Parade of Homes featuring the best of new homes in Manitoba, Canada
Issue link: http://publications.winnipegfreepress.com/i/725064
Parade of Homes FALL 2016 133 >> Virginia Wolfe famously extolled the virtues of "a room of one's own." It's a delicious idea, having a peaceful space to get away from it all. If you have a backyard, you might have the room to build a "she shed," a tiny cottage space just for you. Scout around the Internet, and you'll find these mini-retreats as places to entertain a friend or two, pursue hobbies or just set up a private space to read and have tea (or more likely, a glass of wine). Lowes.com has posted illustrated step-by- step instructions for laying a foundation, installing French doors and skylights and transforming a simple garden shed into an art or yoga studio, an office or even an upscale bar outfitted with plush seating and a mini fridge. To start, you'll need a plan, a budget, and a dream. Marcel Pelland, general manager at Olympic Building Cen- tre, says a do-it-yourself project should start with a conver- sation about your end goal and a realistic assessment of your abilities. "Be prepared for that conversation, and be honest about what skills you have. You might be pretty handy and can do most of it, but you might need some help with other parts," says Pelland. next up is permitting and location, and you can find infor- mation about maximum square footage, location from edge of property, height and requirements around electricity on- line at Winnipeg.ca. "Permit requirements help you to be a good neighbour and keep you on the right side of the law. You don't want difficul- ties because of an outbuilding," he says. Speak with a builder/supplier about design options and ma- terials. Start from the ground up, accounting for things like wind exposure and where snow piles up in winter. "You can't just plop this down on the ground. It will break down over time and with weather and it could go out of alignment, so the door or window won't work or the seams and joints come apart," cautions Pelland. 'Permit requirements help you to be a good neighbour and keep you on the right side of the law. You don't want difficulties because of an outbuilding' Cont'd on page 134