Spring is the season that everyone with green fingers starts to get impatient to get the garden sorted. Longer days and warmer temperatures start to coax the first new green shoots out of the ground and the spring flowers make everything seem better after a dark winter. It’s important to start getting your garden ready now before planting a few weeks before anything goes in the ground.

Do you feel a bit overwhelmed looking at your neglected garden? Do you not know where to start? Choose a dry weekend and enjoy being out in the fresh air, as you follow our stress-free spring checklist for your garden: 

✔️Tidy up 

There can be a lot of debris after the storms over winter. Dead leaves, broken branches and straggly bits and pieces. To start off it’s good to just see what you have to work with, so grab the rake and composting bin and have a tidy up. This will give you a much clearer idea of the work you need to accomplish before your garden is summer-ready. 

✔️Sort out the grass 

Giving your grass and lawn some TLC can really improve what can look a little brown and ignored. It’s a good idea to aerate if you have had a lot of rainfall over winter. This prevents the ground from becoming waterlogged and is easy to do with a garden fork. Every few steps spike the ground, and that will help it to dry out. Also rake the moss from the grass, which will encourage growth. You can also feed your grass with lawn fertiliser to give it a boost of spring nutrients. 

✔️Prune trees and shrubs 

Mediterranean shrubs like Lavender and Rosemary benefit from a spring prune. Also, any flowering shrubs that flower in summer, like Buddleia and Fushia. Having a good sharp pair of secateurs and gloves will help you with this job, and the plants will look much better after a haircut. 

✔️Plant green bulbs 

You might think that you have missed the boat when it comes to planting bulbs, but don’t worry! If you didn’t get around to it last year, you can buy green bulbs from any good garden centre. They are ready to go straight in the ground and give you the spring flowers you are after. 

✔️Weed 

Every gardener’s favourite job. Weeding is necessary to give your plants the sunlight, water and nutrients they need to grow strong and healthy. Spring is a good time to do this as they will come out of the soil much easier when it is still moist before the summer gives you hard ground. 

✔️Feed the beds/ get a compost going 

Investing in the quality of your soil will help your garden year-round. Clearing the area of any debris and weeds will give you a great foundation to then feed your soil to encourage all the new things growing now. Everything organic that you have cleared off the garden so far is great for the compost heap. If you don’t have your own compost yet, have you thought about starting one? First of all, make sure it’s all chopped small so it will decompose easily. Adding old compost will help activate the process, and make sure it’s slightly moist. Turning regularly will push oxygen through. 

✔️Get the propagation ready 

If you want to propagate and have some plant babies, mid-spring is a good time after the last frost. Softwood plants are great to take cuttings from in spring. These are plants like Hydrangea, Fuschia, Clematis and Roses.  

✔️Dust off the garden furniture 

Spring is a good time to check your furniture, so that it is still in good condition and ready to be used when the weather gets warmer. Depending on whether you have space to store them inside will often make a difference on how long garden furniture lasts.

✔️Give tools TLC 

With your tools being stored for most of the winter, give them some attention and make sure they are oiled and cleaned ready for heavier use in the summer. Give the larger tools a brush off to loosen any hard dirt and rinse down with the hose. Scrub smaller tools with soapy water. Make sure they are all dried properly with a rag. If you do want to oil your tools then using a natural oil like linseed will stop any corrosion. 

✔️Invest in a garden room 

If you want to enjoy the space in your garden even more, this spring may be the time to invest in a garden room. A fantastic way to add more rooms to your property and with a huge variety of uses, garden rooms can be built to a variety of specifications such as a beautiful relaxing space, work from home office or playroom for the kids.  Using Stop Digging ground screws to create the foundation for your room, saves you time, money and won’t damage your garden in any way.

✔️Sort out any fencing 

Spring is also a good time to check that all your fencing panels have made it through winter. Storms with high winds can cause damage, and now is the time to be thinking about replacing any that are broken before the growing plants obstruct it, or you cause damage to the plants around it. Use Stop Digging’s ground screws when anchoring your fence. Instead of digging up the entire garden and putting down concrete plinths, you can use our ground screws to ensure a stable foundation. We also have screws for all different types of soil conditions and construction. 

