How to Turn A Shed into an Office in 13 Steps

Do you want to set up an office shed on your property? Or, better yet, convert an existing shed into an office? That’s what this article is all about!

Can you Make an Office From a Shed?

Yes, you can make an office from a shed! If you don’t have a shed shell to use as an office, Fisher Barns builds custom sheds that work excellently as shed shells to be used as offices.

Of course, you could probably hire a friend or sub-contractor to do the conversion job for you. But better yet, why not save on labor costs and make a DIY project out of it, using our step-by-step, shed-to-office conversion process (scroll down to read our 13 steps).

Can you Convert a Garden Shed into an Office?

Yes, you can convert a garden shed into an office! Converting a garden shed into an office may take a bit more time to clean and clear out, but, in the end, you’d be left with a completely renovated garden shed office!

Plus, you probably won’t have to worry about building permissions (make sure to check with your local county codes) in order to convert your garden shed into an office.

There are several difficulties, however, that you should consider.

One, a garden shed is not originally designed for office space, so it may take some careful planning to figure out how you’ll set up the interior.

Secondly, it may take some extra work to clear out those garden smells from the shed.

Do you need Permission to Convert Outbuildings or a Garden Shed into an Office?

Typically, no, you do not need permission to convert outbuildings or garden sheds into offices if you are only doing interior renovations. Again, check with your local county’s building permissions to confirm this. If you live in SC, we’ve got a whole article dedicated to shed permits in SC.

How Big Does My Shed Need to be for it to be converted into an Office?

At a minimum, you’ll need a shed that’s at least 100 sq. ft. in order for it to be converted into a decent-sized office space. Shed sizes 8×10 to 12×16 are great office shed shell sizes.

How Do I Convert a Shed into an Office?

Good question! Just follow our step-by-step instructions below on how you can convert a shed into an office and Ta-dah! You’ll have your own office in no time!

1. Check Permitting in Your Area

Before getting into the planning details of turning a shed into an office, make sure that your local county does not require any planning permissions in order to do shed-to-office conversions. If your local county codes do require that you need planning permission to make renovations to your shed, make sure you obtain these permissions before you continue.

2. Get A Shed or Use an Existing Shed

You’ll need a shed shell to convert into an office space. If you have an existing shed on your property that is in good condition, then great! You’ve got this step already taken care of. However, when turning a shed into an office, you want to do it right. So, maybe you want to stay safe and get a new, custom-designed shed shell to turn into an office. For example, Fisher Barns offers exceptionally-crafted, customizable shed shells that could be turned into a personalized office.

3. Create Floor Plans

Prior planning is always important. Plan out all the major and minor details in advance, to maximize efficiency.

4. Add Sunlight

The offices are bright and sunny. Sheds are not. You may have to add windows or clear away a wall and install an all-glass side. The point is, make sure your to-be office has plenty of light. You don’t want a dingy office.

5. Add Security Measures

You’ll be storing important documents and expensive equipment in your new office. So, it’s important to have a strong door, windows, and lock-and-key system. You may have to install a new door or lock-and-key system in order to protect your office space.

6. Treat Shed Exterior

Depending on the condition of the exterior of your shed, you may want to treat or repaint it. It’s important that your shed is waterproofed and can withstand the sharpest of elements from the outside.

7. Install Electricity

It’s time to install the electricity! Here’s a helpful guide that gives an overview on sheds with electricity. You could also watch this video on how to install electricity in your shed.

8. Add Insulation & Interior Sheeting

Next, add insulation to the gaps between the studs on all sides. Also, don’t forget to insulate the roof of your shed. Here’s a great article that explains this process in more detail. Or watch this video to get a visual:

Once the insulation is installed, add interior sheeting (drywall is a really good option) to cover the insulation. However, you could be more cost-efficient and drape a fabric cover instead.

9. Flooring

Once the insulation and drywall is installed, start laying down the flooring. There are plenty of options to choose from, including laminate and wood flooring. Here’s another great resource that gives a great summary on shed flooring.

10. Add Trim

Add trim to provide a finished interior look. This part is fun! Pick the trim color from e.g. Home Depot that you think will best complement your office shed’s interior walls!

11. Paint

It’s time to paint the inside of your new office! Hopefully, you planned what color scheme the interior of your office will look like. Go to your local department store or order paint off of Home Depot or some other paint supplier.

