1st Choice Additional Garden Buildings Services

We at 1st Choice specialise in offering an extensive collection of quality buildings in timber, concrete and metal so you can be assured that you will find your ideal building with a minimum of fuss. There are occasions, however, when other specialists are required in order to complete your project and our years of experience in this field mean that we have built up a number of valuable connections with reliable tradespeople who we put forward here for your consideration.

Whilst the individual tradespeople are independent of us (thus keeping the pricing as low as possible) we are happy to liaise with them to make arrangements on your behalf and we, therefore, take a deposit which is passed along to them with your order. They will collect the balance outstanding upon completion of works and leave you with an invoice for your records.

Prices quoted presume a suitable, accessible work site within 50 miles of our display area near Woking. If your site is further afield or access is poor then the standard prices quoted may be subject to an additional charge.

Standard Timber Subframe Base

This is the ideal solution for garden sheds, workshops and garden rooms when the intended site is relatively level or when a base is needed to sit atop and level an existing concrete base; also very popular when access to the property is restricted or when people wish to avoid the disruption of concrete base construction.

A sturdy frame is constructed using 100mm x 47mm structurally-graded C24 spruce which is subjected to an enhanced pressure treatment process to enhance it’s life.

There are cross members at centres between 35cm and 42cm (14” and 16 1/2”) and noggins when the width of the base is greater than 1.5m (5’) to increase rigidity. The frame is levelled and supported on indestructible recycled plastic ground posts which are manually driven into the ground.

When the timber subframe is sat atop a concrete base these plastic posts are not required and chunky timber feet are used in lieu when levelling is required. The price is just £5 per square foot (£56 per square metre).

Heavy Duty Timber Subframe Base

Whilst our standard timber subframe bases are ideal for most situations, there are occasions when something a little more robust is called upon. This may be because the building is particularly large or heavy, the plan is to store a large amount of weight within the building or simply that the ground on which the base is to be situated has more than a minor slope.

Whatever the reason, our installation team will upgrade the standard specification listed to the left by upgrading the fixings to coach screws, digging out each post and concreting these into the ground and, where necessary, fitting diagonal braces to add rigidity to the joint between the ground post and the rame (when the base is elevated out of the ground).

A wise upgrade when ordering a log cabin or other larger building; please ask our sales advisors for guidance if you are unsure. The price is £7.50 per square foot (£84 per square metre).

Concrete Base Construction

A quality base is essential for any building and subject to certain limitations – on access restrictions, a maximum fall of 150mm (6”) across the area of the of the slab and availability of services – our suggested concrete base contractor can offer a set price per square foot. They will prepare the ground to enable them to create a base of 100mm – 150mm (4”- 6”) depth
poured over compacted hardcore.

A damp proof membrane is standard and, when the base is over 100 square feet (9 square metres),
a reinforcing mesh is integrated into the slab for added strength. Generally the concrete will be delivered to site by volumetric mixer – although the contractor may mix on site on smaller jobs – and the cost will be £10 per square foot (£111 per square metre) subject to a minimum charge of £400 presuming the work is within the scope of their usual criteria.

They will generally endeavour to undertake a site survey to advise of any potential extra costs that may result from site or access difficulties

Painting Your New Buildings

All timber buildings will require suitable protection from the elements and our years of experience have led us to recommend Sadolin Superdec as our preferred option when you are looking for a quality opaque coloured finish that looks good and offers your new building a superior level of protection.

We have some colour samples in our office and we can recommend the best place to source your preferred colour choice. As an additional service we can arrange for a painter to attend your home and apply two coats of a single colour for the sum of £16 per linear foot (£53 per linear metre). The price includes materials, consumables and labour but presumes that there is a minimum working space of 500mm around the perimeter of the building for the painter to work safely.

 

Timber Buildings Removals

We can arrange removal of any timber building from site and check over the sub-base beneath in advance of your replacement being delivered and installed recommending any upgrades which may be necessary to avoid issues on the day of installation.

The cost of correct disposal is often far greater than people expect due to the government’s Landfill Tax, Environment Agency registration and Public Liability insurance however costs are kept as low as possible and our contractor can remove a shed or summerhouse of standard factory-made construction and height for the price of £5 per square foot (£56 per square metre).

This price presumes that the building is empty and free of Asbestos, insulation, carpets, contents and that any electricals have been isolated or removed. Home-made, over-height or insulated buildings can be removed but the price would be subject to quotation.

Log Cabin Assembly

As a major supplier of top quality interlocking log cabins we offer an unrivalled log cabin installation service operated by a team of experienced fitters who work all over the UK for us. We list their install prices on our log cabin price guide and every bespoke cabin quotation that we issue will come with a tailored installation quotation.

Whilst we believe that our cabins are second to none there are occasions when people choose to source the building elsewhere and, if you require installation of a third-party log cabin, this can be arranged at the cost of £100 per square metre for a 44mm single skin cabin or £125 per square metre for a 70mm single skin cabin.

This price presumes that a suitable base is in situ; if not then consider combining this with one of our base construction services above.

 

Electrical Work

Requirements may range from a simple light in a storage shed to a fully kitted out home office with dozens of sockets, heating, lighting and full networking so our standard ‘electrical pack’ should be considered a starting point
with dozens of options available to tailor the package to suit your individual requirements. Our suggested contractor is fully qualified and test certificates will be provided in all instances.

Due to the nature of this type of work, the contractor will ask you to complete an online form and send photos of your existing consumer unit so that they can assess the suitability of your existing setup for the additional demands.

Construction Of Timber Decking

Sometimes all it takes to finish of your project is the addition of an area of decking. It may take the form of a simple step/platform to aid access your building from ground which slopes away from the door or perhaps a large expanse of decking extending from the front of your building to create a wonderful place for entertaining.

The price for a flat, square area of good quality pressure treated softwood decking will be £120 per square metre to include membrane. Non standard shapes, steps and balustrades can be quoted on a case by case basis.

Concrete/Asbestos Building Removal

Removal of an existing precast concrete or brick-built building can be arranged locally subject to quotation by an experienced contractor who holds the relevant Public Liability insurance and is registered with the Environment Agency as a licensed Waste Carrier.

If you have a building with an Asbestos roof (or even a building entirely clad in Asbestos) then we can offer a nationwide disposal service which is undertaken by an experienced company – registered with the Environment Agency as a Hazardous Waste Carrier – who specialise in removing and correctly disposing of buildings of this type.

All of the relevant PPE will be worn, correct procedures followed and a certification provided to confirm correct disposal of any Asbestos. Presuming that the building were empty and there was suitable access to site we can offer a fixed-price removal based on your location.