If you would like more information of how Stop Digging ground screws can help you get the most from your garden this year please feel free to get in contact with us at: SALES@STOPDIGGING.CO.UK or 020 3970 3979

The pandemic has changed how we think about our homes and the space we have. A lot of us are trying to make the best use of every square inch and sheds, garden rooms and offices have been popping up all over the country. Being creative in how we use these outbuildings has brought a lot of joy (and most importantly space away from the kids!) into our lives. 

As we are using these buildings more and more though, have you thought about protecting them from damage or theft? They don’t just contain some rusty nails and spades anymore, they are home to our offices, gyms, playrooms or even guest rooms. They can contain everything from electronic items to furniture and art. It is important to know that these items are safe, and your insurance policy is your first line of defence in protecting them. 

But what insurance will work for these buildings? And what do you need to be aware of? 

Will Homeowners insurance cover it?

The short answer is: probably. Most homeowners insurance includes coverage of outside buildings like sheds and garden rooms. It is worth checking exactly what your home insurance covers, as the term “outbuildings” on an insurance cover can mean a few different things. However, most policies will cover the fabric of the building against fire, flooding, storm damage and vandalism. 

How about content insurance? 

This can depend on what the contents you are storing in your outbuildings are worth. Contents policies usually include a single-item limit, which will often be between £1,500 and £2,500. It is also worth checking what the security requirements are that you need in order to be covered. In some cases of theft, you would only be covered if the outbuilding is locked and there is evidence of forced entry. Bicycles are extra with some policies also, if you store yours in the shed or outbuilding. 

How can I keep my possessions safe?

It’s important to have a good quality cover, but also you can make sure you are doing your part to keep your buildings and their contents safe. 

Here are a few good ideas to keep in mind when it comes to security for your outbuildings:

Lock it with a good quality lock. 

Invest in a good quality padlock, the cheaper ones are often made of weaker material. It can also be useful to check the brackets of the door and ensure that the screws used to attach it are long enough to resist someone taking the door off that way. 

Have an alarm.

Shed and outbuilding alarms are wireless, battery-powered and can even be attached to your phone to send a message or ring if it is triggered. 

Keep the area well lit.

Having a light that you can clearly see from the house not only gives you peace of mind but also can act as a deterrent to thieves, who prefer to try when there is less chance of being seen. 

Hide valuable items.

If you use the building as an office and keep electronic items there, make sure they are out of view when you shut up for the night. 

Check the windows. 

If you have windows, it’s a good idea to keep them covered when you are not in the building. If you do not need the natural light you could even board them over to reduce the theft risk. 

Have a gravel path or loose stones.

This makes it harder for thieves to get to the front door without being heard, and will often put them off approaching. 

Taking the time to check your insurance cover, and putting into place some security measures will mean you don’t have to ever worry about your outbuildings. Here at Stop Digging, we have the perfect foundation for your shed or garden room.

If you would like more information on how you can use Stop Digging ground screws to start enjoying more space, contact us on: SALES@STOPDIGGING.CO.UK or 020 3970 3979

 

Garden rooms have become more and more popular as we have gotten used to spending much more time at home, and even working from home, over the last year. Often it’s more difficult to create more space or rooms in a house or apartment than it is to utilise the outdoor space you have. With so many options and looks for your garden room, you can create anything, from a beautiful office to a gym or a playroom for the kids. Sounds like a great idea, but how do you go about getting the right foundation for your room? 

For your garden room to last as long as possible, and be a stable environment to spend time in, you need to have a strong base. But what are the pros and cons of the different choices? Let’s look at the positives and negatives for three options, concrete, patio and ground screws.  

Concrete base 

Concrete is a traditional foundation that has been used for a long time by builders when constructing foundations. Before the concrete is applied, the area is excavated and a timber frame is built to act as a container for the concrete when it is poured. Once it has set, which can take around a week depending on the size of the area, the frame is removed. 

Pros 

• Most tradesmen will have the skill to create this base and so it will be easy to find a qualified tradesman to do the work. 
• It is a very durable material. Concrete isn’t really going anywhere and if it is managed in the right way when wet it can give a clean finish. 

Cons 

• It is labour-intensive as it takes a lot of manpower to move materials and prepare the ground. The site will have to be excavated and the ground moved elsewhere which can be messy. 
• It uses a lot of materials and so is not very cost-effective. Added to this is the equipment required to excavate the ground and move it around. 
• It takes lots of time to set. It can take up to a week or two depending on the size of the area and the weather. 
• Not very environmentally friendly as concrete is the source of around 8% of the world’s C02 emissions.
• The base has to be bigger than the structure which is not great when you have limited space. It can result in having a smaller structure placed on top than you would have wanted.