12. Clean Thoroughly

To be the most efficient, it’s important to clean the entire shed before furnishing it. Scrub the floors, wipe down the walls and ceiling, and prepare to move in your office items!

13. Furnish

Finally, move all your office equipment in! Make sure to add a coffee stand, printer stand, bookshelf, as well as the following office essentials:

• Desk
• Chair
• File Cabinet
• Clock
• Wastebaskets
• Bookcase(s)
• First aid kit
• Fire extinguisher
• Read more office essentials

Some other extravagant extras you could add would be a speaker system, microwave, mini fridge, or you name it!

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

How do you Insulate a Shed for an Office?

You can insulate a shed by following these 3 simple steps:

1. Choose an insulation material.
2. Install a vapor barrier.
3. Cut insulation to size and install.

If you’re looking to do this yourself, here’s a step-by-step guide on how to insulate a shed for an office by yourself. This video is also a helpful guide to installing insulation in your shed.

How Much Does it Cost to Turn a Shed into an Office?

The broadest cost range to turn a shed into an office is about $1,500-$35,000. This, of course, largely depends on the number of customizations and extravagance you put in your new office. The size of your shed will also largely affect the cost to convert it into an office. Of course, the cost of your shed-to-office conversion process will also increase if you need to purchase an office shed shell.

Here’s a shed-to-office conversion example cost breakdown:

Hopefully, that gives you a ballpark estimate of how much you would spend to convert your shed into an office. 

Does a Shed Office Add Value to a Property?

The answer to this question is a bit more complicated. Generally speaking, yes, a shed office will add value to your property. However, you may want to check with your local municipality to confirm this.

Maybe You Need a Shed…

Sometimes, though, your old shed is too worn down for any future good use. Or, maybe you don’t even have a shed to begin with, but you love the idea of creating an office out of a shed shell!

You can easily fix this by talking to most local shed companies, such as Fisher Barns. 

Fisher Barns offers all kinds of custom sheds from sturdy, economical workshops to elaborate, fully-customized cabin sheds. The choice is yours. What’s better is that you can design your shed yourself with our 3D Shed Designer. Add extra windows, a cupola, your preferred siding type, your preferred paint color, and a whole lot more, all in several clicks! You can even save your design via an email link!

Here are several of our standard shed designs. Of course, these designs can be further customized on a call or in our 3D Shed Designer.

The Classic Workshop

There’s The Workshop. Then, there’s The Classic Workshop. The Classic Workshop brings a more contemporary look to your backyard and comes standard with an A-frame roof, double doors (including transom windows on doors), windows, and gable vents. Some other standard features include:

• FREE Delivery within 50 miles of our main locations!
• Available in sizes from 8×12 to 14×36
• 3/4 in tongue and groove flooring
• The standard side wall height is 7′ 4″
• Shutters
• Fascia board around roof-line
• Your choice of paint colors

And of course, it’s fully customizable.

The Dutch Barn

One of our most popular barn styles, the Dutch Barn can be combined with a loft that offers extra storage for your office equipment. Also featuring a double-sloped, barn-style roof, the interior feels much more spacious and airy. 

The Dutch Barn’s standard features include: 

• FREE Delivery within 50 miles of our main locations!
• Available in sizes from 10×12 to 14×36
• 3/4 in tongue and groove flooring
• The standard side wall height is 6′ 4″
• Double doors
• Two windows (buildings 12′ long and smaller include one window)
• Gable vents
• Your choice of paint colors

On top of that, add custom options to create a personalized office shed shell!

The Cabin Shed

Our cabin sheds are probably the most extravagant and eloquent office shed shells. Try, customizing the front porch for a personalized entrance.

Each cabin shed comes standard with…

• A corner or full-width porch
• 9 Lite Insulated Door
• 3 Windows and gable vents
• FREE Delivery within 50 miles of our main locations!
• Available in sizes from 10×12 to 14×36
• 3/4 in tongue and groove flooring
• Standard side wall height is 6’4″ or 7’4″ (depending on roof style)
• Your choice of paint colors

Work in style with this durable, customizable cabin shed shell!

Wrapping it Up…

We hope this was a helpful guide on how to turn your old shed into your very own new office. Working remotely is great, but it’s a lot better if you have your own private office, away from the distractions and hubbub of life. Are you wondering if you need a shed permit in GA? Check out our article. 

If you need a shed shell to take and convert into an office space, we offer exceptionally crafted, customizable office shed shells.

Go build your dream office space!