This is the only 20ft cabin on the market that is completely man-portable.

Like other Expanda products it can be linked to form larger open plan areas.

It can also be double stacked to provide two storey accommodation.

Length: 6020mm

Width: 2305mm

Height: 2590mm

Ceiling height: 2375mm

Wall thickness: 50mm

As far as we know this is the only 20ft cabin on the market that is completely man-portable.

It uses a similar flat pack design to the existing Expandakabin, but incorporates several design improvements to enhance the appearance and increase the usability for the user.

…so, ‘what’s different?’

1. Increased internal ceiling height (2375mm) giving a much more light & airy feel to the cabin.

2. Includes two double glazed windows which are larger than on the existing units

3. Can be double stacked

4. Incorporates levelling feet

5. Optional forklift tunnels

6. Modular (can be linked side to side)

7. Move the cabin assembled or flat packed man-portable.

For more details see the main site pages at http://tpstructures.co.uk/expandarange/expandacom.htm

• Insulated and pre-decorated inside and out
• Full height windows & glazed doors available
• Pitched roof option
• Low maintenance galvanised steel construction
• Two sizes; 3.3m x 2.3m and 4.63m x 2.3m
• Flat pack components can be carried by hand
• Quick and easy to assemble

A totally new way of building an office or studio in your own garden. It’s quick, expandable and low cost!

Based on the popular Expandakabin, our Expandakabin garden rooms and offices provide a cost effective solution to home office requirements. Because of the unique modular construction, they can easily be extended as your business grows or be relocated when you move home.

There are more than 2.5m businesses being run from home. With so many advantages it’s hard to see why anyone would want to commute. Shedworking means your bedrooms and kitchen table are free for their intended purposes rather than becoming make-shift offices. A garden office also marks a clear difference between your living space and your work space.

They are constructed from galvanised steel (non-rusting), which is finished externally with Moss Green powder coating. Internally the walls are pre-decorated Off-White to give a light airy feeling to the interior. Wall and roof panels are filled with rigid foam insulation ensuring that heat loss and solar gain are minimised.

They are fully weatherproof and the roof is formed from galvanised steel and incorporates a built in gutter. An optional pitched roof is now available so suit both sizes.

The panel system allows for the windows and doors to be located to suit individual requirements.

Choice of windows and doors, pitched roof and guttering to suit individual requirements.

Planning Permission:

In most cases, you don’t need planning permission for an Expandakabin Office in your garden as the Expanda range has been developed to be within the ODPM guidelines for permitted development.

You will most probably need to seek planning permission if:

• you live in a conservation area or your home is a listed building, flat or apartment.
• you wish to locate your Expandakabin within 5 metres of your home or it takes up more than 50% of your garden space.
• you want to locate your Expandakabin between your home and the highway i.e. front garden.
• You expect a large number of visitors to your Expandakabin.

We recommend you check with your local authority, or look over the Governments Planning Portal for more information prior to the placing of an order.

For more information go to the main ExpandaKabin page http://tpstructures.co.uk/expandarange/expandakabin.htm

It is not possible to crane anything into the site; the only access is through a small arched gateway (approx. 2.8m x 2.8m) into the courtyard where the building is located. The unique ExpandaKabin flat pack system allows for all the components to easily pass through the restricted access and be assembled by hand.

It was also a requirement that the layout was not based on separate units linked

together with single width corridor sections. The modular nature of the ExpandaKabin system means that all facilities can be fully integrated within a single building.

The complex measures 17.2m x 9.2m (56ft x 30ft) with internal partitions to form a central cooking/preparation area, two further separate preparation areas, dry stores, walk in cold storage, washing up area, servery and office.

The installation of the ExpandaKabins only took three days from start to finish – only possible with ExpandaKabin.

According to DirectGov: “The Building Regulations set standards for the design and construction of buildings, primarily to ensure the safety and health for people in or around those buildings, but also for energy conservation and access to and about buildings.”

Some buildings are exempt from Building Regulations, these include: Buildings used for the storage of explosives, or on a nuclear site, greenhouses and agricultural buildings, temporary buildings (as defined in the planning regulations), buildings on construction sites, mines and quarries, buildings with a floor area less than 30m2, nuclear fallout shelters and ”a detached building into which people do not normally go”

It can sometimes be argued that simple storage buildings fall into the category of  ”a detached building into which people do not normally go”, however you should always confirm with the Building Inspector that they agree with this categorisation before proceeding.  Buildings classified under any of these exempt categories are unlikely to be suitable for a different use in the future.