Patio

This base works best for small and medium-sized buildings. A patio slab base is created in the same way as you would with a paved area without a structure on top. The only difference is that you need to pack sand between the slabs so you can have a stable base. 

Pros 

• It is easy to build once you have the measurements of the base you need. 
• It is relatively cheap to source materials and slabs in different sizes. 
• It can be extended easily if you want to build a bigger structure on the same site. 

Cons 

• This method takes time. Laying all of the individual slabs can be time-intensive especially if you have a tricky area and size to cover. 
• Similar to concrete, laying a patio requires excavation of the ground to create a flat environment to place the slabs. 
• It is difficult to move if you want to take your structure with you to another location.  

Ground screws 

Ground screws are helical screws that are screwed into the ground and the structure is placed on top. They can be used on a variety of ground types and are also great for both smaller and larger projects. 

Pros 

• The process is much less disruptive than any of the other foundations, as no excavation is required. 
• It is time-saving. In less than half a day the screws can be installed, and then a structure can be immediately put on top. 
• It is more environmentally friendly as it emits 50% less C02 than a concrete foundation. 
• Great for small areas and tricky ground as the screws can be installed at different heights and lengths and on hard or soft ground. 
• They can be recycled and reused. When you want to move and take your small structure with you the ground screws can come too and are guaranteed for 25 years. 

Cons 

• You need trained installers to fit the screws in place.

Below are some images of our garden rooms built on Stop Digging ground screws, for more inspiration check here

Conclusion 

While concrete and paving slabs have been used for centuries as base foundations, it’s ground screws that are outperforming the more traditional methods. It is kinder to the environment, your wallet and is much less disruptive to your life. If you would like more information on how ground screws could work for your project contact us at: SALES@STOPDIGGING.CO.UK or 020 3970 3979

What is a SIP panel construction?

SIP stands for Structural Insulated Panels and they are becoming increasingly popular in construction.

In this article we will discuss:

• What a SIP panel is
• How SIP Panels are manufactured and put together
• The advantages and disadvantages of SIP buildings
• Why Stop Digging Ground Screws are perfect for SIP Panel buildings

Structural insulated panels (SIP’s) are sheets of fabricated timber filled with a foam which acts as thermal and sound insulation. These panels are fabricated in a factory to suit a specific building design. SIP’s are used for both external and internal walls and are mainly used due to their minimal impact on the environment in comparison to traditional brick and block, whilst also significantly reducing labour time on site. The illustration below is an example of what a SIP panel consists of.

How are they manufactured and put together?

Stage 1

The building must be designed like any other building would. The usual site investigation takes place to verify that the ground is suitable for SIP’s. The building is then designed according to the client’s requests, taking into consideration the number of rooms, how many floors and what type of services such as ventilation and heating are required.

Stage 2

The final design is then passed onto the factory for manufacture. Once all the panels have been fabricated, they will go through a quality check to ensure they are all cut to size and are in strict accordance with the design.

Stage 3

The panels are delivered, offloaded, placed into position and fixed together. The final part on site is securing doors and windows and checking everything is watertight, then installing all the necessary services such as gas, electric and water supply.

Advantages of SIP’s 

• Structural insulated panels have minimal limits as to what type of building they can be used in.

• The advantage of SIP’s is that they can be made in factories before being delivered to site. This dramatically decreases the labour costs and time spent on site during the construction phase.

• The other main advantage of SIP’s is being environmentally friendly. SIP’s are mostly timber which is a renewable resource and is much easier to source in comparison to traditional bricks and blocks.

• SIP’s are great at retaining heat within the building in the winter months and deflecting the heat in the summer months. They are cut to very high precision resulting in good air tightness and much lower u-values overall compared to traditional brick and block.

• SIP’s are proven to be very strong against extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes and very high winds.

Disadvantages of SIP’s

• Everything is pre-cut, from door cut-outs to wiring holes, meaning if there were any minor amendments to the shape of the building, the panels would be unusable as you cannot properly fill holes in SIP panels.

• As SIP’s are very airtight, it is important that adequate ventilation travels throughout the whole building. The more complex and detailed the building services and design are, the harder it will be to pinpoint a fault in the building in the future.

