James Fleming, post: 388520, member: 136 wrote: I split the difference - while my physical office space is in an expensive professional building that was formerly the corporate headquarters of a pharmaceutical company, I work most days unshaven, in my boxer shorts and a dirty t-shirt.
Huh? I thought you worked in a top hat and morning coat all day, every day?
Dave Karoly, post: 388543, member: 94 wrote: Huh? I thought you worked in a top hat and morning coat all day, every day?
That's an old picture from when I worked in a shed
Hey, a shed by any other name is still a place to hang your shingle.
I would find it difficult to justify the rent on an office space as a solo operator for all of the reasons Jimmy mentioned. When I go into the field I have my entire office with me, less my printer (which I could take if there were any benefit to doing so). Feeding a financial liability like that for the very rare opportunity to present a possibly more professional image simply wouldn't be worth the cost. I'd have to either charge more for something that gives my client no value or I'd have to eat the cost and make less.
In all seriousness. As difficult as it is to see a doctor these days, I would gladly meet a doctor in a "barn" if he kept his schedule (not making me wait for 2 hours with a lot of coughing and hacking patients in the waiting room) and was available when I needed him (didn't have to wait for 2 weeks to see him). It comes down to a matter of value. I value scheduling and availability over the appearance of his business. I see the same situation for any professional. What do your clients value in your services? How are you meeting those needs? A new truck, for example, does not really address any of the values of my clients. A dependable and capable work vehicle certainly does though, because dependability and capability directly affect the values of most of my clients.
Obviously we have a failure to communicate. When I wrote "yard barn" in quotes, this is what I had in mind 
Not this:
I don't know if anyone has brought up the subject, but local zoning ordinances and building codes could play a factor. Around here there is a big difference between pursuing your hobby in a 'portable' back yard shed (no permanent foundation) and operating a commercial operation from one.
paden cash, post: 388546, member: 20 wrote: Hey, a shed by any other name is still a place to hang your shingle.
Nice photo Paden - I've seen it somewhere before but never really noticed the "Contests & Specialty." Any ideas on what that meant?
Jim in AZ, post: 388551, member: 249 wrote: Nice photo Paden - I've seen it somewhere before but never really noticed the "Contests & Specialty." Any ideas on what that meant?
Nope. Just a quinky-dink I found on the internet. BTW, I think it says 'Contests A Specialty'. I guess that's a thinly-veiled advertisement for "fixing boundary disputes". Note: within the "office" there is a junk-yard dog attorney that has attached himself like a tick to the operations. I guess that's what they did before there were ambulances to chase...
paden cash, post: 388552, member: 20 wrote: Nope. Just a quinky-dink I found on the internet. BTW, I think it says 'Contests A Specialty'. I guess that's a thinly-veiled advertisement for "fixing boundary disputes". Note: within the "office" there is a junk-yard dog attorney that has attached himself like a tick to the operations. I guess that's what they did before there were ambulances to chase...
http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/groups/049.html#49.3.9
Established as Contest Board prior to April 16, 1887. Known also as "New H" to distinguish it from earlier Division "H," Military Warrant Division, established, 1859, and abolished between 1881 and 1883. Division "H" handled homestead contest cases arising from conflicting claims to the same tract of land and from disputes between entrymen and contestants alleging failure to comply with the terms for settlement and seeking cancellation of entry, and cases deriving from government investigations of possible fraud or misrepresentation
I had a home office for 10 years but recently moved to an office a few miles away. It has been a great decision so far as I get to separate work from home. The office I am in is fairly cheap and I have gotten a decent amount of work from the engineers, architects in the building so it has paid for itself many times over.
I was lucky. I live in an unincorporated part of our county, which is a fairly rural area, that is in an area deemed a regional planning area of one of the local towns. They don't really enforce anything in my neighborhood, which is a good and bad thing. I was upfront and honest when I pulled my building permit, and they had no problems at all. I don't think they ever even came out and looked at anything. Heck the only reason I really had to pull a permit was because I was running electricity to it, and the electric company required it.
When I moved in, and moved two small sheds into the back yard, I never pulled a permit on either of those, or the additional garage I put in there behind the office. Heck, my yard, both front and back, look better than most of the ones in the neighborhood, even if it is a little cramped behind the house.
I don't think I could ever live in a big city. I'm too much of a country boy, and really despise someone telling me what I can and cannot do on my property that I pay the taxes and mortgage on. I have enough respect for my neighbors and myself to not let things look bad. That is one of the reasons I did not want clients coming to the office, I did not want to draw attention to my operation. I viewed it as though I was simply driving to work everyday, with the exception that I often drove to different locations some days.
Andy J, post: 388534, member: 44 wrote: The OP used the term "yard barn" so is that something different than a storage shed?
If it's 'finished out' it would be...
Land Stealer, post: 388421, member: 7446 wrote: I'm leaning toward buying a "yard barn" and finishing it out for an office.
I suppose it could be; how do you define 'finishing in out'?
I imagined; Insulation, climate control and a comfort station. But I could be wrong...
Clients are interesting creatures. If you drive up in a $60,000 vehicle they don't want to hire you because you obviously charge far too much for your services. If you drive up in something Fred Flintstone once owned they don't want to hire you because you obviously do lousy work and no one wants to pay you to work for them. Offices fall into the same category. It's a no-win deal no matter what you do because your potential clients are as diverse as their projects.
Many (many) years ago I was accustomed to picking up survey work with Pops Cash at an engineer's residence. His "office" (drafting table and desk) was in the garage.
Fifty years later that garage office has grown and now looks like this:
Don't discount small back yard offices...they can grow.
I started in a 1 room (5 sq.m.) office with a large desk, plotter and a single 386 machine running acad2.62. moved to a 50 sq.m. office when got works going. then went to work for another firm that had 200 sq.m. office with my own closed door room! thought that was the best it would be. then like everything else, you get tired of the corporate environment with all the 10pm/weekend over-time. quit, now I am back to a 5 sq.m. room in my house with a large desk, a plotter & a laptop. going full cycle?
I really can say this is the best time of my surveying career. get to be with my kid if he's not in school. and the wife when.....,,,,,,no long drives to/from office.
BTW, the wife & kid know that my office room is my office. no screaming or playing while I am working.
Would I go back to the large office? No way.
Here is a garden shed some people work in:
paden cash, post: 388546, member: 20 wrote: Hey, a shed by any other name is still a place to hang your shingle.
Which one is the Attorney?
Just for the record... I'm not against home offices.The only reason I don't is that I like to work away from home. I get easily distracted by my to-do list.
. Or even having an office in some sort of "out building". But if you're going to put stuff out for others to comment on, you should be prepared to hear the opposite opinion. If "land stealer" (ugh don't we hear that enough from the uneducated? ) just wanted everyone to pat him on the back, this isn't the place for that. But I think he knows that too. Good luck to you and I hope you post pics when you decide on your setup so we can all critique it!! (and pat you on the back)
