Last week, I wrote about bringing electricity to a garden log cabin in Wokingham, including running just over 35 metres of armoured cable from the porch area to the garden. With the supply route in place, I returned to complete the sockets, lighting and an outdoor socket for a planned hot tub.
The final visit to Wokingham fell on the last day of September, and we were lucky with the weather. It was lovely and warm, which made working outside particularly enjoyable. I spend plenty of time working indoors, so a day in the garden is always welcome when the weather behaves itself.
By the time everything was finished, this timber cabin had become a very personal space. The customer will be using it as an office, but there’s also a gym section with some serious weights. Somewhere to answer emails and then step away from the desk for a workout, all without leaving the garden.
Keeping the installation neat on timber walls
Inside the cabin, I installed four double sockets, one light switch and the pendant light fitting supplied by the customer.
Because this is a timber log cabin, the cables were run in white surface trunking. That means the cable routes remain visible, so taking care over their positioning makes a real difference to the finished room.
With this kind of installation, I think about how the trunking will look alongside the sockets, switch and features of the building. Straight runs and tidy corners matter. You can have perfectly practical socket positions, but if the cable routes look untidy, that’s what your eye goes to whenever you walk in.
The white trunking gave the installation a clean appearance against the timber. It also kept the cabling contained rather than leaving individual cables visible around the room.
The customer said the work looked very neat, and her mum commented on it too. That was lovely to hear. I was pleased with the finished result myself, so it was good to know they appreciated the care that had gone into it.
A room with more than one purpose
Four double sockets give the customer several places to plug in office equipment and other items without relying on everything being connected at one point.
When planning a garden room, it helps to think beyond the first piece of furniture. Where will the desk go? Will there be a monitor as well as a laptop? Is part of the room going to be used for exercise or another hobby?
This cabin is a good example of how individual these spaces can become. The office and gym areas give it a character of its own. It feels like a room designed around the person using it, with the electrical points supporting that layout.
If you’re planning a garden office, gym or a room that combines both, get in touch before deciding on the socket positions. We can look at how you’ll use the space and plan the lighting and cable routes around it.
The customer’s pendant light added another personal touch. Choosing your own fitting can help a garden office feel comfortable and familiar, especially when you’ll be spending a good part of the working day there.
An outdoor socket for the hot tub
Alongside the cabin electrics, the customer asked me to install an outdoor socket in the garden for a planned plug and play hot tub.
This type of hot tub comes with a plug, so the connection is different from a model that requires a dedicated wired connection.
Even so, the electrical supply and socket position need planning to suit the particular tub and its manufacturer’s instructions.
It’s worth sorting this out before the tub arrives. The position of the lead, the location of the socket and the route between them all affect how practical the arrangement will be. Having a plug doesn’t remove the need to check that the supply is suitable.
For this customer, it meant including the outdoor socket as part of the garden electrical work, ready for the next addition to the space.
From a cable route to a room ready to use
On the first visit, much of the work was about getting the supply across the property and carefully beneath the paving. On the return visit, I could see that preparation turn into something the customer would use every day.
She has already given me lovely feedback about the job, which I really appreciate. Leaving a tidy installation behind on a warm September afternoon was a satisfying way to finish this project.
If you’re adding electricity to a log cabin or planning an outdoor socket in Wokingham or the surrounding area, feel free to get in touch. I’m happy to look at the space and discuss what will work for your plans.