Most buildings are required to be designed and built in accordance with the Building Regulations and the Building Inspector will need to be assured that the building complies.  Normally, this means that you will need to provide structural calculations from a qualified engineer and we provide these as an inclusive part of our service. The inspector will also require proof that the building’s foundations are properly designed and adequate for their purpose – again, an engineer’s calculations will probably be required and we normally advise that a local engineer familiar with ground conditions in the area be used for this.

Exactly which regulations apply will depend on the use of the building. For instance, in the case of a heated building, energy loss calculations and even an air-test may be required.

Building inspectors may have discretion in how they apply the regulations – some regard them as general guidance only; others insist on them being applied scrupulously. You do not need to go to your local Building Control department for approval, another local authority’s department can provide the service, or you can use an independent ”approved inspector”.

Things to consider when comparing different buildings and different building suppliers should include:

This list is by no means exhaustive but the answers can lead to substantial differences in costs between building systems as well as significant variances in quality. Ultimately the right choice should leave you with a building that meets all your long term requirements as well as complying with all relevant regulations and health and safety legislation.

The ExpandaStudio requires only minimal foundations and is ideal for self assembly.

An assembly service is available in many parts of the UK.

For more details see http://tpstructures.co.uk/expandarange/garden_offices.htm

It is usually most cost-effective to minimise the span and eaves height of the building – increasing either of these has a disproportionate effect on the cost of the steel frame; equally buildings that are very tall and narrow will be expensive, as the wall area is large in relation lo the floor area. The most economical cost per square metre (floor area) is usually achieved by designing a rectangular building whose length is between 1.5 and 2 limes it’s width (span) and whose height is between 4m and 5.5m. Buildings which are oddly shaped (i.e. L-shaped or T-shaped) will incur significant extra cost. All buildings should be designed on a flat, level base.

The most cost-effective roof is symmetrical, with a central ridge. Offset ridges and monoslope designs again incur significant extra costs.

Where an insulated building is required, composite panels, which consist of a layer of insulating foam sandwiched between two steel skins, are normally used these days – in the past, a built-up system using mineral fibre between outer and inner steel sheets, separately applied, was used; however this type of system is less thermally efficient and is less common nowadays.

When a building is to be heated to domestic or commercial levels (i.e. where people are permanently at work in it) then it needs to comply with Part L2 of the Building Regulations. This requires the calculation of the CO2 emissions, thermal performance of the building fabric and services such as heating and lighting, airtightness, and efficient energy use. These calculations must be carried out by a suitably qualified competent person, and the building must demonstrate compliance with the required criteria in all these areas.

Because much of the information required to carry out the calculations (such as details of the heating and lighting systems) is not available at the time of designing a steel building, we are unable to demonstrate full compliance with Part L2. However, our design and specification is based on materials with the U values that meet or exceed the requirements of Table 4 of the Design Standards Section 1 of Part L2A. We also follow the guidelines of the leading manufacturers of insulated panels and fixing systems in specifying, detailing and installing materials and components to ensure that the required levels of thermal efficiency and airtightness are achieved.

Where insulation is required to deter condensation, or when the building is heated only to a low level, then a thinner composite panel can be used. These buildings are exempt from Part L2 as stated in this extract from the regulations:

From Part L2A of the of the Building Regulations, Page 12.

Buildings that are exempt from the requirements in Part L

16 Examples of buildings which are industrial sites and workshops with low energy demand include buildings or parts of buildings designed to be used separately whose purpose is to accommodate industrial activities in spaces where the air is not conditioned. Activities that would be covered include foundries, forging and other hot processes, chemical processes, food and drinks packaging, heavy engineering and storage and warehouses where, in each case, the air in the space is not fully heated or cooled. Whilst not fully heated or cooled these cases may have some local conditioning appliances such as plaque or air heaters or air conditioners to serve people at work stations or refuges dispersed and not separated from the industrial activities.

Rooflights can be single skin in the case of an un-insulated building or multi-layered to restrict heat loss where the building is to be insulated.  All rooflights these days  have to comply with fire resistance/combustibility regulations.  Rooflighs should also be of the  ’non-fragile’ type, designed to prevent anyone accidentally treading or falling on to them from falling through.

There may be occasions where windows are required. Windows will normally be double glazed, UPVC or aluminium framed, and can be provided with opening casements and accessories such as trickle vents.