Ideas for How to Rent or Buy a Cheap Private Introverting Space?

[Redstone5]

I live with my Mom and my 3 boys and I just never get anything done because I don't have a secluded space to work in that's free of distractions. Any ideas on how to rent or buy a private space like a workshop or art studio that I can use intermittently as needed? Here are the options I've considered:

-rent or buy a mobile home, office space, or workshop -problem?: I live in an expensive city and most property both retail and commercial is super expensive.

-build a workshop on our house lot -benefits?: close to home, cheap to build, convenient. problem?: too close, not far enough away that I wouldn't be disturbed by family butting in.

-rent a friend's spare space. problem?: I don't really know anyone with extra space but I'm going to ask around, maybe put up an ad online?

-buy a small RV that I can drive and park at a suitable spot to work in during the day when I need to get away? problems?: maybe lack of places to park it with low rent for the space?

Any and all ideas will be considered!

Thanks for the help :)

[MandalayVA]

If you're in a city, look for shared workspaces.  Some require membership but many you can pay as you need it.

[Redstone5]

If you're in a city, look for shared workspaces.  Some require membership but many you can pay as you need it.

Thanks, I'm going to google that right now :)

[FIRE@50]

A few places come to mind, but what do you mean by "free of distractions"? How much space do you need?

Would a park bench work? A coffee shop? There are also these antiquated places called libraries.

[Redstone5]

A few places come to mind, but what do you mean by "free of distractions"? How much space do you need?

Would a park bench work? A coffee shop? There are also these antiquated places called libraries.

Lol, yes, I know of those things called libraries. Unfortunately, I work in one and my friends all work at other branches so it would hardly be an undistracted environment for me :)

Other public places would work, except that I'm really trying to find a place that is a completely private space, noise and people free.

[Redstone5]

If you're in a city, look for shared workspaces.  Some require membership but many you can pay as you need it.

Thanks, I'm going to google that right now :)

I checked and my city seems to have makerspaces but they all seem to involve a crowd. None seem to offer a private studio set up.

I am going to post an ad online to see if maybe I can rent a space on someone's land to put a small RV or temporary structure for minimal rent.

[La Bibliotecaria Feroz]

A few places come to mind, but what do you mean by "free of distractions"? How much space do you need?

Would a park bench work? A coffee shop? There are also these antiquated places called libraries.

Lol, yes, I know of those things called libraries. Unfortunately, I work in one and my friends all work at other branches so it would hardly be an undistracted environment for me :)

Other public places would work, except that I'm really trying to find a place that is a completely private space, noise and people free.

They don't have private study rooms you could reserve? I would never dream of approaching a colleague in a study room.

[cchrissyy]

it sounds like you need a guest bedroom/office in somebody else's house, in order to get space from the other people at home.  before you look to rent such a thing, are there any friends who would let you use their place to do a trial run of the concept?

on another note, you can buy little free standing studios. here is the pricing brochure for a place in my area that sells them, in case that's helpful    http://www.shedshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Studio-Web-Brochure-112817.pdf

if there is WeWork in your town, that's worth touring too. each one is different in terms of how many people are there and how good the space is for quiet and privacy, so go see your nearest one and see if you like it.  you could pay for many years of wework for the price of one backyard studio.

on the other hand, a coffee shop will host you for what, $3 per day? you could get several months of space that way for the cost of one month at wework.

[Redstone5]

A few places come to mind, but what do you mean by "free of distractions"? How much space do you need?

Would a park bench work? A coffee shop? There are also these antiquated places called libraries.

Lol, yes, I know of those things called libraries. Unfortunately, I work in one and my friends all work at other branches so it would hardly be an undistracted environment for me :)

Other public places would work, except that I'm really trying to find a place that is a completely private space, noise and people free.

They don't have private study rooms you could reserve? I would never dream of approaching a colleague in a study room.

Oh for sure, I could, it's just I would be using the space for art projects, like painting with oils etc, so I need a space like an artist's studio.

[Syonyk]

-build a workshop on our house lot -benefits?: close to home, cheap to build, convenient. problem?: too close, not far enough away that I wouldn't be disturbed by family butting in.

How much space do you have, and how reasonably do you think your family will respect "This is my space"?

I need isolated space for work, and my workspace is "not kidsafe."  To be kind.  It's really quite actively kid-hostile, in that I have soldering stations, spot welders, half built battery packs (still with enough energy to be exciting should someone short them), small electronics that are exposed, etc.  Plus a good bit of "deep work" that requires long periods of uninterrupted concentration.

I solved it by turning a Tuff-Shed Pro Studio into an office on my property.

https://syonyk.blogspot.com/2016/07/solar-shed-summary-my-off-grid-office.html

Depending on how far from the house it is, you really, really want to trench power out there.  Even running a plug in extension cord trenched out is worth looking at.  Mine has an oversized off grid power system because trenching is somewhere between annoying and impossible out here (lots and lots of rock), and I've wanted an off grid system to use as a research system for about a decade, which I accomplished.  And I only annoy myself in the winter when I have to light off a generator.

If you have grid power, you can probably build out a nice space similar to mine for $8k, plus or minus a bit.  You don't need to go with quite as extreme of insulation if you can just brute force climate control.  I'd also consider a small mini split unit instead of my wall unit, but I'm not sure if you can get those for self install and/or 120V.  I think a lot require 240.

But an 8x12 unit is plenty of space for work, if you can convince people to stay away.  For me, it's fairly easy in that it's my income out there, so my wife and kid leave me alone for the most part.

[calimom]

Have you considered a She Shed? Is there room in your back yard or garden to create a private space?

https://www.housebeautiful.com/room-decorating/outdoor-ideas/g2614/she-sheds-ideas/

[Syonyk]

Have you considered a She Shed? Is there room in your back yard or garden to create a private space?

How To Transform Your Backyard Storage Space Into a Charming She Shed | Real Sonoma
600 × 400 jpeg
realestate.blogs.pre

1. Your reference isn't actually a link.

2. Anything I find based on that title is a rubbish few pictures of finished product ideas, with zero sense of what went into it.

[calimom]

Have you considered a She Shed? Is there room in your back yard or garden to create a private space?

How To Transform Your Backyard Storage Space Into a Charming She Shed | Real Sonoma
600 × 400 jpeg
realestate.blogs.pre

1. Your reference isn't actually a link.

2. Anything I find based on that title is a rubbish few pictures of finished product ideas, with zero sense of what went into it.

Thanks for letting me know Syonk. I tried a different link. The general idea is to create a small private space on the existing property that is off limits to the kids or the mother.

[Syonyk]

That link still fits in #2, useless photos of something with no idea how to get there. But at least it’s a link!

I feel like I covered the shed concept pretty well though.

[Cranky]

Are you going to generate some sort of income in this space or are you just looking for peace and quiet?

[KBecks]

How about going to the library and finding a quiet corner?

[calimom]

That link still fits in #2, useless photos of something with no idea how to get there. But at least it’s a link!

I feel like I covered the shed concept pretty well though.

Thank you for your input and feedback!

[debbie does duncan]

http://www.usedvictoria.com/classified-ad/CounsellingTherapy--Room-for-Rent--Colwood-BC_31653204
Would this work?