Avoid flooding damage to your shed by taking preventative measures.

Prevent flooding: How to protect your shed from water damage

With winter well and truly here, Australia is being given it's fair share of wet weather. This could lead to a number of water-related complications, especially in states prone to flooding like Queensland. If you've recently invested in a custom designed shed, taking steps to prevent water damage from occurring to your new installation should be high on your list of winter preparation priorities. 

Placing your shed in the right place

A lot of prevention comes from choosing the right location for your shed to be constructed. For example, placing the installation at the bottom of a hill is typically not a good idea due to the tendency for water to run down slopes and gather at the bottom. Therefore, choosing a slightly elevated piece of land could be a brilliant way to avoid these complications in the long term. 

If this isn't possible, creating your own elevation by placing a concrete slab on the ground before commencing construction could create a good degree of height for the shed to be built, which will help prevent water from seeping into the shed. 

Install a separate drainage system

Another way to avoid internal water damage in your new shed is to create an independent drainage system around the outside of your shed. This will help to collect any bodies of water and get them funneled away from the shed without getting larger and causing damage to the installation. 

Have reserve options available

In the instance where the flooding is going to be inevitable, it's good to have a system installed to help prevent major damage to your property. Having a cache of sandbags put aside for these situations – especially in flood-prone states – will allow you to take early action and prepare the shed for the brunt of the force. 

Corrosion can be a major complication for sheds, with prevention being the best option for your future.

Avoiding corrosion: What are the benefits of preventing decay?

At Shed Boss, only the highest quality materials and practices are put to use when creating custom designed garages to help ensure you get the best product possible. This means building a product that will last you years and serve your needs to the fullest extent possible.

One thing that needs to be considered when looking into creating a garage in your home or workplace is longevity and avoiding decay. Exposure to the elements will naturally put your development through varying degrees of wear and tear – but avoiding serious cases of corrosion and rusting is one of the main things to focus on. 

What is corrosion?

Corrosion is the result of a chemical reaction within metal, most commonly a by-product of oxidation. This process creates a number of oxides or salts that begin eating away at the metal, leading to discolouration and, eventually, holes and overall degradation of the metal. 

The drawbacks of corrosion are wide and varied. Not only is it an aesthetic problem from a number of standpoints, but the overarching issues tend to head deeper than cosmetics alone. Corrosion often degrades the useful properties of the metal – including strength and permeability – which can lead to a whole host of problems if the issue isn't fixed or prevented. 

Luckily, Shed Boss take specific precautions towards avoiding these incidents from occurring. The materials used have all been engineered to meet the highest Australian standards in order to provide peace of mind to clients and give them the best quality product possible at the end of the project. 

If you're interested in building a garage at your home or place of work with the highest commitment to quality and corrosion prevention, get in contact with the team at Shed Boss today. 

Consider purchasing a custom designed patio before summer this year.

Make the most of your summer: Invest in a custom designed patio

While the winter chills may be cutting through to the bone right now, remember summer is just around the corner. The days of warm weather and shining sun are on the horizon. Making the most of the great times ahead can be aided by considering investment in a custom built patio at your home. Become the ultimate entertainment pad by creating a space where long lunches can drift into late night revelry. 

Shed Boss offers a number of different options for those considering this approach. Making the most of your backyard and outdoor opportunities is the name of the game, with a patio offering the ultimate in satisfaction. Giving you the option to shelter yourself from the sun's rays while still feeling the cool summer breeze will make your backyard feel like paradise. 

The custom design means Shed Boss' experts can tailor the project specifically to your needs and property requirements, giving you the last say in customisation and allowing you to create a fantastic accompaniment to your home. Give your family and friends a stylish outdoor entertainment area to enjoy throughout the year, investing in your future as an entertainer in the long term. 

Furthermore, if the day comes when you decide to move on and sell your home, installing a patio is a great way to help increase the value of your overall property. Simply take care of the patio as you would any other part of your home and look forward to a boost in asking price when it comes to putting your real estate up on the market. 

If you're interested in this prospect, get in contact with the team at Shed Boss to discuss the options open to you. Getting construction underway in the coming months means you can have your new patio entertainment-ready for summer in no time! 

Building a residential shed for storage means making it big enough to store all your various tools.

How big should your new shed be?

Investing in a new custom designed garage can be a liberating experience, especially if you've been wanting more storage space around your home. Creating a space specifically dedicated to holding the various items that just don't fit with a living area can be a great way to solve an often frustrating problem. 

However, one thing to keep in mind is the space available at your home and – more specifically – the size of your garage. There are a number of different things to consider before any major decisions are made.

Many people will severely under or overestimate how big the garage needs to be for their functions. Putting in thought about the use of the space with relation to the other objects in your lot – including your house and garden – will help give you a decent grasp on just how big the garage needs to be. 

