Call in the professionals

No matter what your skill level, unless you’re a Licensed professional tradie, there are some jobs you’re legally not allowed to do. Connecting roof run-off to the storm water drains must be done by a licensed plumber, and installing electricity must be done by a licensed electrician.

You can get around the need for a plumber by managing your water runoff in other council-acceptable ways, which can include water tanks and infiltration trenches. Both of these increase the rainwater available to your garden. Talk with your local council to see what’s acceptable in your area.

For most Shack uses, you’ll want power for the lights, power points including stove and fridge points, possibly data points and the usual domestic appliances. You may also consider an external sensor light if you don’t already have one – so you don’t fall over the garden hose on the way into the Shack.

If you plan to use your Shack as a work space, place your power points logically and minimize the need to run cords across the area. If it’s just lights and a few domestic power points, you’re looking at a fairly simple and inexpensive job.

Power tips

• Give your electrician a full list of what you plan to run in the Shack and the current ratings of any major appliances, tools or machinery. This will help your sparkie determine the best wiring plan for your Shack.

• If you plan for a telephone line or data cables in the Shack, your electrician will need to allow for separate conduits at least 150mm from the power conduits. This will add to the cost, but it’s worth getting it right at the start, which is usually cheaper than trying to fix things later.