Thread: this shed life ...

Hi all, apols - I have been very quiet for some time. Life has delivered covid, too much work, a stuck-with-us-mother-in-law, a full house renovation (in progress), family health issues etc etc. But I thought it might be nice to share our current living space.

Due to covid restrictions, we can't be in the house while builders are here so wifey and me and two dogs have moved into the shed. Mother-in-law is on site in a caravan. We're very lucky to have a 7.5m x 7.5m shed (rare in this part of town) where we will be for the next 5 months or so. Happy to say it is plumbed so we have a loo. The caravan has the shower. But, we're sharing our space with some old machines so life has a kind of industrial feel to it at the moment. tbh, kind of cool I think.

All machines and tooling are very liberally coated in iso 68 oil (every fortnight or so) and, despite looking like a table, the surface plate has cardboard protectors at the edges and the prep surface is resting on those. First week in we had heaters on in here 24 hours a day to help raise temp of all the mass in here to reduce condensation and help keep things a little warmer than the mid-Melbourne winter outside.

PXL_20210727_222823660.jpgPXL_20210727_222846256.jpg

Hell yeah. If I were to suddenly find myself in different circumstances, I'd live in a shed no worries . But I guess when life gives you a situation, it's what you make of it that counts. Good on you for making it work.

Our last house purchase was almost cinched on the shed size (15x45m) with a less-than-modest house, but her indoors wanted something towards the other end of the spectrum (guess who won that argument ).

As long as there are not complaints about swarf from the shaper landing in the bed.

Michael

I guess you have a point.
My reception in bed is prickly at the best of times

15x45m would be awesome .... but I'd not want to be heating it during winter!

My other half other says we bought a garage with a house attached. There is more than a little truth in that ...

Ideally this one would have a shower ... but ... you can't have everything ...

I’ve been living in an Industrial shed for 12 years.
Suits me best, of all available options.
(It would be difficult to go back to a situation where I had to look at the time before cranking the stereo, or running a machine. Led Zeppelin and grind the head off a bolt at any time - gold.)

Recently got a Development approval to build a large tilt slab, with an approved “Caretakers Residence” on top.
Hoping it is the best of both worlds. (7m of stairs will keep me fit!!)

A fella from the mens shed retired and took some of the machines and materials from his former business home with him and put the rest into storageinto storage. Eventually he sold his house and bought a place with just a very large shed on it. The plan was to build dedicated accomodation at one end of the shed and still have room for all his gear all in the one place. He already had a loo/shower in the shed and quickly set up a kitchen/living/bed area inside the main shed, not unlike the photos from the OP. After living that way for a couple of years and making little or no progress his missus left him. Eventually he did managed to pick up a friend who said she would move in with him when it was completed. That was about 10 years ago and it's still not finished but he's still seeing his friend. He reckons he likes arrangement and probably won't change it. Meanwhile he has picked up more machines and materials and the shed is chocka - I can't see how he can get anything in there.

Originally Posted by BobL

A fella from the mens shed retired and took some of the machines and materials from his former business home with him and put the rest into storageinto storage. Eventually he sold his house and bought a place with just a very large shed on it. The plan was to build dedicated accomodation at one end of the shed and still have room for all his gear all in the one place. He already had a loo/shower in the shed and quickly set up a kitchen/living/bed area inside the main shed, not unlike the photos from the OP. After living that way for a couple of years and making little or no progress his missus left him. Eventually he did managed to pick up a friend who said she would move in with him when it was completed. That was about 10 years ago and it's still not finished but he's still seeing his friend. He reckons he likes arrangement and probably won't change it. Meanwhile he has picked up more machines and materials and the shed is chocka - I can't see how he can get anything in there.

Sounds like my old 7x7m shed, but I didn't have to live in there, lol.

My new wife would not be happy living in my 7.1x3.6m shed now even though it has airconditioning, I'd have to move the island bench out to fit a bed anyway.

Bloody younger generation (as she is 17 years younger) don't understand roughing it, lol

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My ideal residence would be a huge shed with an upper floor down sides and at the back. This would be the living quarters. Centre section would have overhead crane down middle. Ground floor would be workshop. Not sure it would be legal to live in it though. Probably depend on location.

