There are thousands of successful businesses that started on kitchen tables. Laura Ashley, for instance, started as a ‘corner of the kitchen‘ business and went on to make millions. However, just because a business starts on the kitchen table doesn’t mean it should end there. If you intend to spend ten hours a day at work, then it makes sense to give some thought and time to the environment you work in. If you plan to entertain clients, then making sure your office is presentable is even more important.
Before you even start working from home though, do a few basic checks to ensure that you are not in breach of your mortgage or tenancy agreement. Once you know you are legally at least on safe ground, it is time to start thinking about where to locate your office. A few sociable souls really do enjoy working in the middle of the family hubbub, but most require some peace and quiet. The ideal solution is a spare room wholly devoted to your work. Indeed, the spare bedroom is currently the most popular location.
But what if you don’t have a spare bedroom. Try thinking creatively to see where you can make extra space, for instance :
- Do you have a dining room and kitchen ? Could the family eat most meals in the kitchen with the dining room being reserved largely for your work and for guests ?
- Do you have a living room and find that your family are out most of the day ? Could you partition off part of your lounge as your working area ?
- Could you install a shed at the bottom of the garden ? There are several new de-luxe garden offices being developed with the homeworker in mind. Firms which make them include Home- lodge, Oakmoor Telecentres and English Heritage Buildings.
Alas, what is best for the homeworker isn’t best for the tax bill. If you are using much of the house exclusively for business purposes you may get clobbered for the Uniform Business Rate. One homeworking employer told me the sad tale of two of his employees who both worked out of their conservatories. One had a tiny conservatory with only room enough for the knitting machine, a chair and wool storage. The other had a larger conservatory with room not only for the machine and storage but for a large dining table and chairs for summer eating. The woman with the small conservatory had to pay business rates. The woman with the large conservatory didn’t.
If, however, you do want designated space and don’t have a spare bedroom you could try converting the garage into an office or converting the basement or loft into an office. Before you do either of these check that you will not fall foul of planning regulations.
Having the computer in full view in the living room can be a problem. The answer ? Fit it with a drape for when it is not being used or use a purpose built unit such as Grahl’s Home Office.
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