Insulated Workshops at a Glance
Construction: Quality redwood deal timber · Sizes: From 8x6 to large 28x16 workshops · Insulation: Full insulation options for improved year-round comfort · Glazing: Toughened glass as standard · Floors: Solid wooden floors · Styles: Apex, pent, reverse-apex and transverse designs.
Uses: Woodworking, DIY, home office, studio, crafts, hobbies or equipment storage · Internal lining: Choice of lining and insulation finishes available · Installation: Free professional installation included · Finishes: Colour paint options available · Bases: Base-building service available · Customisation: Bespoke sizes and options available · Site surveys: Free local site surveys available · See before you buy: Insulated workshop options on display at our Surrey show site near Guildford and Woking.
Need advice? Our experienced team can help with workshop size, insulation, internal lining, layout, base requirements and installation before you order.
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Click on images below to see larger versions of garden workshops
Click on images below to see larger versions of garden workshops
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Options To choose from a large range of colours and make your new
garden workshop special.
Which Insulated Garden Workshop Should I Choose?
Our Portsmouth, Fareham, Southampton and Winchester workshops are all substantial timber buildings which can be specified with insulation, but they are not simply four versions of the same building. Size, roof design, cladding choices, door and window positions and available options differ, so I would start by thinking about what you actually intend to do inside your workshop.
The Portsmouth is a good starting point if you want a straightforward insulated apex workshop. Fareham gives you greater flexibility with apex, pent and reverse-apex layouts. Southampton is well suited to somebody expecting to use the building regularly for hobbies, DIY or project work. At the same time, Winchester is particularly worth considering when you need considerably more floor space, with selected sizes extending to approximately 28×16.
Portsmouth – A Straightforward Insulated Workshop
I would consider the Portsmouth if you want a practical insulated workshop with a conventional apex design and do not need the larger sizes or wider choice of roof configurations available elsewhere in the range. It works particularly well for general DIY, tools, equipment, hobbies and smaller woodworking projects.
Fareham – More Flexibility in the Layout
The Fareham is worth considering when the orientation of your workshop matters. Apex, pent and reverse-apex versions give you greater freedom over how the doors, working area and roof sit within your garden. That can be important when you already know where benches, machinery, shelving or storage need to go.
Southampton – For Regular Workshop Use
I would look closely at the Southampton if the building is going to become a regularly used workspace rather than somewhere you occasionally visit to collect tools. Apex, pent and transverse versions provide different layout possibilities, while insulation and internal finishing options allow you to create a more comfortable working environment.
Winchester – When You Need More Working Space
The Winchester comes into its own when floor area is a priority. Selected models extend to approximately 28×16, giving you considerably more room for machinery, substantial workbenches, timber, equipment and storage while retaining enough clear space to move around and work properly.
Why Choose an Insulated Workshop?
An insulated garden workshop makes most sense when you expect to spend reasonable periods of time inside it. If the building is mainly being used to store a mower and a few garden tools, insulation may be unnecessary. If you are woodworking, repairing equipment, making things, restoring furniture, pursuing a craft or spending several hours on a project, it can make a considerable difference.
Insulating the walls, roof and floor can help moderate changes in internal temperature and make any suitable heating you use more effective. Internal lining also gives the workshop a much neater finished appearance and provides a more pleasant environment for regular work.
I would not describe any timber workshop as magically becoming a heated indoor room simply because insulation has been fitted. Insulation is one part of the specification. The base, timber construction, roof, doors, windows, ventilation, and how you heat and use the building all matter as well. Our insulated workshop guide explains the benefits and practical considerations in more detail.
What Makes a Good Insulated Workshop?
One thing more than four decades in this trade has taught me is to look beyond the headline description. Two insulated workshop sheds can look remarkably similar online and still be very different buildings when you examine how they are constructed.
