank the firefighters:' Neighbor on cars and shed catching fire in Bedford County - WSET - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- New Study Sheds Light on Where India's People Came From - The Wire - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Who Was Behind Sam Altman's Ouster From OpenAI? New Reports Sheds A Light On Key Executives' Role - Micro - Benzinga - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Romanian stock indices start week in red, TTS sheds most - SeeNews - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- XRPs gradual appreciation mystery: Ripple CTO sheds light on it - AMBCrypto News - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Are Edibles Safer Than Smoking? New Study Sheds Light on Cannabis and Heart Problems - Verywell Health - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- New Protein Structure Sheds Light on Anti-Cancer Immunotherapies - Mirage News - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Whale menopause sheds light on human evolutionary mystery - The Borneo Post - March 14th, 2024 [March 14th, 2024]
- Podcast: In the Shed Ep 11 - BikePortland - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Sponsor spotlight: Winter-proof your space - The Original Mini Barns' guide to durable sheds and maintenance tips - My Edmonds News - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- RTX 4080 Super teardown sheds light on power connector controversy PCB shows traces for two 8-pin connectors ... - Tom's Hardware - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Israeli-American activist Peled sheds light on decades of terror in Palestine - Middle East Monitor - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Research sheds insight on replacement heifers - Beef Magazine - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Being a YouTuber Musician is Way More Expensive Than You Think: Guitarist Sheds Light on Costs of Online Career - Ultimate Guitar - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- CDC Sheds Light on High HIV Risk Among Trans Women - POZ - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Metal shed cave in kills one, injures several others - China Daily - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Former island resident sheds light on Middle East crisis - Kodiak Daily Mirror - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Home Items You Really Shouldn't Be Storing In An Outdoor Shed - House Digest - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- 'Where is Wendy Williams?' Documentary Trailer Sheds Light on Icon's Personal Struggles - Just Jared - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Cha Eun Woo sheds a tear in 'Entity' concept film & photos - allkpop - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Fire damages 6 vehicles, 1 shed in Tornillo - KTSM 9 News - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- National survey sheds new light on outdoor participation - Newton County Times - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Research Sheds New Light on Origin of Syphilis, Rescues Columbus' Reputation - Science & Health - Haaretz - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Insider Sheds Light On Recent Chicago Bears-Washington Trade Rumors - Sports Mockery - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Kelly Clarkson Sheds Light on the Health Diagnosis That Kickstarted Her Weight Loss - Parade Magazine - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- MAFS star sheds light on extreme wedding day filming: 'Everyone's really wasted' - Yahoo Lifestyle Australia - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- L.A Coliseum Controversy Silenced as NASCAR Insider Sheds Light on Severity of the Storm - EssentiallySports - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Transient accused of starting fire in shed by Sunnyside Museum - Yakima Herald-Republic - February 7th, 2024 [February 7th, 2024]
- Police report sheds light on Redmond man's death from cold exposure after crash, fall on rocks above Dry Canyon - KTVZ - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- DC sheds light on 'House of Brainiacs' Superman crossover in April 2024 AIPT - AIPT - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Eviction filing sheds light on 5-year-olds deadly fall from KC apartment - WDAF FOX4 Kansas City - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- 'She adored Harry' Robert Hardman sheds light on The Queen's 'special relationship' with grandson - GB News - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Cam Newton sheds light on Justin Fields' late hits with eye-opening, personal anecdote - NBC Sports Chicago - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Research sheds new light on moon rock formation solving major puzzle in lunar geology - Phys.org - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Novel mineral sheds light on rare-earth formation - China Daily - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Tangoe's Analysis Sheds Light on Taming Cloud Costs in 2024 - Techiexpert.com - TechiExpert.com - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Controversial F-Factor diet creator sheds uptown condo for $24 million - Crain's New York Business - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Tesla market valuation sheds $94 billion in first weeks of 2024 - CBT Automotive News - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Aryna Sabalenka Sheds Light on New Superstitious 'Routine' with Her Physiotherapist -'Anything for the Win' - EssentiallySports - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- 'He Didn't Have the Courage' - Novak Djokovic Sheds Light on Ill-Tempered Interaction With Heckler at Australian Open - EssentiallySports - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Milwaukee Bucks' Adrian Griffin Sheds Light On Giannis Antetokounmpo's Sudden Injury Absence Vs. Cavs - Wisconsin Sports Heroics - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- At the End of This Once-Barren Yard Is a Shed That's Now a Cozy Hideaway - Domino - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- San Antonio shed fire spreads, causing $100,000 damage: Space heater suspected - FOX 29 - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Body found following shed fire | Community - The Leader News - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- A Royal Expert Sheds Light on Why Kate Middleton and King Charles' Surgeries Were Announced on the Same Day - Yahoo Lifestyle Australia - January 22nd, 2024 [January 22nd, 2024]
- Tribune-Star Editorial: CANDLES again sheds light on darkness of hate speech - Terre Haute Tribune Star - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Digital mortgage firm Blend loses $478M, sheds more of workforce - The Real Deal - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]
- Interview Sheds Light On Toyotas Thinking About EVs - CleanTechnica - August 20th, 2022 [August 20th, 2022]