A Timber Garage With A Huge Workshop - Case Study

Rob’s house is immersed in the picturesque Welsh countryside, not far from an Area Of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), nestled between the mountains and the ocean. 

Having recently retired, he decided he needed a big sheltered space in which to practise his favourite hobby - restoring used racing motorbikes. Rob used to race bikes himself for many years and he plans to buy and restore every single bike he’s ever owned - all 22 of them. He resolved to erect a workshop, in which to work on the vehicles, and a display room, where to showcase them once restored.

He was also running out of garage space for his numerous cars, so it made sense to build a double garage, too. The beautiful house in which he lives with his family is surrounded by an acre plot, so there was plenty of room to create the perfect timber building for his needs. To keep costs down and save time, Rob chose to build with wood.

The process of choosing a wooden garage/workshop

Rob had the idea of creating a timber building in March 2022. He designed the initial plans himself, as he wanted to make sure he would not need to apply for planning permission in Wales. In June 2022, Rob started researching companies which could build his dream structure. He contacted seven or eight businesses across the UK, but none of them could build to his specs. 

He finally came across Olson Timber Buildings. We responded to his enquiry promptly with some questions and pricing options. Rob was pleased with our offer, but in August he decided to make the trip down to Kent to take a look at our buildings and iron out the final details. “I was very impressed with the facilities and with your knowledge about wooden structures; you really gave me comfort,” explains Rob.

The concrete slab was poured in January 2023, so he booked the installation in February 2023. We were on site in May 2023. The build took four and a half days. “The team arrived on a Monday morning and they were done at 2pm on the Friday” recalls Rob, who is very pleased with the quality and speed of the build.

What was built?

The double garage is 7m long by 7m wide; the workshop is 9m by 4m; while the display room is 8m by 4m. That makes up for a  total of 120 square metres. It’s an impressive T-shaped building. Around the perimeter of the structure, there are three double windows and a single window to provide natural light.

As the building is located just a mile away from an AONB, Rob opted for cedar tile roofing. “This increased the price considerably, but I understood why during the build - you literally had to put each tile on by hand!” The wooden roof fits the surrounding area perfectly, so he’s very happy with the choice.

The building is connected to the electricity supply to allow Rob to work on his motorbikes year-round. While the structure is already insulated and boarded, he plans to eventually heat it up, too.

The customer’s feedback

Rob was very pleased with the end result. “Everything worked out perfectly,” he explains. He was impressed with how quickly we answered his questions and thought our communication was “very good and clear.” More importantly, he “felt very cared for, like I mattered.” 

“On the first day of construction, Olson’s owner came up to check on everything and I ended up chatting with him most of the day. That was a very nice touch; he really went the extra mile. I know the building was probably the one of the biggest you’ve ever built, but we live far away. That was very much appreciated.”

If you would like your own bespoke garage or workshop a good starting point is to give us the basic requirements so we can create a bespoke quote and get the ball rolling. The Olson team are here to help and guide, tailoring each building to you.

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