Look at the timber and framing, the floor and roof construction, the doors, glazing and weather protection before concentrating on the insulation. Our timber workshop ranges include substantial buildings with solid wooden floors, toughened glass, and different cladding, lining, and insulation options depending on the model. You can also compare our wider timber workshops if wooden construction and specification are your main priorities.
If you plan to use your workshop throughout much of the year, ask exactly which areas are insulated. Insulating the walls while leaving the roof and floor untreated is very different from creating a more complete insulated envelope around the building.
Walls Only or Walls, Roof and Floor?
Wall insulation can improve comfort, but the walls are only part of the building. Where regular year-round use is planned, insulating the walls, roof, and floor provides a more complete solution and reduces the number of large areas through which heat can readily transfer.
Think About the Internal Lining
Ask how the inside will be finished as well. An internally lined workshop looks much neater and can make it easier to create a practical workspace for benches, shelving, and equipment. Different lining materials and finishes are available, so check the specification of the individual workshop you are considering.
Glazing Matters Too
Windows are useful in a workshop because natural daylight makes many jobs easier, but glazing can also be an area of heat loss. How important upgraded glazing is will depend on how often you use the building, how long you spend inside it and whether you intend to heat it regularly.
My Advice on Choosing the Right Workshop Size
One of the most common mistakes I have seen over the years is buying a workshop that is only just large enough while it is empty. An empty 12×8 workshop can appear enormous. Put in a workbench, cupboards, shelving, machinery, bicycles, timber and tools, and the usable floor area disappears remarkably quickly.
Before ordering, draw the internal area approximately to scale and position the equipment you expect to use. Remember that a workbench does not just occupy the depth of the bench itself; you also need room to stand in front of it and space to handle whatever you are working on.
If you regularly work with long pieces of timber, repair bikes or machinery, or need to manoeuvre larger equipment, allow for that movement as well. I would rather see somebody buy the correct size at the outset than spend the next ten years wishing they had added another couple of feet.
Plan Your Doors and Windows Around the Workshop
Door and window positions are easy to overlook when you are concentrating on the external appearance of an insulated garden workshop. Start with the inside instead. Decide where the main bench, machinery, cupboards, and shelves will sit, then make sure doors and windows don’t occupy those same areas.
If large machinery or equipment needs to move in and out, check both the workshop door opening and the complete delivery route through your property. A wide workshop door does little good if the equipment cannot pass through the side gate to reach it.
The Workshop Base Really Matters
I have seen very good garden buildings let down by poor bases. An insulated workshop needs a firm, flat and level foundation capable of supporting the building properly. If the base is uneven, doors and wall sections can move out of alignment, and the building will never perform as well as it should.
Drainage matters too. You do not want water collecting around or beneath a timber building. Always confirm the precise base requirements and dimensions for the workshop you have chosen before somebody starts laying concrete or slabs. Nominal workshop sizes should not be used as exact foundation measurements.
For more information, read our garden workshop base guide. We can also advise on suitable base preparation and other services before your building is installed.
Ventilation and Condensation
Insulating a workshop does not mean sealing it up as tightly as possible. Insulation and ventilation have different jobs. Insulation reduces heat transfer; ventilation helps manage moisture in the air from people, damp equipment, timber, heaters, and normal changes in outside temperature.
Warm moist air can condense when it reaches a sufficiently cold surface, so thicker insulation by itself is not a cure for moisture problems. Start with a weatherproof building on a sound base, maintain sensible ventilation and use suitable heating where required.
If moisture is a particular concern, our guide on preventing condensation in garden workshops explains the subject in more detail.
Common Mistakes I Would Avoid When Buying an Insulated Workshop
Choosing on Price Alone
I have never believed that the cheapest quotation automatically represents the best value. Compare what you are actually getting: timber specification, framing, floor, roof, glazing, insulation, internal lining, delivery and assembly. An apparently inexpensive workshop can become much dearer when everything you actually need is added afterwards.