Furthermore, are you planning on parking vehicles in the garage? if so, how many? Do you still want to have space for storage of other things as well, or will you simply use the garage to protect your cars during the winter? 

Gardeners will definitely want to give some consideration to storing their tools in an easily accessible location. Depending on the main use of the garage, the size should be one of the main focuses of the development. 

It's about getting a happy median. If your garage is too small, it will be more of an inconvenience than not having one, especially if you're unable to use the storage as intended. However, settling on a garage that's too big will be a waste of space. 

Getting in contact with an expert to discuss the options available to you and finding the best possible garage design for your home is an essential part of building a satisfactory garage for you and your home. 

Choosing the right location for your new shed is an important decision to make.

Choosing the right location for your new shed

When it comes to installing a new commercial shed in your workplace, there are a number of different things to consider from the outset. However, one of the most important decisions to make early on is based on logistics – more specifically, the location of the shed with respect to the overall layout of your plot. 

After all, erecting your shed in the right location will dictate how useful the installation is. Being able to make the maximum use of the space is the main way to justify purchasing the product in the first place. Therefore, it's essential to give the location a considerable amount of thought – for both present and future plans. 

An example of something to consider is whether or not the shed will act as simply a place of storage or whether it will add to the overarching decor of your business. Will people be seeing and visiting it, or will it be tucked away in the corner and used simply as designed? If you're looking into making an extravagant design, putting it out in the open is probably the best option, especially if you want people to be able to easily access it. 

This also plays into ensuring there's enough room around the sides for people to comfortably move around, as well as move equipment and tools through. And as a hint, it's best not to put the door around corners or down narrow walkways, as this can hinder access and could prove a hazard in the event of a fire. 

Finally, natural light could be something to consider. If you're interested in reducing your overall power expenditure, taking the time to maximise the amount of natural light that can enter into the shed could be a great way to achieve this. 

Think about the right location for your Shed Boss franchise before committing to a lot.

What should you consider when it comes to your franchise location?

If you're looking into opening up your own Shed Boss franchise in the future, there are a number of things to consider before the grand opening. One of the most important things for new businesses to consider is their location, which can help make or break the success of the venture. 

Before setting up shop and selling custom built patios, it could be worth doing some research into the local community you hope to be servicing. This will ensure you find the right location for establishing the shop front, which acts as one of your main points of contact with potential clients and suppliers. Having an easily accessible store makes it easier for customers to acknowledge your services and approach with queries – the backbone of your business growth. 

Furthermore, when it comes to holding supplies, samples and other things to facilitate the success of your business, having ample room for holding stock and allowing for people to move easily is paramount. Consider the area you're looking to setting up shop in and check crime rates in the region – sometimes the decision to pursue construction can take a while and you want to ensure your customers' vehicles are safe. 

Remember, you'll also have to pay a lease or weekly rent to work out of the property. Take this into consideration – especially during the early period of your business – and ensure you have enough reserve finances to afford this. It could be a while before the franchise is profitable as word of mouth and marketing takes off. 

Finally, think about the other stores surrounding yours. Are they similar businesses or completely different? This could have an effect on both how much business you end up getting and the types of customers who frequent the local area. 

Expecting undue amounts of overtime from your staff can cause problems in the future.

Are you overworking your employees?

Increasing the workload of employees doesn't necessarily improve the quality of work being put in. The latest Hays Recruitment report has highlighted that 31 per cent of employees have had their overtime amount increased, while 65 per cent of that number said the overtime was unpaid.

This could cause problems for organisations in the future, with Managing Director of Hays in Australia & New Zealand Nick Deligiannis stating there is an emerging trend across the nation that employees are expected to do more with less, for less. 

"When we surveyed employers as part of our Hays Salary Guide, two-thirds (66 per cent) said they expect their levels of business activity to increase in the year ahead, and a similar number (63 per cent) have already seen an increase in business activity," said Mr Deligiannis in a June 30 statement. 

"To cope with this increase, it seems that many are increasing the workloads of existing staff.  But pressure to increase productivity without increasing headcount has the potential to cause workplace stress and employee burnout, which will cost a lot more in the long run."

He advised employers to keep an eye on how much they are asking from their employees in case absenteeism and the number of resignations begins to increase. As a Shed Boss franchise owner, retaining your skilled staff is important – especially when it comes to the construction of industrial sheds and other outdoor storage products

If overtime is essential for your staff, make sure the amount is limited. While pulling longer hours may be good for ploughing through the work, drops in quality and employee morale could end up costing you more than if the work was finished later. 

Finding the balance between service delivery and employee satisfaction is one thing you'll need to contend with as a Shed Boss franchise owner.