garden shed

Should I put guttering on my garden shed?

Nicola Crawford Shed Buyer's Guide, Sheds Leave a Comment

Are you completely frustrated by the collection of water around your Shed?  Are you worried that it will cause rot or other issues for your garden shed? Mouldy sheds are commonplace for people not taking care of their sheds😭 . And we really don’t want you to fall prey to the dreaded mould. Water collecting in the close vicinity of a Shed is such a common problem. And as such, we’re always researching the best ways to prevent these issues from arising.  Here at Gillies & Mackay, we want you #Sheddies to have a Shed that lasts a LIFETIME. And in order to ensure this, you need to take care of it. That means putting measures in place to avoid …

sales office coats of paint

How many coats of paint does my shed need?

Nicola Crawford Sheds Leave a Comment

Have you ever wondered why your Shed is looking a bit down in the dumps?  Is your summerhouse looking a bit worse for wear and frail-looking? If you’ve had this thought before, there are a few reasons why this can occur. But today, Sheddies, we’re going to focus on one of the big reasons, if not the biggest: a severe lack of paint🎨 Your Shed needs the same TLC that everything else needs. It’s a living, breathing thing, and you have to treat it as such! If you’ve just had a brand new Shed or Summerhouse delivered, and you’re sitting there in amazement, you might be wondering when you’ll need to do some maintenance. But effectively you need to know… …

first coat paint garden shed

Why is the first coat of paint on my garden shed patchy?

Nicola Crawford Buyers Aftercare Leave a Comment

Paint is really important when it comes to any timber building, including your garden shed🎨. It preserves it, makes it aesthetically pleasing and quite literally adds LIFE to your building. You’ve finally got your all-important garden shed in your garden, ready to fill with everything that needs a storage home. Or, maybe you’re still waiting on your installation date but you just love to be prepared. Either way – paint is on your mind 🧠. And, inevitably, you’ve got questions…. What paint do I use?  Should I expect a base coat to come with it?  How much longevity will this add to my build? How many litres do I need for additional paint coats?  All great questions! And, you’re in …

Do I need planning permission to build a garage in Scotland?

Nicola Crawford Garages Leave a Comment

You’re all excited about your braw new timber garage. It’s got enough space to cover your fauncy car and pack away all those “things” that you just can’t find any space for.  But wait a minute! Suddenly Moira, from next door is ragin’ becuase your brand spanking new garage is blocking out her sunlight☀️  She’s on the phone to the council before you can say timber​​ garage☎️ It’s your home, but the council gets awfy funny when you throw up buildings where they aren’t supposed to be. Fair enough, we wouldn’t want our neighbours throwing up any old monstrosity in their garden and getting away with it. Our bonnie timber garages certainly don’t fall under the monstrosity category, but due …

The best summerhouse for 6-8 people…

Nicola Crawford Comparing Summerhouse Options, Summerhouse Buyer's Guide Leave a Comment

Here we have it! The final blog in this series.  We’ve been through the best summerhouse for 1 or 2 people, 4 people, and now, it’s time for the GRAND finale…the best summerhouse for 6-8 people!  Aye, that’s right, we’re talking about big summerhooses.  Keep reading this if you’re the sort of person that likes to have friends and family around for a BBQ each Sunday, maybe you like throwing the occasional garden party or perhaps there’s not even 6-8 of you and you just want the biggest and best summerhouse out there.  It’s really important that you keep in mind three things when thinking about which summerhouse to go for:  Size Style Layout By the end of this blog, …

rannoch insulated interior

The best summerhouse for 4 people

Nicola Crawford Summerhouse Buyer's Guide Leave a Comment

So you want a summerhouse? Welcome to the club (there’s no going back now, you’re one of the #Sheddies)!  A summerhouse is the dream garden retreat for many. But with so many different sizes and styles, it can be difficult to pick exactly which summerhouse is right for you.  Don’t worry though, because, by the end of this guide, you will have all the #ShedKnowledge you need. And you’ll be able to pick the best summerhouse for four people!  Why four people? Well, maybe you’re a family of four looking to use your summerhouse on a lazy Sunday. Or perhaps you’re looking to entertain the odd couple of guests every now and again. Whatever category you fall into for most …

small summerhouse

A Room of One’s Own: The Best Summerhouse Size for 1 – 2 People

Nicola Crawford Summerhouse Buyer's Guide Leave a Comment

There’s something wonderful about having a place that is completely your own. Many people beginning their #ShedLife will just be embarking on the search for their little haven. Today, it is our intention to help you with such choices, and begin to narrow down the best options for you. By the end of the blog, we’re going to make a judgement to the best of our #ShedKnowledge about what we think is the BEST Summerhouse for 1 – 2 people.   Let’s get started, shall we #Sheddies? Okay, it’s always beneficial to set out a framework of how we are going to decipher what the BEST Summerhouse is for 1 – 2 people.  For this, we’re going to be looking at …

summerhouse cost

What Costs Are Involved in a Summerhouse project?

Nicola Crawford Uncategorized Leave a Comment

So, you’ve decided that it’s time to transform your Garden into a hygee haven. It’s had its fair share of laughs, a few BBQs, a party or two. But it’s time for something more; something truly charming that captivates everybody. And a Summerhouse certainly fits the bill…. However, before you get stuck into planning, there’s a few things you should be aware of cost-wise. A Summerhouse is a large project, and it will require more work than just installing the building. Of course, there will be costs associated with these extra words. In order to prevent any massive unpleasant surprises, we think it’s best to layout the costs that will come into play when ordering a Summerhouse.  So, in this …

shed base

How Big Should my Shed Base Be?

Nicola Crawford Shed Buyer's Guide Leave a Comment

Okay #shddies, you’re probably getting ready to order your shed and wondering: “how big should my shed base be?” It might not seem like all that important question. Surely it can be as big or small as you like (within reason). And spoiler alert – it can! However, there is one size of base that is better than them all. And it completely depends on the size of the shed that you have ordered.  We promise there is a method to our Shed Madness!  A G&M base story… A couple of years ago, we noticed something at Gillies and Mackay that completely changed our perspective on bases. At this point, we were building out show area sheds on level slabbed bases …

shed summerhouse in conservation

Can I get a Shed or Summerhouse in a Conservation Area?

Nicola Crawford Uncategorized Leave a Comment

Did you know that there are over 600 conservation areas in Scotland? That’s a lot of Conservation Areas, and a hell of a lot of people wondering if they can get a Shed or Summerhouse for their beautiful garden. If you’re reading this, then it’s likely that you are one of those people.  You’re needing a garden building. You need someplace to store some garden tools, do some potting, anything!🛠️ 🪴 But there’s one issue… You live in a conservation area, you’ve done a quick Google and everything seems to suggest that you’ll need a planning permission application before you install your building. However, the council doesn’t exactly make it easy to get an answer around whether it’s necessary or not. …