With the kinds of technology we have today, it makes it easier for people to work and run their businesses remotely. But for some people, simply have a corner inside their home is not enough to make up for their home office needs. Sometimes, the best way to limit your distractions and keep your focus is to create a physical barrier between your life at home and your work. Instead of turning a spare room or into some sort of a workspace, some are investing in a home office pod within their property. But like any building project, this is never an easy task.
Many things can go wrong without proper planning, budgeting, and preparation. You can face different challenges even before you start the project. To help you maintain your sanity, here a few tricks you can consider.
Call for a Family Meeting
If you are the homeowner and you live alone, then it will be easier to push through with your plans. But if not, you need to make sure your family members know about your plan. This is to give them a heads-up about the upcoming project and also plan a budget with your spouse.
You may think you will have no couples conflict just because your partner said yes to your plans. But things can quickly go downhill with poor financial management. The home office to be built in your yard maybe your workplace, but it is best to keep them updated with your plans to reduce the chances of arguments later on.
It is also a good idea to ask a few friends, family members, or colleagues for tips when building a separate building in your yard. They give you a few tips, recommend a reliable contractor, or even introduce you to an interior designer for your new office.
Work with Local Experts
It can be tempting to work on the project on your own. But there are tasks you are better off hiring the pros for safety and legal purposes. For one, a contractor can help you secure all the permits needed to legally construct your home office.
They have a professional team ready to take on the project complete with the equipment needed and the experience to get the job done. You no longer have to worry about the setup of the construction site nor the quality of the finished product. All it takes is to shop for competent contractors in your area to make your home office building happen.
If you insist on constructing the building yourself, there are other professionals you can hire to do certain tasks. This can include a licensed electrician to wire your home office pod. This will give you peace of mind knowing you don’t need to worry about electrical hazards in your building.
Have at Least Two Contingency Plans
Accepting the reality that sometimes, not everything goes according to your plan will help better prepare for the worst. Before you start the project, have a Plan B and C after your Plan A. this will give you less heartache and avoid possible financial headaches in the future.
Include everything in your contingency plan. This includes your materials, choice of contractors, home office design, and financing options. Document everything from before the project starts till the finish.
When working with contractors, ask all of your questions and read agreements before you sign. Secure copies of building permits if there are any needed and create copies for future references.
Think About the Small Details
It is easy to forget the small details especially when you’re excited to build and already have lots of things to worry about. But failure to include every single detail can affect the constructions itself as well as how you can use the home office. You want to make sure you don’t miss a crucial detail just because you are in a hurry to complete the project.
For example, think about your office’s insulation. You may have built your office before winter and made sure it is winter-proof. But how do you intend to use it in the middle of summer, and you got equipment and computers to protect from overheating?
It is also crucial that you keep your home office pod burglar-safe. Since this is usually at some distance from your home, you need to make sure the space is secure. You can consider adding more lighting in this area, make the entrance face where you can easily see it from your home, and link your home’s alarm system.
If you have kids, you want to make sure you can minimize their noise while working inside the pod. If you have pets, you want to keep them out of your workplace if they tend to bother you while working. These are but some other considerations to keep in mind for the project.
It is not easy to decide to build a home office pod. Before you push through with the project, you want to make sure you already thought about every possible detail. The more areas you cover, the less stress you can experience along the way.