Not Asking What “Insulated” Actually Means
The word insulated can cover very different specifications. Ask whether the walls, floor and roof are insulated, what form of insulation is being used and how the inside of the building is finished. You can only make a sensible comparison when you are comparing complete specifications.
Buying Too Small
Allow for benches, machinery, cupboards, timber and future equipment rather than calculating the size around what you own today. Working space around equipment is as important as the space the equipment itself occupies.
Forgetting About Access
Think about how the workshop sections will reach the intended position. Gates, narrow passages, extensions, garages, walls, steps and neighbouring boundaries can all affect delivery and installation. Tell us about any restricted access before you order rather than discovering the problem when the building arrives.
Treating Insulation as a Cure for Damp
Insulation cannot compensate for poor drainage, water penetration or inadequate ventilation. Get the fundamentals right first: a suitable base, sound construction, and good weather protection, followed by insulation, ventilation, and appropriate heating for how you intend to use the building.
Why I Believe Experience Matters When Buying a Garden Workshop
I’m Robin Antill, founder of 1st Choice Leisure Buildings, and my involvement with sheds and workshops goes back to 1979. I left school at 15 and later started my first garden building business, Marina Sheds. In those days I was involved directly with manufacturing and selling timber buildings, and that taught me lessons you do not learn by looking at photographs in a catalogue.
I sold Marina Sheds in 1990. Unfortunately, I did not receive all the money I was due from the sale, which was a painful business lesson. Still, it did not end my involvement with garden buildings.
By 1992 we had expanded into summerhouses, garages, garden rooms and log cabins as well as sheds and workshops, and that broader direction led to the business becoming Titan Garden Buildings. My son Craig joined me in 1992 after studying carpentry at Guildford College from 1990. His carpentry background gave him practical knowledge of timber construction, which has proved invaluable ever since.
We sold Titan Garden Buildings in 1998 and, after considering what we wanted to do next, in 2000 we formed 1st Choice Leisure Buildings. Instead of being tied to manufacturing one particular range, we decided to retail products from quality manufacturers we believed were worth offering to our customers.
That is still the principle behind the business today. Craig runs 1st Choice Leisure Buildings day to day, and I support him and the team whenever required. Between us, we have a lifetime of practical garden-building experience, but experience only has value if you use it to help customers make a better decision. You can read more about me, Robin Antill, and my experience with garden buildings.
My Simple Rule When Comparing Insulated Workshop Sheds
Do not choose an insulated workshop because a photograph looks attractive or because one specification number appears better than another. Decide what you need the building to do, then work backwards through size, construction, insulation, lining, doors, windows, base and installation.
For a straightforward workshop, start with Portsmouth. If layout flexibility is important, look at Fareham. For regular hobby and project use, compare Southampton. If you need substantial floor space for machinery, benches, and equipment, Winchester is likely the range I would investigate first.
If insulation is not essential for the way you intend to use the building, you can also compare our complete range of garden workshops, including standard and heavy-duty options. If strength and substantial working space are more important than insulation alone, our heavy-duty workshops are also worth comparing.
See an Insulated Workshop Before You Buy
I have always encouraged customers to see garden buildings in person whenever practical. Photographs are useful, but they cannot tell you how solid a floor feels beneath your feet, how a door operates, how substantial the timber and framing are or whether a workshop really feels large enough once you are standing inside it.
You are welcome to visit our Surrey garden building display site at Sutton Green, between Guildford and Woking. We have a large selection of garden buildings on display, including representative workshops so that you can compare materials, construction, and sizes without any high-pressure sales approach.
If you already know roughly what you require but would like help with the specification or price, you can also use our garden workshop quotation form and tell us what you have in mind.
Need Help Choosing Your Insulated Garden Workshop?
If you are uncertain about size, insulation, internal lining, layout, doors, windows, access or the base, ask us before ordering. After working with garden buildings since 1979, I would much rather help you work through those questions first than see you discover afterwards that a different specification would have suited you better.
Robin Antill
Founder, 1st Choice Leisure Buildings
From £2789
