Most cost effective small building technique

Hello

We have a very small cottage in the uk, with a large garden. I’m wanting to build some outbuildings for us to live in a little more easily.

Our first project is to build a small space that I can use as a workspace. I have a corner spot, nicely tucked beside our poly tunnel, that’s about 10ft  x 10ft.

I’m trying to figure out the most cost effective (and easiest) way of building something that can be used all year round.

The plan is to use this as a bit of a test, and see what works well for us and what doesn’t, for when we go into build the other outbuildings that are needed.

We are both very handy people, but are pressed on time and finances. So we don’t mind getting stuck in, but we need it to be a fairly simple process.

Also to complicate things, our plot isn’t rectangular, so we have lots of awkward angles. I know my partner is eying up a triangular plot that is closer to the house for his studio in the future, rather than a big rectangular space at the end of the garden.

I was thinking a straw bale construction, with a simple slanted roof made of insulated corrugated sheeting, with reclaimed windows and doors, and a rocket mass heater inside. As it seems economical and within our capabilities to do.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice?

Hi
I have no UK experience, but strawbale walls are thick, and need rain shedding overhangs.
If your total footprint is 10x10, a 1 foot overhang and 1 foot wall leaves only ~6x6 inside.
In my area stud framed walls are probably cheapest in time and money. cheers from Whycocomagh (say it 3 times fast,,,)

Welcome to Permies!
I once visited an allotment with a gorgeous greenhouse, which the owners also used as a studio (they had a desk in there). It was especially cozy in the winter. The entrance to the greenhouse was connected with their garden shed, and they equipped both with discarded vintage furniture, which added a lot to the charm. It was a rented allotment so not something one would invest much in, but they made it really nicely.

although the US 'stick-build' framing technique is frowned upon by some, it developed precisely because there was a shortage of 'time and money', and highly trained tradesfolk and resources, but a huge need for new housing.
It's probably your cheapest, most flexible option; you can easily add elements such as insulation, windows, power etc as needed over time, it can be constructed without heavy machinery or even power tools if required, and be completed at your own pace (the only really time-sensitive elements being concrete or other settings materials). You can also design it to fit in whatever available space there is without adding much to the cost or complexity per sq.
It's so well established there are heaps of instructional resources and everything needed is probably readily available, maybe even free, used or reclaimed.

I have no UK experience, but strawbale walls are thick, and need rain shedding overhangs.
If your total footprint is 10x10, a 1 foot overhang and 1 foot wall leaves only ~6x6 inside.

Around here bales are 24 inches wide, adding overhang to that (and a foot isn't enough in a rainy climate) and you have a closet. Adding a RMH to it takes up even more floor...  :D

A different style to look at is post and beam. Like 2x4 with less need to have the 2x4s holding the roof up, as the posts and beams do that, gives you more versatility with the walls.
Your climate is a major factor here, I'm in the US so I have no experience with UK, but everything I hear is wet, humid, foggy etc. If that's correct, look at what kind of roofing you use really well. I'd suggest go look at what others have, and see what's for sale cheaply in your area, that will tell you a lot of what works in the area.

Much depends upon local regulations.  I would look at 2 stories. As a workspace, you will added storage.  As living space, you will have a loft.

To me the most cost effective way to build a 10 x 10 building would be to use recycled materials such as windows, doors and pallets.

I really like straw bales for a fast temporary building to protect against cold weather.

Kate, as somebody with experience in many building techniques, Steven is on the money.
Its fast, easy compared with all other methods and Johns idea of a loft is brilliant.
I would suggest a concrete slab as the foundation, insulated etc, then build the walls on that slab, line the outside surface with say, corrugated iron and stand them up.
Then add the loft floor and then build the loft walls on that floor and stand them up.
Use a vertical ladder for access above, wall mounted.
Once its waterproof its waterproof you can fit the remaining insulation, power etc.

This is one of those "How long is a piece of string?" questions. The answer is, "It depends." In this case, it's going to depend first on local building regulations, plus what your cheapest source of materials is, divided by the amount of time you have available. Or some such equation. Wattle and daub might be cheap, but take too much time (and I can see, with a 10' x 10' footprint available to you, that the thickness of the walls is going to matter). Ditto for cob walls. Might make adobe bricks and plaster them, if you had some place to store the bricks out of the weather until it was time to use them.