• SIP’s aren’t moisture resistant therefore they must be treated by an extra layer to ensure they have adequate protection against moisture especially in areas such as bathrooms or external walls which are exposed to higher levels of moisture.

Image provided by Simply SIPS

Why Stop Digging ground screws are perfect for SIP buildings?

Our ground screws are the perfect foundation solution for SIP buildings, for what reasons?

1. Environmentally friendly

Many people will choose a SIP construction as they are much more environmentally friendly than the traditional brick and block construction but if you are putting the building on a concrete base then this defeats the purpose. Stop Digging ground screws are environmentally friendly and there no concrete and cement is used.

2. Can be installed for difficult ground solutions

The beauty of Stop Digging ground screws is they can be installed on sloped or uneven ground, near tree roots and other difficult areas

3. Saves time, hassle and money

Compared to digging foundations and creating a concrete base, Stop Digging ground screws are much quicker to install, saving you time. There is no mess which saves you hassle, and it normally works out cheaper too. We also offer a 25-year guarantee on our screws

If you are considering having a SIP extension or building, then get in touch with Stop Digging UK to get a quote on our ground screws for the foundation solution.

Image by Simply SIPS

Call 020 39703979, we work across the United Kingdom

If you would like an approximate quotation on what your project might cost, use our online calculator which you can find here

Ground screws are known by many names including but not limited to: ground screw, ground anchor, screw pile, ground pins, earth screw, screw anchor, helical piles, earth anchor, ground screw anchors

Have you been asked to work from home?

Whilst for some, the idea of no commute to work and only changing the top half of your clothes into suitable work attire may be very appealing, for others working from home is frustrating and stressful.

Perhaps living space is cramped already, making additional room for an office is hard. Maybe you have pre-school children at home, running and screaming around the house making it difficult to concentrate.

Whatever it is that is putting you off working from home, there could be a perfect solution for you.

Many people are purchasing garden rooms and turning them into offices.

These garden offices can be a fantastic solution. It is separate from the main house so you still have your own space to work in, with peace and quiet! There isn’t even a commute. Doesn’t that sound appealing?

Perhaps you have already checked your finances and can afford to get one. What could possibly go wrong?

Well… there is something you need to consider before you thinking about the design of your garden room if you are based in the UK….. the tax implications

“Tax implications, why would I pay tax on a garden office?” You may ask.

Well interestingly there was an article today in the Sunday Times that highlighted that when you come to sell your home in the future, you may well have to pay CGT (capital gains tax) on the profit made from the garden office. That could be expensive. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/like-the-look-of-my-home-office-so-does-the-taxman-nhhf6jjzm

The reason HMRC can justify this is if its proved the garden office is an exclusive business premises.

That’s the key phrase. Is it an ‘exclusive’ business premises.

If it is, HRMC have the right to charge you CGT on the profit you make on that portion of the sale.

You can ask a tax specialist to work out what the implications of that could be. But why not ask yourself “Do you have to use it exclusively for business?”

If the garden office had an exercise bike in it or some weights which you used to exercise with, or the kids used it as a playroom now & then, it’s no longer exclusively a business premises, therefore it would be hard for HMRC to justify its liable to capital gains tax.

It’s something very important to consider because big sums could be involved if you have a garden office as many do in the UK especially post Covid.

Or if you’re currently just planning a garden room, then this post may help you think about how you design it for multi-use, so it’s not exclusively a business premises.

The reason we are highlighting this at Stop Digging is because we are one of the UK’s leading companies in installing ground screws for garden offices and garden buildings.

If you are planning on having a garden room, one of the quickest & easiest ways to secure your foundations is by using ground screws, instead of concrete.

We are all becoming much more aware of our carbon footprint and Stop Digging ground screws are an environmentally friendly solution too and will not damage your garden.

We’ll save you time, money & hassle & that’s why the leading garden rooms companies around the UK use Stop Digging to install their garden room foundations.

Conclusion

Garden rooms are definitely the answer to many people’s problems now that for the foreseeable future, we are encouraged to work from home. Just remember to design it for multiple uses and make the most out of your new space to avoid harsh tax implications in the future.

If you do get have a garden office or garden building installed, make sure they are installed on Stop Digging’s ground screws.

Use our online calculator see approximately what the our screw pile foundations would cost you for your garden office https://stopdigging.co.uk/ground-screws-cost/