Dave!

17 years younger?

You legend!

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You're only as old as the woman you are feeling.

I had dreams of living in a shed or converted shipping container on a few acre block, but sadly the banks don't want to lend for anything that isn't a suburban shoe box.

Originally Posted by simonl

Dave!

17 years younger?

You legend!

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Been together just over 7 years now and married 4 years.
Krystie wanted me to marry her after 3 months together, lol
Could not honestly be happier in life at nearly 54.

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Another shed setup/accomodation I really like is on a 300+ acre farm down south owned by some friends.

When they bought the property there was a small 3 bed fibro house, and couple of small run down sheds which they demolished.

SHED 1:
The first shed then put up was about 15 x 30. It initially housed a tractor, a quad bike, a small toilet/shower block (that was the only privacy area) and an area consisting of 5 double beds, a wood heater surrounded by 3 large sofas, a large pool table, TV/stereo wall, a kitchen with small appliances, a 16 seater dining table, plus plus. There was plenty of room for more beds and sleeping bags etc which they sometimes set up.

They lived in the house, the shed was for visitors, of which they always seemed to have many. We went there several times when there must have been ~100 people there. Some were locals but there were also a heap of tents and we usually took our van to sleep in those times.

SHED 2:
Then they put up another similar sized shed for the tractor, the quad bike, a 4WD buggy and a bit of a workshop. This allowed more beds to be set up in shed 1.

Then they moved the fibro house to one end of the ridge all their buildings are on and set that up as a B&B farmstay and built a 400 m^2 octagonal shaped house which they now live in.

SHED 3:
This is a slightly smaller shed (with just a gravel floor) mainly as a garage for 3 passenger vehicles, a tractor, the quad bike, a 4WD buggy, a Dingo, a couple of trailers and a chemical store.

Shed 2 was converted into proper workshop. One bay for machinery maintenance and two bays for a wood workshop. I helped them set it up in 2013 and recently helped them install a large dust extraction system.
Wholeshed.JPG

SHED 4: is the most recent shed the same size as shed 3 and contains two tractors and assorted farm machinery.

We visit them a couple of times a year and even though we usually eat/socialize in the octagonal house I like sleeping in shed 1.
It's got everything plus the dogs can hang out with us.

Originally Posted by BobL

Another shed setup/accomodation I really like is on a 300+ acre farm down south owned by some friends.

When they bought the property there was a small 3 bed fibro house, and couple of small run down sheds which they demolished.

SHED 1:
The first shed then put up was about 15 x 30. It initially housed a tractor, a quad bike, a small toilet/shower block (that was the only privacy area) and an area consisting of 5 double beds, a wood heater surrounded by 3 large sofas, a large pool table, TV/stereo wall, a kitchen with small appliances, a 16 seater dining table, plus plus. There was plenty of room for more beds and sleeping bags etc which they sometimes set up.

They lived in the house, the shed was for visitors, of which they always seemed to have many. We went there several times when there must have been ~100 people there. Some were locals but there were also a heap of tents and we usually took our van to sleep in those times.

SHED 2:
Then they put up another similar sized shed for the tractor, the quad bike, a 4WD buggy and a bit of a workshop. This allowed more beds to be set up in shed 1.

Then they moved the fibro house to one end of the ridge all their buildings are on and set that up as a B&B farmstay and built a 400 m^2 octagonal shaped house which they now live in.

SHED 3:
This is a slightly smaller shed (with just a gravel floor) mainly as a garage for 3 passenger vehicles, a tractor, the quad bike, a 4WD buggy, a Dingo, a couple of trailers and a chemical store.

Shed 2 was converted into proper workshop. One bay for machinery maintenance and two bays for a wood workshop. I helped them set it up in 2013 and recently helped them install a large dust extraction system.
Wholeshed.JPG

SHED 4: is the most recent shed the same size as shed 3 and contains two tractors and assorted farm machinery.

We visit them a couple of times a year and even though we usually eat/socialize in the octagonal house I like sleeping in shed 1.
It's got everything plus the dogs can hang out with us.

Some serious money spent on that property

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