Recycled materials can be great, but the time involved can be considerable. Not just for refurbishing (taking out old nails, stripping old paint, re-planing to desired dimensions, etc.), but even just locating exactly what you need. Again, though, if you had storage space, you could slowly accumulate them.

Here's a thought - get one of the shipping cubes, like shipping containers, but 8' x 8' x 8'. That would leave a little exterior space to add something to the outside to cover it up (and I recommend adding a roof, because sometimes the metal rusts and they start leaking).

Some stellar advice here, and best of British luck on the building process.  With your climate, however,  I would steer clear of shipping containers or the like.  Condensation and lack of breathability are not your friends.  

Hi Katie, mostly in the UK you don't need to worry too much about building regs or planning unless your building is adjacent to a boundary or another building, or relatively big, especially if it doesn't involve permanent foundations. It makes sense to make a safe structure whatever of course.
You don't say what sort of work you're doing and how long you want the structure to last. I made a surprisingly ept shed with just some pallets, fenceposts, some old polytunnel plastic and a net! see my construction thread here. I suspect with a floor, a little more cladding, some wool insulation and a stove, it would be quite cosy! I particularly like the roof - it lets in so much daylight! (Oh - OK you'd need a door as well perhaps!)
Have a look at what resources you have locally: Do you have clay in the soil at all? I really like the idea of a rammed earth wall, and this is traditional in many parts of the UK too. Reeds lend themselves to a thatch roof. Although these can be pretty heavy they provide good insulation. Can you integrate the heat from the polytunnel at all? I'm thinking like a trombe wall? On a sunny day you can get a lot of warmth that way even in winter.

Steven Lindsay wrote:although the US 'stick-build' framing technique is frowned upon by some, it developed precisely because there was a shortage of 'time and money', and highly trained tradesfolk and resources, but a huge need for new housing.
It's probably your cheapest, most flexible option; you can easily add elements such as insulation, windows, power etc as needed over time, it can be constructed without heavy machinery or even power tools if required, and be completed at your own pace (the only really time-sensitive elements being concrete or other settings materials). You can also design it to fit in whatever available space there is without adding much to the cost or complexity per sq.
It's so well established there are heaps of instructional resources and everything needed is probably readily available, maybe even free, used or reclaimed.

I'm with Steven here.  I keep exploring "alternative" building techniques and in the end I keep coming back to regular old stick built construction.  It's easy, fast, easy to learn, you don't really need any equipment other than a saw and a hammer.  As Steven said, there is a very good reason 99+% of people build this way.  It isn't because they didn't consider the alternatives.

For UK I would consider aerated block:
-light so easy to move around
-easy to cut
-offers good insulation
-being resistant to elements it will allow you to build even one block at a time at your own pace.
After you finish the wall you can plaster or just lime wash or even do nothing if you do not have time. Two levels, measuring tape, hand saw, trowel and a bucket is all you need.

You mentioned the UK.  Awesome place with a wonderful history.  And so much regional diversity.  I remember walking for an afternoon and discovering what felt like an entirely different culture.  Beer preference, food, accent, and most importantly, building style.  And to think, the house I first lived in in the UK was nearly three times as old as any building in my home city... and at 400 years, it was considered the "new house" of the village.  

There is such a long history of building long lasting housing as cheaply as possible in that part of the world, that I would start by looking around at the local history.  What was the preferred building methods at different times of history.  Wattle and daub was extremely efficient and loved during the Tudor times when wood was reserved for other uses. But only in places with a strong coppice tradition. Some places had cob, others sod or flint houses... it depended on natural resources.  Most towns/cities have a place or person who loves to talk about local history for nothing more than the cost of a pint.  They have often dabbled in the construction methods themselves and can give hints on what to try.  

If you're specifically looking for natural building techniques, you might consider light straw clay. You could probably get away with a 6inch thick wall, especially in your relatively mild climate. It can be much thinner than strawbale, requires less straw, but more clay (which you will probably be able to find locally!).

The book 'Essential Light Straw Clay Construction' will give you all you need to get started. 'This Cob House' has some videos on YouTube to help you understand the basic concept.

A hexagonal(?)pallet cabin , stuffed with insulation and finished in cob.
https://youtube.com/shorts/SATPXB5w_xM?si=RwstH_sGMlzhY2ye

Another, longer video of the " Palletable Cobin " build process.

Here's a link to the Last Straw Website:
The Last Straw